Photzy

INTIMATE FAMILY PHOTOS

Quick Guide
Written by Karthika Gupta

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 We’ve all heard the dreaded words, “Okay everyone, easy,” and “I loved how you made us feel at ease.”
look at the camera and on the count of three say, I realized that if, as a photographer, I was having a
Cheese!” I know I have been guilty of using this good time interacting with and photographing my
technique, too, in my early days as a family portrait clients, then they were having a great time too.
photographer. I remember coming home from
client photo shoots and kicking myself for not being At the end of the day, my job as a photographer is
original, botching up my client’s experience, and not only to take great, meaningful, and beautiful
getting really mediocre images that lacked any pictures for my clients, but also to make sure they
emotion or connection. have a great time and it is a pleasant experience.
To that end, there are some things to keep in mind
Over time, my style of photography evolved and I to capture connections among your clients and
started investing more time and effort into making create intimate family photos that are original and
my clients feel comfortable before, during, and after evoke emotion.
their photoshoot. The results were images that were
fun, fresh, and full of emotions – exactly the kind of Recommended Reading: If you’d like to
images that I want in my portfolio. My clients love learn how to create amazing portraits, grab a
the experience, and I often hear them say, “Oh, that copy of Photzy’s premium guide: The Art of
was so much fun!” or “Thank you for making it so Portrait Photography.

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 Photograph by Karthika Gupta

Focus on the in-between moments because those tend to be more real and authentic.

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 FAMILY DYNAMICS

It is very important to understand family

dynamics prior to the photoshoot. This
goes beyond the typical questions about
the names and ages of the kids. Try
and understand the likes and dislikes of
the people involved. If there are young
children involved, take the time to
understand the personalities of the kids as
individuals and with their siblings. Is the
family casual and easygoing, or do they
like formal, traditional posed pictures?
Just because they like a particular style
of imagery does not mean you have to
stick to that. But certainly incorporate
what they want first, and then feel free to
experiment.

Photograph by Karthika Gupta

Family dynamics are very important, and as a photographer we have

to pick up the sometimes subtle as well as the obvious cues.

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 STRUCTURE THE SHOOT

Trust me, structuring is key and will

ensure you maintain your sanity during
the photoshoot. Have a plan of action.
I make it a point to spend the first five
minutes of every session educating my
clients on what they can expect. The first
few minutes is warmup time: testing the
light, figuring out the right lens, etc. I let
my clients know exactly what’s happening,
and many times I get a lot of beautiful
images during this time. Clients are much
more relaxed if they think these first few
minutes don’t really count.

Then we incorporate an activity like

walking along a path, climbing a tree,
or playing in the park, and I photograph
around that activity. This is where you can
get some really intimate and fun images.
Finally, we just sit down to enjoy each
Photograph by Karthika Gupta other’s company. This not only lets the
I try to think of photos that parents will love as well as those that the kids will have clients know exactly how we are going to
fun with and ones that grandparents will frame and put up on their walls.

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 spend our time, but it also helps keep me
in check. Because let’s face it, for most of
us, once we start clicking that shutter, it is
so easy to lose track of time!

Recommended Reading: If you’d

like to learn how to create amazing
portraits, grab a copy of Photzy’s
premium guide: The Art of Portrait
Photography.

Photograph by Karthika Gupta

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 Photograph by Karthika Gupta

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 MAKE IT FUN

This is a critical part of capturing

connections among family members
during the photoshoot. For family
portraits with little kids, try techniques
like tickle-fest, blowing bubbles, rocking
out those dance moves, and other such
methods to get the kids in the spirit of
having fun. If kids are a little older, try
cracking jokes. Bring some basic props if
required and let the kids play. Photograph
around the activity and capture candid
moments of family interactions. If all else
fails, it is okay to set up the shot and work
the family into the pose. Make sure to
keep clicking so that you can get some
candid photos throughout the whole
process.

Remember that families that play

together, stay together. Your job as a
photographer is to capture these family
dynamics in a fun and pleasing way. If
your clients have a great time during
the shoot, it is more than likely that they
Photograph by Karthika Gupta
will love your images because they will
Include all family members and make sure you capture all their personalities.
Sometimes you need to get down at their level to make it meaningful and intimate.
remember the experience in a positive
light.

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 EMBRACE THE CHAOS

This one is a little hard to digest

because, as photographers, we tend to
be perfectionists. The lighting has to be
right, the styling has to be perfect, and
the angle and composition has to be one
of the allowed rules – you know, all those
things that we learn in Photography 101,
Photography 201, and perhaps even
Photography 301!

But sometimes it is okay to break the

rules and just go with the flow. Yes, every
frame here will not be PERFECT, and
more than likely it will break all the rules
of the photography, but that’s okay. It
may be more important to capture that
fleeting moment than to be technically
correct. And more often than not, clients
do love images that show them as a real
family and not just a perfect version of
themselves!

Recommended Reading: If you’d

like to learn how to create amazing
portraits, grab a copy of Photzy’s
Photograph by Karthika Gupta
premium guide: The Art of Portrait
I like to think of relationships that need to be treasured rather than poses that need
to be duplicated. Even if I would have tried, I would have not gotten this sweet Photography.
moment via instructions. Instead I said something like, ‘Mom, love on your baby like
you don’t want to let him go’, and this was one of my client’s favorite images.

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 DIRECT LESS AND
OBSERVE MORE

The most important thing to remember

with intimate family portraits is that
you want to create memories that will
withstand the test of time. Don’t focus
on outfits, locations, and props as
much as on emotions, connections, and
relationships. Let go of perfection as
in the perfectly posed photo. Instead,
educate your clients to see themselves
as a family unit that plays together, gets
crazy together, and also loves together.
When you direct with the intention of
capturing those intimate moments,
emotions, and feelings, clients tend
to relax more and you create magical
memories.

At the end of the day, creating intimate

family portraits is more about connections
Photograph by Karthika Gupta
and interactions rather than poses. When
you take photos with the intention of
documenting the personality of a family,
the session starts to become fun. I
always think of how I would want another
photographer to document my own
family and go from there.

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 Photograph by Karthika Gupta

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed
this Photzy guide!
Karthika Gupta is a
If you liked this self-portrait photography
wedding, lifestyle, portrait,
tutorial, check out this premium guide
and editorial photographer
to help you create inspiring portraits:
based in Chicago. Her
The Art of Portrait Photography.
style of photography is
fun, fresh, and organic. She
strives to capture authentic
emotions and interactions
among her clients and
emotive imagery in her
commercial work.

She loves connecting

with other creatives
and photographers and
is always ready for an
engaging conversation
about photography and the
art of storytelling.

She can be found online at www.karthikagupta.com

and on social media at: IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE
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