A Guide to Poses for Family Photos
Poses for family photos are more than just pointing and shooting; it’s about creating moments that reflect your family’s unique bond. Posing for family portrait photography can often feel daunting, but with the right guidance, you can achieve natural and beautiful results. This guide will walk you through essential tips and tricks to help you look your best in your Durango family photos. We’ll help you make your Durango family photography session fun, memorable, and, most of all, a stress-free time.
The Best Poses for Family Photos Should Look Natural
The most important part of family photos is looking natural while capturing the true essence of your family’s love for one another. We want your children’s personalities to shine and Fido’s silly antics to show. We want to capture your family’s true story to preserve it for years to come. Embrace the joy of natural posing, and below, we’ll outline 14 posing prompts for natural-looking family photos.
Sit, Stand, Stroll.
To master natural posing, all you need to remember is sit, stand, and stroll. This versatile approach allows you to recreate authentic poses and natural stances, regardless of your family’s size or composition. It’s a simple yet effective method that will work for everyone, from a budding family of three to multiple generations of an extensive family line.
Sitting Poses
Sitting poses for family photos is a great way to start your session. The kids are a little leery of this new person (the photographer) and like to be close to and cuddle with Mom and Dad. Sitting at the beginning of your session is a great way to take advantage of that shy or nervous feeling. It allows you to get the all-important traditional smile and look at the camera shots.
1. Cozy on the couch or the ground!
Find your favorite sofa, or better yet, bring one to the outdoors and pile on nice and close. This shot brings the whole family together for an up-close and personal image that fits everyone. If you don’t have a big sofa, don’t worry. Large fallen logs, lightweight folding chairs, or, my favorite, just sitting on the ground cuddled close, creates beautiful images.
2. Sit and Play
This is a great way to catch the natural interactions between siblings. Instruct them to sit and play together, making a game of their natural surroundings. This will always bring out their joy and exuberance.
3. Posing with Animal friends
From dogs and cats to chickens and horses, pets are family, too! Bring your furry or feathered best friend along for the adventure to capture the love your family has for its four-footed friends.
4. Squeeze Hugs
While sitting together, one of my favorite images is the “squeeze hug”. There is something magical in expressions in the first seconds when you hug someone you love. The joy on faces is priceless. Have your family come in close and hug!
Standing Poses – easy and beautiful
A simple standing family pose is a great way to see your children’s height at this age while showcasing a beautiful Colorado mountain or river backdrop. Littles stand in front of the parents, bigger kids to the side, and babies are in Mom or Dad’s arms. A standing family pose can beautifully capture the essence of your family relationship.
1. Stand and hug with mom or dad
This is a great natural action with slightly older children and teens. Simply stand behind the child and give them a big hug. This places everyone’s heads at different heights and adds interest to the finished photo while bringing fun to the day.
2. The lift and cuddle
It is a simple and sweet pose for families with young children. Simply lift your child way up and bring them back down for cuddles. This pose delights parents and children alike and never fails to produce a natural response of joy.
3. Forehead to forehead, nose to nose
This pose is as simple as it gets but always gives us a close and intimate image that highlights the familial bonds. It’s super simple and super adorable every time.
4. Go crazy
This is a fun pose for big group families. Have everybody strike a silly pose or make a funny face. The “Go Crazy” shots highlight each family member’s character and unique personality and allows everyone to express themselves in a fun and natural way.
Strolling Poses to Try
Now that the littles are feeling super comfortable and, let’s face it, a little restless, try strolling or walking poses. They’re a great next group of photos for your Durango family photography session.
1. One, two, three, jump!
This pose is great for active toddlers! To achieve it, simply take a few steps and pause so your little one can jump while you and your partner look on with joy. It’s hard not to smile at their exuberance, and their joy at jumping is always authentic. This is a great “pose” to capture your family’s joy.
2. Run ahead
This is another great “non-pose” to burn off some of the kids’ exuberance. Parents walk forward slowly while the kids hold hands and run or skip ahead. The run-ahead shots create a great depth of field while showing off your photo shoot location.
3. Walking and talking
What could be more natural than walking and talking with your family? This pose works for families with children of any age. Choose a family member to tell a short story or a silly joke while you walk, and we’ll capture your family’s natural interactions during your stroll.
4. Piggyback rides
This is a fun pose with older siblings or parents with wee ones. Have the older child carry the younger one on a piggy-back ride. If the kids aren’t old enough for that move, they’ll every child loves getting a piggyback ride from their parents.
Bonus Tip
Consider your surroundings and ask yourself, “If we were here without a photographer, what would my family be doing?” The kids would likely want to play, throw rocks in the river and leaves in the air, and show you all the treasures they find. Those are the moments that we want to capture. There is no reason to overthink posing for family photos.
The Best Durango Family Photographer
There’s a reason we’ve been voted among the best Durango Photographers four years in a row. We pride ourselves on turning memories into images that will last a lifetime. Now that you’ve mastered posing for your family photos be sure to check out our list of the 6 Best Durango Locations For Family Photos.
Cardwell Aukerman Photography offers a range of services, including professional photo editing, high-quality prints, and personalized photo albums. From helping you choose the perfect location to coaching you through confident posing, we work hard to ensure your photoshoot tells your family’s unique story. Contact us today to schedule a brief chat about your vision for a family photo shoot in Durango or the surrounding area.