I have discussed selecting places to take clients for family portraits, and that depends on how many individuals there are, whether there are children involved, and if they want to stay in the studio. Discuss the options when you book family portraits. With two children, this couple chose the ease of the studio.
Tammy was familiar with baby Wyatt’s family from his sister’s earlier sessions. Wyatt was less than a month old for his first official portrait, when the whole family sat in the studio, with sister Raelyn posed on her daddy’s lap.
Tammy says, “When working with children, I try to hold the session in the environment where the child—and parents—will be most comfortable. This varies according to a child’s age and, of course, the preferences of the parents.”
“Wyatt’s mother and father were seated comfortably with their backs to my large studio windows.”
“For the group shot, Wyatt’s mother and father were seated comfortably with their backs to my large studio windows, so I brightened them with bounced flash. In this area of my studio, older kids are allowed to jump on my air mattress with their parents present. This can help them to relax and enjoy the session. Jump shots are a delightful part of many of my children’s and family portrait sessions.”
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 85mm lens. Exposure: 1/160 second at f/2 and ISO 250. Window light only.
Exposure: 1/80 second at f/5.6 and ISO 640. Windows behind subjects. On-camera flash fill.
You need not have access to a studio to create great shots. In a suitable room in your home with good daylight or flash, family portraits can be convenient, and you have an opportunity to deduct expenses pertaining to your shooting space from your income tax. Determine the home’s square footage, then divide by the number of rooms. For larger studio areas, you can claim larger deductions.
Sleeping babies are a joy to photograph. For the solo image of Wyatt, Tammy relied on a black & white treatment for a timeless result. The full-length portrait shows off his tiny hands and feet, delicate little body parts that moms and dads find utterly irresistible.
In the above image, the family was arranged on Tammy’s studio sofa. With all of the subjects’ gazes directed to the baby, the little guy is the focal point of the shot.
