9 Tips for Creating Great Family Portraits

As I mentioned in last week's letter I had spent Christmas in Southern Wyoming in a beautiful log cabin nestled in the mountains.

My sister and her husband own the cabin and invited us to spend Christmas there with all their kids and grandkids.  It is located near Elk Mountain and is very secluded among 300 acres of lodge pole pines and aspens.  Last Fall we spent a week there and traveled all around the area photographing the beautiful aspen groves.  I'll talk about photographing Fall colors in another issue soon.

This trip was special because we got to spend time with my niece and nephew and my great niece and nephew.  It has been at least 5 years since we last saw each other which was also the last time they had their portraits taken.  It's astonishing how much everyone has changed, how the family has grown to include new spouses, and how the topics of conversation are so different now that they have graduated from college and are now responsible "Adults".

One day it was too cold and snowy to go outside so we decided to spend part of the day creating family portraits.  We did the whole family first, then separated the couples and did them individually.  It was the first time my nephew and his girlfriend of 3 years have ever had their portrait taken.  Afterward I had everyone pick their favorites so I could take them home and work on them.  As I also mentioned in my last letter I was going to let you in on some ways to get the best family portraits. So here are a few things to consider: