This year I have been in the process of building a small studio, to expand my capabilities. I was pleased to incorporate it during a recent family photography session. My client was ready to update her two-year old family photos.
I decided to start with her daughter, who is quite outgoing. With a few shots taken, mostly to finalized the lighting, I brought everyone in to the frame.
Whereas I might seat certain family members in certain places to then build around, I often let the family create their own arrangement to start with. Sometimes, the dad will naturally place his arm around the mom or the mom might hold her child's hand. From there, I'll make adjustments as needed, including also conversation to yield the best, most natural photos from the session. In addition to the entire family, I like photographing combinations, such as Dad with daughter, Mom with Dad, kids alone, etc.
This family was really fun to work with. The mom and I met ahead of the session to choose a backdrop that would match her clothing motif. They had a great time, which showed in their photos. The dad looked great in that awesome hat!
