Family Photoshoot Poses for Natural and Authentic Photos

Video Training

May 12, 2022

There are 3 base poses I use for every session to help build the full gallery. That’s right just 3! These are foundational poses for natural & authentic photos. No longer will you freeze up, but instead you’ll use these core poses to create a full gallery of images!

Posing can be a pain point for a lot of photographers, maybe even for you. That’s why I’ve created this FREE CLASS called “Keys to Effective Family Posing, Say Goodbye to Awkward & Stiff“. This class will give you confidence in posing families. Now your session can be smooth and comfortable both for you and your clients! Today I’m sharing poses for natural and authentic photos and it all starts here…

“Bunch”

This pose is exactly what it sounds like. Put the whole family together “in a bunch”! I know that’s not the most clever sounding, but it works. You want to create intentional connection points. Places they are touching, therefore, giving a warmth to the photo and session. Of course there are so many variations: siblings looking at each other, everyone smiling forward, mom and dad looking at each other while the kids are looking at me, etc. The goal here is to capture the big gathering all close together. I love starting with this one because it warms everyone up!

“Line”

Again, it is what it sounds like. Line everyone up, usually biggest to smallest with mom and dad on the ends. The parents act as the anchor in this pose. Whether they have lots of kids and they are the stability holding them in line or there is just one little. It’s a very sweet and fun pose. You can get everyone walking toward you, looking at each other or toward the camera. I also have them turn around and get the family lined up from behind. It’s a great shot to capture the environment and see each person next to each other.

“Front & Back”

This one has some variations, but basically you have a group in focus and a group out of focus. I like to put a good 10-15ft between them to really get those focal points. Typically I start with the parents in the background (blurry) and the kids in the foreground (focused). One of my client’s kids asks to do this pose each time and they call it the “ew” pose! It’s where mom and dad are kissing in the background and the kids cover their eyes yelling out “EW”! It really is so fun to do with the families. It’s a great way to capture the personality of the kids. Then you swap focal points. Have the kids run toward mom and dad and you get this beautiful candid moment as they run to hug!

Need help Posing?

When you start with these 3 key poses it helps give you a foundation to build upon. They remind you of what’s needed, but allow you to add variety. Not only are they easy, but they really do create poses for natural and authentic photos! So, here’s your homework: try one of these poses in your next session! If you’re looking for extra help with posing I’ve got a Family Posing System Mini Course that includes 60 posing prompts, a full gallery to look through, and a posing workflow to help at your next session!