Contest For A Family Posing Guide + 3 Keys for Successful Family Portrait Sessions
September 19, 2012 | 753 Comments |Add a comment
The contest has ended – but make sure to read the article below to learn 3 keys for successful portrait sessions.
The 3 winners are:
Entry 504 – Karen Halbert
Entry 302 – Jeanette Soffe
Entry 54 – Craig Burlingame
For everyone else, Angie was kind enough to give all MCP readers a $50 off code toward the family posing guide, good through September 26th. Use the code MCP at checkout to get 50 dollars off the posing guide
Three keys for successful family sessions:
1. Get on the same page as to what you clients expect and want out of session. Of course I would like to believe that every client of mine wants exactly my style of photography, but this isn’t always the case.
Communicate with your clients and ask them what they want from their session. I try to gauge if they want more posed (traditional) images or if they want more candid images. I usually do some of both, but
it’s always good to know what to focus on more. I will ask them, “do you want most everyone looking at the camera and smiling for most of your family images”? BE SPECIFIC. It’s the worst feeling after they have seen
their images and feeling like you didn’t capture what they have imagined. If they say to me that they just want me to do my thing… then I basically do what I have posted on my blog (a good mixture of posed and candid images).
2. Be prepared. Bring an assistant if needed. There is so much going on at a family session and it’s completely overwhelming at times. Having an extra set of hands really does make all the difference. I have my assistant get the children’s attention so I can focus on posing families, light and my camera settings. She also hands out smarties for every little good thing the kids do! Works like a charm.
3. Have the families interact a lot to create natural expressions. Making up fun games for the whole family to enjoy makes a huge difference. Just telling them to interact or act natural simple doesn’t work. You have
to have them interact! I shoot away while they are playing away and then right after they are done playing I have them look my way while they are still laughing and enjoying each other.
Now it is your turn to enter to win the new family posing guide by Simplicity Photography. We have three guides to give away – so three people will win!
To Enter:
- Leave a comment in this post on the MCP Blog letting us know either 1) the thing you need the most help with when it comes to photographing families or 2) your favorite family photography tip.
- For extra entries, pin something from this post to Pinterest and/or share this post on your Facebook page, Twitter, etc. Then leave a comment letting us know you did.
- For one more bonus entry, join our ALL NEW Facebook Group – where you can interact, learn and help photographers from all over the world. This is more interactive than our Facebook Page, so check it out. If you request an invite to join, we will approve you within 24 hour. Add a comment to this blog post letting us know for your extra credit.
- Check back on Sunday night, September 23rd, at the top of this post, to see if you are one of the lucky three winners.
Next Post: Project MCP: Highlights for September Challenge #4 and October Challenges Revealed
I’m just starting out with families so this would be so helpful!
Joined new fb group!
Pinned this!!
I would like to learn how to get that very relax look in family photos. Pinterest, done! Facebook, done! Joined the FB group!!! Keeping my fingers crossed
Thank you!!!
Shared on FB, Pinned to Pinterest, and I requested to join the FB group. Would so love to win this as posing is my weakness. Thanks!
I need to work on making the family comfortable enough to look relaxed and engaged with each other!
joined group
need help with editing the most
I always have a hard time with getting the Dad to look relaxed-or how to pose them!
hardest thing is just directing without directing
pinned it to my pinterest
just joined the new group…great idea to have that fb group..thanks
I need help posing families & groups.
I need most help with coming up with new poses! I feel so stuck lately.
I shared it on Facebook!
I need help posing larger families with older children, particularly teenaged boys!
I pinned it!
I need help with fun, different, non traditional ideas for families – I got the posed ones down but would love to have ideas for different shots.
pinned!
Shared on FB!
Requested to join the new group! excited about that one for sure!!
I just started my photog business and love families! But I freeze when we get started and feel like I have no clue what to do with all those people!
I pinned, shared and joined the group. I luv you guys!
Ugh, getting the (older) guys not to be party poopers. I need a magic fix!
I have some difficulties getting subjects to loosen up (usually the dads). Oftentimes I get a lot of deer in the headlights expressions from the dads.
Pinned an image.
Joined your facebook group.
Joined FB group
Pinned away!
My biggest issue is that kid (or sometimes dad) that will not get over themselves and just enjoy it a little bit.
Already a member of your FB group.
Pinned it too.
giving direction for posing
I need help with getting families to really interact with each other … how to get them laughing, playing and being themselves.
pinned this
pinned it!
[...] CHECK IT OUT!! [...]
I recommend clients to relax and not over-think their poses or it makes them look stiff.
Pinned and joined the FB group!
I would love some tips on incorporating the older boys that, just really don’t want to do the session….
I need help getting families, especially those with older (school-aged) kids to relax and interact. Thanks for the giveaway!
Pinned!
I always have difficulties having the whole family on the “same page” during the shoot. And getting poses that look natural but that everyone is interacting through.
Joined the group as well.
Pinned to my pinterest =)
Also, I am just starting out with photography for a fun thing and photos for family and stuff. I could use a lot of help! haha. But posing maybe is probably the biggest thing I need help with. And just more practice!
The thing I need most help with when posing families is the settings…what is the magic aperture and shutter spped setting so that everyone’s in focus while little ones are still wiggling around?
My biggest issue is when the parents (moms, usually) try to get the kids to do things (cheese!). How do I diplomatically stop that trainwreck?
Thanks!
Pinned this! Woot! http://pinterest.com/pin/76420524898287878/
Extra credit! I just requested a group invite!
Used the FB account I share with my husband (https://www.facebook.com/pastorbob.thompson). Yay!
Joined the group- thanks!
I struggle with parents being so uptight and constantly telling their kids to say CHEESE! NO DON’T SAY CHEESE is what I want to scream!
My biggest problem is how to get them from sitting vertically – when I point it out and demonstrate the “relaxed” look they bend over awkwardly. We need to get up, shake it out and start again!
Pinned it! http://pinterest.com/pin/269512358921840473/
shared on my FB page
I need help convincing the families that the poses won’t look
cheesy!
Pinned photo
Joined new fb group!
My biggest problem is posing for sure. So winning this guide would be great!
Thanks to Angie for sharing it!
I need help getting more creative with my family poses.
I guess the think I need the most help is coming up with fresh and original family poses. Also, I joined the FB group a couple days ago (love it BTW!)and pinned pic #2! Good luck to all!
Need some help in organizing a number of people into an eye pleasing composition.
joined the FB Group a couple of days ago….great info
I am just starting out(with a group of 19-yikes on Sunday) I’ll be faking it until I make it. I need all the help I can get.
Coming up with ideas on the fly is my biggest struggle and then I revert back to more traditional poses that aren’t always my favorite
I am a member ( thanks) of the Facebook Group and I just pinned and then tweeted about the giveaway. https://twitter.com/entirelyem/status/248889900559118336
I need help in getting out of “pose” mode and capturing people as they really are.
Pinned this!
I want natural looks from people. Less posed.
The thing I need the most help with is directing families into natural and fun poses. I want them to look real and relaxed, but most people need direction. I’d love to learn some techniques for getting casual, complimentary poses. And I’d love to be able to be a little more assertive. Not bossy, but definitely more assertive!
Pinned!
I need to know how to not generate a forced smile, and also not a hyena laugh face..
Joined the FB group, too. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Pinned photo!
A big need of mine would be the posing guide, a difficult task for most of us.
The biggest thing I need help with for the family session is how to get young children to cooperate, now and again I come accross some that don’t want to do anything… And posing guide would be fantastic! I would learn so much from it!
Joined the FB group
Shared this post of FB
I love doing family photography but I struggle with new ideas and how to help families interact naturally for a less posed look. I would love to win the guide.
Pinned it and also joined the FB group!!
Posted on my blog.
I would love help styling my sessions. Love the look of Angie’s clients in all her images.
joined the FB group
Posing is the area I need the most work when it comes to families.
pinned photo
Getting families to relax and be more natural!
I just need to get more confidence in posing families. I always second guess myself.
I need to work on my post processing a little more. I feel like composition wise and lighting wise, I do ok, but that last extra punch of editing is where I lack!
I joined the FB group also!
I pinned a photo as well!
I need help with posing families so that the image looks interesting and not boring.
Shared on Facebook, and joined your awesome group!!
My favorite family posing tip= to let some things happen naturally, like the moments between son and father. Just a simple moment when a mom looks at her child can be an awesome shot.
I could use help with larger families! (5+)
Kids who won’t laugh…even with tickles!
Pinned it
Pinned it!
Arg! That did the pinning one twice. So can this one count as my Facebook group entry? I joined the Facebook group.
I need help/practice in synchronizing everything when taking family portraits. Nailing lighting, posing, attention of kids . . . all at the same time.
Pinned this!
Joined the FB Group!
I think it is most difficult when there are children of varying ages. Seems like I can get one focused and ready but not all at one time!
Pinned the second photo. I always love photos taken in tall grass, so beautiful!