Taking Better Family Photos

Great smiles are an essential part of portrait photography: they can instantly transform a so-so photo into a dynamic and engaging one. As a photographer, it's your job to capture these smiles in a natural and engaging way. How do you do that? By following these simple tips.

Avoiding Teeth "Flash Glare"

One of the toughest parts about capturing a great smile is the possibility of flash glare. A great smile will create a white reflective surface that may cause a serious glare in the middle of your photo. However, it's possible to avoid that problem by bouncing your flash off a different surface.

For example, you could angle it upward to bounce it off the ceiling. This will create a heavy concentration of light above the photo. Likewise, you could bounce it off the floor to create an under-shine. Most pre-installed camera flashes lack that kind of adaptability: instead, you need to install an adjustable one on top.

Generating A True Smile

Now that you know how to avoid flash glare, you need to get the person to flash their pearly whites. This is a lot harder than most photographers imagine: often, people shrink away from the presence of a camera and feel awkward. However, you can still get a person to smile their best with this simple process:

1. When they show up, be friendly and smile: it'll be contagious.
2. Offer them lots of nice compliments on their appearance, without being excessive.
3. Talk to them in a relaxed and friendly manner to put them in a good mood.
4. Make personable jokes before the sessions to set up a fun atmosphere.
5. Try to get them to make jokes during the session.
6. Let them bring friends and family members and ask them to interact during the session.

Take Multiple Shots

Once you've got your subject smiling, you need to take multiple shots from several different angles. Why? You never know when you're going to get the perfect shot. For example, if you take one shot and think it's perfect, you might end up disappointed when your subject has closed eyes or let their smile slip briefly.

That's why you should set your camera to the "action" setting. This setting lets you take multiple rapid pictures while you hold down the shutter. Make sure to turn off auto-focus during this session, as it may change between action shots and cause blurry photos.

With these simple tips, you'll capture the best possible smiles imaginable. And if you make your subject look good, you're not only making them happy, but also increasing your potential business. After all, they're likely to let all their friends know about the awesome photographer who captured them at their best. Click here for more information about people photography.