Does anyone else find family photographs outrageously difficult or..?

[elizpage]

I'm pretty new to family portraits I guess, so I am finding this extremely difficult.. Anyone else think it's hard? Any pointers?

Yikes...

A: This one would be alright if it weren't for the two kids who stick out like a sore thumb and the grandma that's crying because the child FELL OFF the ledge when were trying to take the photo.. Also, there's just something off about this photo overall. Any pointers? ARGH. This was a really important one and I feel like I just ****ed it up for them

Photo B: I like this... kind of. I just feel like something is off. There's too many shadows on the guys on the left's faces or something.. or perhaps the color temperature? MEH. Did I ruin their family photos? Halp.

Photo C: Sweet Mother of God.. This looks awful.. at least it's only a little bit OOF. Anyone have any suggestions on how to even out this terrible color???

Photo D: Again.. Help... They aren't even looking at the camera..

Photo E: I actually kinda like this one.. but there's still something off.

AHHHHHHH

 

[tirediron]

All of your colour, shadow and exposure issues would be resolved by adding fill light. For the first shot, I would have used two strobes, a couple of medium/large softboxes and all would have been good. All the rest could have been done with a single speedlight and medium/small (Lastolite-style) softbox. Several things strike me about the first image, most notably the unbalanced composition. You've got people piled three deep on the left, and only one deep on the right. You've got some turned into the camera, and others shoulders square to the camera (rarely ideal and NEVER for females). You'got a lot of tilted heads (esp on the folks image right), cropped 'bits' of limbs, and the young lad in the orange shirt isn't even bothering to look at the camera. It looks like you started with a basic "tallest in the middle" composition which is perfectly acceptable, but it didn't stay that way. Never be afraid to take charge and if the clients insist on changing something then fine, they're paying the bill, but ALWAYS suggest, "Sure, we'll do that, but I'd also like to try <my idea> just to see what it looks like.

You can also go for multiple small groups, or tallest at the ends. I like the idea of pairing the children with the grand-parents since this is something that will often have a lot more meaning later in life, but you have to get them to look at the camera, even if it takes a while.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Looks like they were in mixed light too with sun hitting some of them in places, etc. which I find can be tricky. This is obviously for future reference but I'd try just getting out taking photos different places to gauge how to do it in various lighting conditions before you get people/clients there.

I'd try to find some resources in working with kids/families, engaging kids and directing people, etc. I think it helps to have in mind how you'd pose them etc. and know how to adapt as you go so you can get thru the session efficiently (with younger kids especially, I wouldn't expect to last long). You can't control what they do/allow with their kids but you can guide/direct; if the kid's headed for climbing up on something it helps to redirect the child or bring it to the parents' attention. Otherwise it may take a little time to let the child regroup and get settled after falling. (Or to get a grandparent back into the swing of things if concerned/upset about the child having fallen.)

Have something fun/colorful/funny to get attention and get them laughing. With little ones if you wear lipstick it can help direct their attention more to your face. Smile, smile, smile. Make funny noises. Etc. etc. etc.

Watch the framing, you can't put back feet and hands cropped off but maybe could do some adjustment/cropping. I'd consider giving them guidelines ahead of time on what to wear. Obviously you don't want to criticize clothing choices but explain it as what can work for photos.

It looks like in a couple of these you were under a tree with bright light coming in behind the subjects; the meter may have been reading that. I often meter with the camera somewhat downward to meter where the subject is, then reframe.

Think about the backgrounds, there's part of a light yellow house that's cropped off and seems to make the overly bright background more noticeable. I don't know if there's a reason for both houses to be in the shot but I think it's better to have enough to see it and make for an interesting background or not to have it in the shot (or not both).

 

[elizpage]

Thanks for all the constructive replies!

 

[Designer]

I'm pretty new to family portraits I guess, so I am finding this extremely difficult.. Anyone else think it's hard?

I guess I'm not seeing the big deal. Sure, one child has his head down, and you've cropped some feet, but aside from some lighting issues, this is pretty normal, IMO.

I've recently done several family groups (mine and wifey's) big groups and small, bad light and all.

I just watch the children, because the adults are usually not the problem.

 

[JustJazzie]

Besides the great advice you've already received I have three words for you; photoshop head swaps. ;-)

 

[KmH]

Yep. Fill. Light.
And being aware of light direction and quality.

Almost all your your subjects have 'raccoon eyes' (dark eye sockets) because the light is coming from an unflattering angle - to high.
In general the light quality is poor too.

To make your subjects 'pop' they should be brighter than the background. In the visual arts the truism 'Light advances, dark receedes.' refers to that.
Direction & Quality of Light: Your Key to Better Portrait Photography Anywhere
On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash: Techniques for Digital Photographers

 

[elizpage]

Yep. Fill. Light.
And being aware of light direction and quality.

Almost all your your subjects have 'raccoon eyes' (dark eye sockets) because the light is coming from an unflattering angle - to high.
In general the light quality is poor too.

To make your subjects 'pop' they should be brighter than the background. In the visual arts the truism 'Light advances, dark receedes.' refers to that.
Direction & Quality of Light: Your Key to Better Portrait Photography Anywhere
On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography
Off-Camera Flash: Techniques for Digital Photographers

Meeeehhh. Yeah, unfortunately I'm not the best at large groups, so it was just... yeah. Can this be fixed in post? I mean, luckily I shot in Raw..

 

[elizpage]

I'm pretty new to family portraits I guess, so I am finding this extremely difficult.. Anyone else think it's hard?

I guess I'm not seeing the big deal. Sure, one child has his head down, and you've cropped some feet, but aside from some lighting issues, this is pretty normal, IMO.

I've recently done several family groups (mine and wifey's) big groups and small, bad light and all.

I just watch the children, because the adults are usually not the problem.

Yeah, children are challenging. I was lucky enough to get two the other day with disabilities. Poor things.

 

[Derrel]

Lacking a real-world, present mentor, the best best for improvement is probably going to be found in one of several books written in the 1980's and 1990's, regarding professional portraiture work. You are running into issues with locations, backgrounds, posing, and lighting issues. These are issues with location photography, and have been issues since the advent of hand-holdable cameras, so, beginning in the 1880's. The equipment used has changed, as flash powder gave way to flashbulbs in 1929 and 1930, then as "winklight" electronic flash arrived in the 1960's, and then as portable reflectors sort of replaced flash for many people in the 2000's. The issues you're running into are discussed at great length in several books I have read, all written in the pre-digital era. ALl the issues, posing, location selection, lens choice, camera height, fill and main lighting, ALL of those issues used to be discussed by professional photographers from the old, pre-digital era. I would honestly say that what you need is old-school professional photography knowledge. Look for books published 20 to 35 years ago.

Simple stuff, like making sure maple tree limbs do not attach to heads, and so on, is much easier once you've got everything else comfortably "nailed down".

Framing and camera height are also big,big issues. A BIG-A$$ camera and a big tripod adds legitimacy and gravity to these types of situations,and keeps people from feeling like they can just break away, and leave the session. I'm not kidding. The larger the group, the more this psychology plays out.