Northern Virginia is a popular destination and meet-up location for family reunions, with its proximity to Washington D.C. and abundance of fun things to do. It makes perfect sense to hire a professional photographer to take family reunion portraits to capture the memories!
At Goodhart Photography, we have been delighting families with family reunion portraits since 2009.
Here are 3 tips for beautiful Family Reunion Portraits!
1. Choose the right clothes. Clothing that looks harmonious makes for a beautiful portrait. Everyone’s clothing should be in the same basic color tones – all warm (browns, oranges, rusts, etc..) or all cool (blues, greys, blacks, etc..) Everyone does not need to dress identically, but clothing should go together nicely.
Avoid busy prints and patterns, and logos and cartoon characters, as they will attract attention and distract from the overall effect of the portrait.
To look slim, remember that darker clothing tends to emphasize the face and slenderize the body. Exposed skin can make a subject look larger.
If children are young, do your best to make the clothing comfortable! If children are uncomfortable in their clothes, it will show in the pictures.
2. Choose the right photographer. There are so many wonderful photographers in the area, how do you choose?
First, look at the website and make sure you like the portfolio. Is the style consistent? Do you like the posing? Do you like the lighting? Do you connect with the people in the portraits?
Second, make sure the photographer offers what you want to purchase. Not all photographers offer canvas wall portraits. Not all photographers sell digital files.
Third, make sure you understand the photographers pricing. Is there a session fee? Does the session fee include any prints or digital files? Are the products offered within your budget?
Fourth, ask about the photographers ability to retouch portraits. Photoshop is wonderful for retouching skin blemishes, removing distractions from the background, and even swapping heads!
Finally, make sure you understand the proofing and ordering procedures. Not all photographers offer in person ordering sessions, or online ordering.
3. Get everyone on board! It is not uncommon for someone in a family reunion to protest and say they don’t want to be photographed.
If it is a child, incentives such as a trip to Sweet Frog or Duck Donuts might be in order.
If it is an adult, promise them it will be over quickly and that they do NOT have to do an individual family portrait — just show up and be cheerful for the family portrait. Remind them that it will be a treasured gift for the matriarch and/or patriarch of the family. And someday, the portrait may be a treasured heirloom in their own family.
Can you trust me with your extended family reunion portraits? Absolutely. While I am always inspired by the spontaneity of the moment, I’m also thinking through the technical aspects of your portrait (lighting and posing) so that you will be absolutely thrilled with your portraits.
Family Reunion Portraits Gallery
Ready to book your own family reunion portraits? Get in touch here!
