Family Portraits with the Milanese Family
Candid Family Portraits Session with Jennifer Lamy
I will be the first to say it: Family portraits can get a little difficult for the parents, the kids, AND the photographer. Getting kids to listen, stay still, and pose can get exhausting for some parents, and I don't blame them! It's not an easy job. But sometimes, it's not the kids that are challenging. Instead, it's the posing that takes away the fun from the family portraits session. When kids are involved, it's important to consider their needs too. As a photographer, I could simply prepare my shot list and then just direct the kids on how to pose, but a) that might not necessarily give me the results I imagine, and b) the kids might just not be in the mood to follow instructions. So, let me tell you a little bit about how I do things.
A Family Portraits Session With The Milanese Family
I had such a lovely time photographing the Milanese family, which was a bunch of 5! The three little sisters were simply naturals in front of the camera. They were so comfortable, and when you see their photos, you can just tell that they are having fun, with a bit of mischief hidden in their sweet eyes. There was so much love between them, and it was such a pleasure to get that on the camera. They held each other's hands, hugged each other, and when asked to pose, gave me some of their sassiest poses! The parents ended up having such a great time with their girls too. There's nothing more fulfilling as a photographer than to connect with your models, especially when they are sweet little girls! I can't wait for them to get older and look back at these photos.
When I photograph family sessions, I like to wrangle the kids' attention by playing games and letting them choose their own poses before I pose them. This way, they get to spend some time with me before I take out my camera, and it allows them to feel comfortable with me as well. I cannot stress enough on the importance of making kids feel comfortable during family sessions. Without that, you might not get the results you were hoping for. When you make an effort to get to know them, each kid feels seen and respected. It's natural human nature. Also, I want the parents to have fun too and not have to be yelling at their kids to behave the whole time. So, when you focus on making the kids feel comfortable, you also ensure that the parents have a good time.
Family Portraits Session in Rhode Island
In a market full of photographers who shoot highly posed formal portraits, I am trying to go the other way. My style is more about natural family portraits or candid portraiture. And not just because I want to market something different, but also because I genuinely believe that I get to capture real moments through my camera when people are just being themselves. This especially applies to family portrait sessions. When there are kids involved, I'd always prefer big, beautiful, natural smiles as they go about being a family rather than get them into poses they don’t feel comfortable in.
If you are planning to get some family portraits too, you can drop me a mail at hello@zenobiastudios.com or call me on (401) 855-4856. Let's discuss how we can make your family session fun. I also shoot weddings and engagements, and if you want to check out more of my work, you can visit my website or head to my Instagram and Facebook.
