There’s nothing worse than receiving your family photos and realizing you look stiff and overly posed in each and every one. (School photo vibes, anyone?) For the best results, you want to rely on natural posing ideas for your family photography sessions rather than just those basic “look at the camera” shots. Today I’m going to provide you with six family photo posing prompts you can keep in mind for your next session.
Natural Posing Prompts
Whether you are a photographer or a parent preparing for your upcoming session, here are some posing prompts you can use for natural, cozying looking family photos.
- Snuggle In, Look Down: This can work well for couples as well as parents and kids. Simply have the pair snuggle in close to one another and the taller (or higher up) person looks down while the other looks up, off to the side, or straight at the camera.
- Piggy Back/Shoulder Ride: This is great for a family of three that includes a young child. Let one parents carry the child on their back or shoulders while the other parent leans in close smiling lovingly at the pair.
- Nose to Nose: Again, this is an option that can work well for couples or a parent and child. Simply lean in and touch noses for a sweet, loving photo. This pose is great for some close up shots of the pair.
- Over the Shoulder: This posing prompt is a favorite for young ones as it gives comfort to the child and can help them ease into trusting the photographer. Whether the child smiles at the camera or looks at the parent, the end result is a tender moment between a child and their caregiver.
- Hugs & Tickles: When all else fails, snuggle in tight and give the child a quick tickle! (Obviously, the parents do the tickling, not the photographer.) This is the perfect way to capture joy and fun while keeping the overall image natural and un-posed.
- Hugs & Kisses: Finally, a perfect moment to capture between parents and the child is with a few hugs and kisses. Parents should remain focused on the child giving the photographer a chance to capture some giggles and sincere affection among the family.
Focus on Each Other
For the best family photos, focus less on the camera and more on one another. When you look at each other, engage with each other, and laugh with each other, you are much more likely to end up with images you actually like. Stop chasing perfectly posed images and lean in to the natural, casual moments that feel authentic to your family. I’m pretty confident you’ll love the results.
Do you live in St Petersburg, Tampa, or Nashville? Reach out to book a family session with me here.
Are you a photographer looking for more tips and education? Check out this blog post on child posing ideas next!
