Family Portrait, hints?!

[Simonch]

Hey guys, been asked by a friend to take some family photos for them, and was wondering what you guys suggest, my equipment is limited. ... Digial rebel, 18-55 lens, and a jacket incase its cold... just wondering what sort of place to go, what would make a good background etc, flash, no flash?! just use the portrait setting?! cheers guys

 

[Torus34]

Is there some activity that the family does together? This would make a good 'hook' to use. A family portrait doesn't have to be the usual staid posed shot. It can tell something about the family as well.

 

[Simonch]

Thats good thinking, but there isnt really anything as such that they all do together! haha, Scotland. A sociable country!! or not.... So i was thinking maybe up at the local woods, with the trees in the background?

 

[Mad_Gnome]

That's a possibility, or you might also consider at a traditional pub for dinner. That would give you an uncommon environment for a portrait, which would make it stand out from the typical, and you wouldn't have to worry about your subjects getting hungry!

 

[Simonch]

hhahhahah!! i like you're thinking, free food for the photographer?! Also what about clothing etc... should the mother and daughter both be in trousers or skirts? the same? does it not matter?! lol.... yeh, i cant handle stress or decision making in the slightest!

 

[Big Mike]

Also what about clothing

This can really make or break a family portrait. Firstly, you want to avoid drastically different clothing that will clash with each other (unless that's what they want). You don't want some one's shirt to attract more attention that the people. Also, you don't want too great a difference in tones. For example, if three people where black and one person wears white...someone is probably going to look like a floating head...because all detail in their clothes will be lost.

It will help to know what the background will be. You want the subjects to stand out more than their clothes. So if their faces match the background...and their clothes don't....then the clothes will look like the subject, rather than the people.

The tricky part will getting them to feel comfortable...so as Torus34 suggested, maybe find somthing that they can all enjoy.

 

[sthvtsh]

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20071
hot tips.

=P

But.. not by me. I'm too lame and inexperienced to give advice that is sure to be useful. =P