With Easter just a few days away many hobby shutterbugs are getting ready to capture holiday memories with their digital cameras. Given that Easter typically yields large family gatherings, the festive Sunday is the perfect opportunity to snap keepers of your clan.
In preparation for the informal photo shoot, it’s a good idea to consider the following:
Make a shot list: Contrary to popular belief photo shot lists are not just for weddings. Prior to taking family portraits it’s a good idea to prepare by thinking of the types of photos you want. Consider different poses and how each member of your family will react to various set ups. For example, if Uncle Joe has back problems, you don’t want him standing for long periods of time in uncomfortable poses. You should also consider the individual groupings you want to capture, including all the grandkids together, siblings from the same family, pets and their owners, etc.
Expect the unexpected: What’s that they say about the best laid plans? Regardless of how well you think you are prepared for a group shot, things will go awry. Learn to roll with the punches and anticipate as much as possible. For instance, make sure you have extra batteries on hand and a few lens cloths. Also, you can’t always count on catching minor infractions on your camera’s tiny LCD screen, so be sure to take multiple shots of the same scene.
Be nice: You may appreciate the value of a family photo, but more often than not other members of your clan will want nothing to do with your camera. Instead of getting defensive or frustrated, keep a light heart about the situation. Your subjects are more likely to smile for you if they have reason to. Bossing people around and demanding that they say, “cheese” is rarely met with a positive response. Consider having some jokes or funny phrases handy to use just before you take the photo.
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