Every year I promise myself that I will take a family photo during the summer that will be worthy enough to grace the front of our family’s holiday card. And every year I break that promise. This year is no exception. So if you, like me, haven’t been organized enough to tick the holiday family photo off your to-do list, here are 10 tips to help you get a photo that is picture-perfect.
1. Set the stage. Have a plan before you drag everyone into the frame. Make sure furniture is in place or the front porch is swept. Set up furniture so family members are at different levels (i.e. one person is sitting, another standing, another kneeling).
2. Dress for success. Don't wear crazy prints or patterns (they distract the eye) and avoid wearing white or black (both will make you look bigger than you are). If you are doing a full family photo, you will want to be coordinated but not too matchy. Choose clothes that are classic, comfortable and neat.
3. Reward happy smiles. Kids have a short attention span when it comes to photo-taking — as does your family pet. Make sure you have treats to tempt them with after picture-taking is over.
4. Light it right. Make sure that any light source — whether indoors or out — is behind the photographer. It is preferable to shoot in daylight because the result will be softer and more natural. That being said, avoid taking pictures midday, when sun is the brightest. Plan on taking your photo either early in the day (I prefer this time because usually kids are well-rested) or in the late afternoon. To avoid red eye, have your subjects look directly into a light source right before taking the picture. This will cause the pupils to shrink (some cameras have a little flash right before the actual flash goes off, which accomplishes the same thing).
5. Get close and personal. Tightly cropped, simple images without too much going on in the background make for an elegant photo. People want to see you and your family, not your recently redecorated living room.
6. Enjoy yourself — for real. You want to avoid shots that are too posed. If you are not having a professional take your photo, then ask a friend to take it for you. Chances are your friend can engage you and your family in a way that makes everyone feel comfortable. If you are taking the picture of your kids, have a few jokes or stories in your pocket to elicit a laugh. (This is much better than saying "cheese," which usually leads to a fake smile.)
7. Relax. To keep everyone from stiffening up, have something like a family pet to interact with or something to lean on. Hands should never dangle by your sides; fold them in front of or behind your body.
8. Look your best. If you are worried about your weight, wrinkles or double chin, have no fear: There are small adjustments you can make to look your best. To avoid the "10 pounds" the camera adds, don't face the camera head-on. Instead, turn your lower body to the side, then rotate your upper body slightly toward the camera (think of how the actresses stand on the red carpet). If you are posing with the rest of your family, position yourself in the back so you appear smaller. To avoid the double chin, watch where the camera lens is. If it's at eye level or above, you are fine. But if it's below eye level, then you'll want to reposition yourself so you can tip your chin out more than usual.
9. Quality is found in quantity. It is likely that you will take 50 photos to get one that you like (even Richard Avedon had to take tons of pictures of Jackie O just to get that one special shot), but lucky for us, unlike Avedon we live in the digital age, so we can snap away without worrying about the enormous expense of film.
10. Watch for the unexpected. Sometimes the best shot is when your subjects think you aren't snapping anymore. I like to position the camera away from my eye but still directed at my kids and snap away. It's then that I can get my family at their most natural.
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Mayhew, a “Today” show style expert and former magazine editor, is the author of “Flip! for Decorating.”
