Family Photo Shoot at the Arboretum

I had a super awesome time shooting with this family at the Arboretum last Sunday, and I want to share with you how I got the shots that I did and my techniques behind getting awesome candids!

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1) The Gear

As you'll hear very often, your camera gear doesn't overly matter for capturing great images. There are definitely technical aspects that will make one camera better for something than another (like low-light performance for concert photographers, etc.), but for the most part you'll be okay with anything as long as you have a good understanding of the tools you're using.

For my family shoots, here's what I like to bring with me:

• 35mm 1.8 lens

• 50mm 1.8 lens

• 85mm 1.8 lens

• Nikon D5300 camera body

I usually conduct family sessions outdoors, but if you're shooting inside or you need artificial light for a studio (like the cake smash / family shoot combo I did), I also bring:

• 55" soft box

• Yongnuo speed-light flash

• Flash stand

• Speed-light adapter for Bowen's mount

These are really just extras. For the better part of my time shooting professionally, I only used natural light. If you're in the family portrait business, that will likely be all you need.

The reason I bring a variety of lenses with me is to get a variety of shots. My 35mm lens is fairly new, but it's super useful during a family shoot to get those group shots, like these ones:

The 35mm is also really useful for giving a sense of the environment (definitely something I wanted to show off in the beautiful Ottawa Arboretum) because it doesn't give the same lens compression as an 85mm or even 50mm does. It also gives that wider scope of view. This was useful in the images below.

My 50mm was my first lens, and I still find it to be the lens I use most. It's extremely versatile and is much better quality than the standard kit lens, which is why I skipped using that and bought a 50mm right away. It's also the cheapest prime lens.

In this shoot, I only used my 50mm once (because most shots were groups), and that was for the single portraits. This focal length is most flattering for portraits and still gives a sense of environment without all the wide view a 35mm has. Here are some examples:

The last lens was the 85mm. This lens can certainly be used for portraits instead of the 50mm, but it definitely gets rid of the background a lot more. I only used this lens for some of the group shots under a willow tree. The light filtering through the leaves plus the water made some really nice bokeh in the background.

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2) Setting Your Subjects at Ease

One of the most important parts of photography is putting your clients at ease. The last thing you want in your photos is a tense subject who is half smiling or has their shoulders hunched. Trust me, discomfort shows in photos. Luckily, I have a few useful tips on how you can avoid that!

1) Meeting Location

One of the easiest ways to put your clients at ease is small talk. If you start taking pictures as soon as you meet them, of course they'll be uncomfortable! One of my top tricks is to meet the client a couple minutes away from the shoot location. This way, when we meet, there will be a pretty good chunk of time to walk with them and make some small talk. Let the client get to know you and get to know the client yourself. Trust is an important part of good images.

2) Test Shots

Whenever I shoot, the first couple of shots are always just test shots or "warm up" shots. Your clients are not going to be super stars at posing or even acting natural in front of the camera during the first few shots. I like to start with simple poses or even just shoulders up shots and slowly work up to full body shots from there. This way the client can focus on smiling without worrying about their hands, and then feel more at ease being directed from there. This is also why I leave the best location for around the end.

Also remember to get some group shots at the beginning. Even though the posing may be more complicated, people tend to feel more comfortable in a group when the attention isn't solely on them.

3) Get Weird

Now obviously when you're first meeting the client, you want to be personable and professional. Don't get too wacky on your first impression or it could leave a bad image under your name. But once you get to your shoot location and you've started taking pictures, don't be afraid to get silly! I like have my subjects tell each other inside jokes, or I'll have them do action shots, or even make faces if the kids are young (in this case our youngest member was 8, but she was definitely beyond her age. No silly faces or toys were necessary). When your subjects are having fun, their interactions are genuine and you get the best shots possible.

3) Posing

Another important part of a family photography session is posing. Sure, we want to get those candid shots, but a lot of families also appreciate the traditional group portraits that they can send out on greeting cards. Here are some posing tip I like to follow.

1) Levels

In composition, levels in the image make it seem more interesting to the eye. This is why I tend to have group photos where the shortest people are in the front and the tallest in the back (basically what your average school portrait photographer will tell you). It's also nice to have some people further back and some people further forward for levels of depth. This is something you'll notice in these shots:

Sometimes, for the sake of focus, you'll have to put the subjects on the same line (like when I was shooting with my 85mm).

2) Hands

When posing your subjects, thinking about hands is important. Most people don't know where to put their hands, so instructing them makes it easier for them and improves the look of your images. My top tricks are having people hold hands in front of themselves, putting them in pockets (with the thumb sticking out so it doesn't look awkward) or putting them on people's shoulders. Here are a few examples:

Overall, this family was super easy to pose. They were comfortable in front of the camera (which always helps) and had a great sense of what looked natural. They were super stars!

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All in all, these were my tips to shoot family sessions and how I integrated them when shooting this awesome family at the Ottawa Arboretum!

#arboretum #ottawafamilyphotographer #allgirlsshoot