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    7 Tips for Getting Great Family Pictures (And How I Messed Them All Up)

    By Redbook | Parenting – Mon, Oct 10, 2011 6:33 AM EDT

    By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

    Every fall, along with apple picking and pumpkin carving, the cool air inspires me to break out the coordinated-but-not-matching sweaters and book a time to get our family picture taken. And yet no matter how hard I try, the nice holiday card memory making eludes us. "This is serious," I said as I looked each of my four children squarely in the eye. "All I want is to get one nice family picture of all us. No crying, no screaming, no de-pantsing your brother. Just a nice picture with everyone facing forward and our eyes open. You think you can do this for me?" My kids all nodded solemnly... each with a finger up his or her nostril. Do you see what I'm against?!
    Related: Vote for REDBOOK's Hottest Husband in America

    Pro tip 1: Try not to look posed; go for a casual candid shot. Reality check: Our "candid" looks like an MMA cage fight minus the cage.
    Pro tip 2: Matching is out. Go for "coordinated", like you just happened to walk out of the same Tommy Hilfiger store. Reality check: I'd settle for anything clean with no Spongebob much less six outfits in the same color family.

    Pro tip 3: Look festive! Reality check: Look sweaty! Who knew this October was going to be a fluke 85 degrees when I bought those sweaters?

    Pro tip 4: Smize (smile with your eyes, Tyra Banks-style) Reality check: How about just keeping your eyes open? When we told our 7-year old to relax in front of the camera, he laid down on his back and closed his eyes in his best yoga pose.

    Pro tip 5: Bring rewards. Reality check: Little sucker sticks look like cigarettes poking out of tiny mouths. Try explaining that in the holiday letter.

    Pro tip 6: Use props that show your unique personality. Reality check: You've seen Awkward Family Photos, right?

    Pro tip 7: Don't go for perfection, the little flaws are what makes the picture beautiful. Reality check: We nailed this one.

    Do you do a formal family picture each year? What's your tip for getting a good picture with kids?




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    3 comments

    • semora
      semora  •  7 months ago
      We don't do family shots. The photographer just takes a bunch of our toddler until we get a few. My favorites are when the photographer tries to get his personality in the pic instead of a pose. And yeah, i'm happy to get there with a clean outfit, and get through the mess with only minor meltdowns. :-)
    • MeganB
      MeganB  •  7 months ago
      I'm over the shoulder-to-shoulder formal shots. Give me a good candid any day. That's what I love about living in the country. Plenty of cotton fields, farms, old barns, and other great scenery. Take a nice walk with your family and let somebody snap away. These are my favorite pics. Getting a 2-year-old to sit still and smile for a camera in a studio is dang near impossible for me.
    • B
      B  •  7 months ago
      The only time I get pics of all 3 of us together is when a relative takes them at a party or something. My SO refuses to pose for portraits. So all of our "family portraits" are unmatched candids, but we usually think they're pretty decent. Not bad when your SO refuses to cooperate, usually does several shots with his face blocked by the baby or flips you off with a big grin behind it. Even harder with a 2yo that doesn't like to sit still, but is pretty good about the whole debacle... So don't feel bad and just continue to hope for the best.
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