Spontaneity in Family Portraits

What makes a family portrait stand out?
Is it one where everyone looks handsome, smiling in their Sunday best outfit? Or is it one that shows spontaneity and energy? The family portrait that catches a child looking devilish instead of smiling like a cherub. Preserving Your Family Memories Through Photographs

The easy answer is it’s both.
33 Absolutely Charming Family Portrait Ideas

Show energy and personality

As a photographer, my favorite family portraits are the ones that reveal personality. It’s challenging to capture personality in a posed photograph. Ironically, it’s often posed photographs that open a session up to spontaneity.
You would think that spontaneity with children would be easy. But kids aren’t that different from many adults. There are always people that hate having their photograph taken.

There are children who enjoy posing for photographs. Instagram and Facebook have changed the way people pose for photos. Children don’t know a world without social media. They may not only see what their parents post but pictures of celebrities and their poses.

Posing shouldn’t be like taking directions in school

There are people who are shy, self-conscious and posing for a photo for them is like a painful trip to the dentist. Their expressions show it.
Then there are kids and adults who are carefree, easily smile and effortlesslhttps://5a22ugbpv1.vmaker.com/record/Scz4kFEdrbBur7iP

Use the great outdoors

I prefer photographing families outside because it allows for a more relaxed atmosphere. It lets children expel their energy before posing and inject some of that same liveliness into their poses.
Back to spontaneity, obviously it can’t be forced. The photographer, however, can encourage it.

Play like a child
If I’m playful and funny, then ideally the family will be as well.
At the same time, everything I do as a photographer needs to be intuitive. I need to automatically dial in all of the proper settings on my camera and select the right spots for photographs so that technically the photograph is a good one.
Experience Matters
This comes with experience.
Experience also helps you dial in spontaneity. You intuitively assess the personality of a family and the individuals in a group to coach moments.
It doesn’t mean I’ll know when a little girl will decide to pull away from mom to twirl or put her hands on her hips to strike that Instagram pose, she’s seen adults do. What I do is give permission to allow it to happen.