Life is good. The kids are growing up. You just got a haircut that you’re really feeling. Your husband has a mustache that he’s been working on. These are life’s moments that you want to capture and immortalize. Family photography is more than just your new Facebook profile picture or newest piece to hang on the wall. Family photography is about freezing certain frames of life, like your kid’s missing front tooth and that impressive mullet your husband grew out. You don’t want just iPhone pictures of life’s greatest hits. 


Why does authentic family photography matter, anyway? 

When you think of family photos you probably visualize kids and parents in a combination of white, denim (I am a sucker for full denim though!), navy or black. You probably envision the family standing in a single row, smiling at the camera. Posed photos like this have a place but I’m more interested in capturing your 9-year-old’s (or 45-year-old’s) goofy personality and the way your baby looks at you with all the adoration in the world. In 30 years, you’ll probably prefer the photo of your son sticking his tongue out and your daughter whacking him with a stick, over standing in a single line, forced smile at the camera. These are the authentic family photos I’m after.


Family photos that capture who you are whether the camera is there or not is what matters to me. We’ll still get through the posed ones that you might want to hang in your living room or Mimi wants to put by her bed–but I’ll primarily be capturing those candid, real, genuine moments shared between you and your family. 


Tips for our family session together 

There can be more to capturing candid family photos than just posing–it comes down to your preferences because that will make everything that much more authentic. Choices from the whole family that can impact the authenticity of your photos include location, wardrobe, props, posing, etc. 


Location

I’ve got my go-tos and I bet you could guess it too. Parks. I have never had a bad park session (knocking on wood!) and it offers a great variety of photos as far as lighting, backdrop, and locations. Not to mention, so much room for activities.


My favorite locations for St. Louis family photos are: 

However, I’d love to see families be adventurous with their family photography location choices. Are you always cuddling up on the couch to watch movies? Maybe an in-home session is a better fit for you. Do you go to the bowling alley every Friday? Let’s do it there! Or maybe you guys hang out at the skate park a lot of evenings? I’ll get a helmet and we’ll strap up. 


Ideas for unique locations: 

  • Bowling alley 
  • Skate park
  • Art gallery
  • Amusement park
  • Ice cream shop
  • Parking garage 
  • Farmer’s market 


Wardrobe 

Attire for family photos is probably the biggest contribution to showing off your family’s personality. I can’t look at another family session full of members in white tops with tan pants. I love when a family chooses a pop of color or lets their kids dress however they want. Patterns are typically shied away from in photography but it’s so fun to have a pop of a pattern on one or two people. Here are some combos I’d love to see a family try out:


  • Forest green, light blue, white and tan
  • Yellow, orange, pink, tan and white
  • Mustard yellow, burnt orange, sage, and maroon
  • Denim, gingham, and ivory 


The wardrobe you choose for your family session is the easiest area to infuse some of your family’s personality into!


Props

Hear me out…props. I’m not talking about the wedding props you see with the photo booth. No, “I’m With Stupid” signs or paper mustaches on a stick. I’m talking about sentimental items that your family has come to know as pillar items in your life. Your daughter’s beat-up stuffie, your son’s unaesthetic action figure, the quilt you cuddle up on the couch with. There are so many small ways you can include your family’s icons in photos: 

  • Your family’s well-loved blanket
  • Your child’s stuffie
  • Your child/children’s favorite bedtime storybook
  • A snack you enjoy together
  • The beloved family dog

Posing

Posing does not need to be limited. I need this reminder for myself too. Gone are the days of traditional posing, throw all of it out of the window (ok, not all of it but a good chunk). This is the main area we can control that will truly show off your family.


Here are some prompts I might use: 

  • Reading a book to your children
  • Tickling
  • Playing tag and chasing
  • Singing a lullaby 
  • Making goofy faces 
  • Airplane
  • Cuddling up
  • Group hug
  • Hunting for the biggest or coolest stick 


Prompts like this will allow me to get truly authentic moments that you share together. No stuffy poses, just true smiles and laughs between you all. My goal with family sessions is to be part director and part observer. I just want to capture who you all are with a little help from the prompts, but 100% authentically you. 

Ready to create lasting family portraits together?

Ultimately your family photos will come out genuine–at the end of the day it is your family and that’s enough to create images that will reflect pieces of who all are. But if you want a truly authentic session that will successfully capture your family in an exact moment of time–following the above family photography tips on location, wardrobe, props, and posing–you’ll be on your way to getting pictures that feel incredibly genuine. 


Whether you want to go traditional or unconventional, I’ve got you covered. I believe there’s a place for both but I’m a sucker for the photos that are candidly captured and authentically show off who your family is. 


Let’s get to planning your session today!