Nailing Spring Break Photos

I recently shared on my facebook page “How to look awesome in family vacation photos.” This article from Peanut Blossom focused on some great how tos on posing ideas for those vacation photos and inspired me to write this post.

Just in time for Spring Break with the family, I am going to share with you how to get your whole family and your amazing locale all in one vacation photo. To level the playing field, I am going to use example photos from my recent trips all taken by my husband or me.

1. Closer to the camera is better.
People often try and get as close to a monument or background as possible to try and fit everything in. What ends up happening is the photo losing its focus and your subjects (you and your family) get lost.

Who are those people in that lovely photo of the Golden Gate Bridge?

If you want a family photo, make the family the center of attention by bringing them closer to the camera. The space between the camera and the subjects should be far less than the space between the subjects and their background. If you want a photo that focuses on the scenery, remove the family from it. Since we are talking about family photos, let’s keep the family in.

Yes, I made my husband redo our engagement minutes after he proposed.

2. Get everyone in there.
When I was a kid, I cannot tell you the amount of photos that our family took that did not include my father because he was behind the camera. Being a daddy’s girl when I was young, this also produced countless photos with me scowling or crying. These are not the makings of a photo you want to frame or send out in the annual Holiday card. Of course, that did not stop my mother. We still have a photo hung up of our family (minus dad), Cardinal Bernadine and a very angry looking Carolyn.

Doesn’t my husband look so sad without someone next to him?

Plan ahead for your trips. Invest in a tripod for your camera. There are plenty of affordable and easily transportable ones out there. I bought one at Target for under $25 that fits in my backpack when fully collapsed.  If a mobile phone is more your travel camera you can look at smaller tripods that can be carried in a purse. There is even a tripod for your point and shoot cameras that fits on the top of a water bottle!

3. Ask for help.
If you forget your tripod but run across a not to be missed photo, don’t be afraid to ask someone else for assistance. No matter where you are a camera speaks in a universal language people understand with a gesture. Be sure to set the camera up for your new friend, as you never know what their skills may be. And, remember to offer to return the favor.

4. Above all have fun!
Or at least look like you are. I plan on making up for the years of angry photos even if I have to fake it.

Not faking. Actually having fun.