{"id":73160,"date":"2020-09-07T22:10:20","date_gmt":"2020-09-07T13:10:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/stories\/create-pro-style-family-portraits\/"},"modified":"2024-05-02T02:39:23","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T17:39:23","slug":"advanced-month-9-events-35-pro-style-family-portraits","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/en-us\/stories\/advanced-month-9-events-35-pro-style-family-portraits\/","title":{"rendered":"Create Pro-Style Family Portraits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Making family portraits requires more than just camera skills. You\u2019ll need to be organized and a great communicator, too. Let\u2019s see how it\u2019s done.<\/p>\n

Professional family portrait photographers have a unique skill set: they\u2019re fluent in their photographic technique, creative under pressure, and good with people \u2013 able to put their subjects at ease quickly so they\u2019re relaxed and look great on camera.<\/p>\n

This combination of skills is the result of hard work and practice. So, let\u2019s have a look at some things that you can do to make family portraits like a pro.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Research the Location and Plan For the Light<\/h3>\n

Family portrait photo sessions don\u2019t have to take place in a studio. In fact, many people prefer their pictures to be made in a more natural location that\u2019s familiar to them:\u00a0a local park or beach, for example, or even in their own home or garden. Try to visit this before the day itself so you can plan your poses and compositions in advance and bring the right equipment with you. You\u2019ll also be able to see what the light is like.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn
\n\u00a9 Alison Conklin<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This is so important \u2013\u00a0without good light, your portraits will never have that professional look and feel. If you\u2019re working outside, this is all about the time of day, the season, and the weather. Overcast, cloudy days are much better than full-on sunshine, which is only good at the end of the day in the golden hour.<\/p>\n

That said, a diffuser is a great accessory to take with you, though you might need an extra pair of hands to help you. Ask your helper to hold it up so the diffuser\u2019s shadow falls across your subject.<\/p>\n

In full sunshine, a diffuser can deliver a light a like a studio softbox, but do be aware it will cut down light levels by one to two stops, which can make the background seem overexposed. Always try to position your subject against a dark background when you can.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Candid or Posed?<\/h3>\n

Should you pose people in your family portraits? Or make images without them knowing? Well, we would argue both \u2013\u00a0and these styles complement each other.<\/p>\n

People are never going to feel at ease just by pretending you\u2019re not there \u2013\u00a0what you need to do is get them used to you being there, as if you\u2019re part of the furniture. The best way to do this is set up a posed image to begin with \u2013\u00a0something fun the family can enjoy and that doesn\u2019t matter too much (you can always repeat the image later in the session \u2013\u00a0the point of this is to get them used to you and your camera).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn\u00a9 Alison Conklin<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

From here, move to making some candid pictures of kids playing together on the beach, or with mom and dad playing, too, if younger kids are in the frame. Keep your distance with a telephoto lens and try not to direct too much. Keep the light behind you if you can, or to the side of your subjects.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn
\n\u00a9 Alison Conklin<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Occasionally, when you\u2019ve got a set of great candid pictures, you can create something posed \u2013\u00a0a group shot, a head shot, an individual portrait. The pictures will all sit together in a collection really nicely, since they\u2019re made using the same lighting, location, and clothing. These posed pictures will just get your subjects even more relaxed around you, so you can switch back to candids again. Go round and round this circle as many times as you need to.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Think Triangles!<\/h3>\n

Ask a sports team to line up for a photo and that\u2019s exactly what they will do \u2013\u00a0line up. That\u2019s fine when you want a picture of the team all looking the same, with everyone easily identifiable, but we can do much better than this for the families you\u2019re photographing.<\/p>\n

Try to pose people in triangular arrangements, or in sub-groups that form triangles or diagonal lines. You can do this by either taking advantage of the natural difference in your subjects\u2019 heights or by getting people to sit, stand, kneel, bend, or even lie down.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"Learn
\n\u00a9 Alison Conklin<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Get Set\u2026<\/h3>\n

There is a lot to think about when making portraits like this, so it pays to get your cameras set up exactly as you like them before the action starts.<\/p>\n

Auto ISO is a great bonus, as this means you won\u2019t have to watch your shutter speed all the time in case it dips too low. Similarly, Face\/Eye Detection AF frees up more of your attention for interactions with your subjects. If your camera finds more than once face in the frame, you can switch between them by either using the touchscreen or by using a custom function button, set as Face select, and the joystick.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"\"
\n\u00a9 Alison Conklin<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

In natural light, excessive contrast can be a concern. We\u2019ve talked about how using diffusers can help here, but choosing the right Film Simulation mode and dynamic range settings can, too.<\/p>\n

A Film Simulation mode like PRO Neg. Hi is ideal for the job. You could also experiment with your camera\u2019s Dynamic Range Priority function. This combines DR, H-Tone and S-Tone adjustments to help preserve details in bright highlights and dark shadows.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Your Next Steps<\/h3>\n