Tips for Family Photos

Picture this, you’re the well-known photographer in your family and they ask you to help them take some good family photos. Here are some of my tips to help take great family photos!

Arrange by height

It might be obvious but I prefer to arrange height tallest to shortest inward and down. It creates a classic group photo dynamic and many people enjoy the organization and neatness.

Arrange by age

If your family isn’t the type to wait for you to group them by height then I would recommend organizing by age from oldest to youngest downward. I think this represents a family tree in a way and can show many generations if you do it right.

Color coordination

You might not be able to control this but if you can plan it in advance, color coordination can make ANY photo stand out. Depending on your backdrop I would recommend white or another vibrant color that pops out. It is best to avoid black because it blends in.

- Spencer Messmann

Choosing the Right Lens

Choosing the right lens for a shoot can be a difficult task. Especially when you don’t know exactly what you might see. Hopefully I can provide some insight by sharing the lenses' I use most and where I use them.

18 - 55 mm lens (Standard)

This lens range is most common for the lens your camera will come with. Many people are quick to dismiss it because they believe it delivers lower quality images. While in some cases this can be true, I have gotten so much use out of it. It is great for doing something like landscape shots where you have a lot of ground to cover. This lens is very versatile and should not be overlooked.

75 - 3000 mm lens (Telephoto)

A telephoto lens is great for long range shots. A common shot I recommend when you get this lens is to try and photograph the Moon. It can be tricky and you might not get right your first time but it is a great way to learn about camera settings and, who knows, maybe you’ll get a supper cool shoot out of it. Overall I am of the belief that is a lens everyone should pick up at some point.

50 mm (Fixed)

I’m sure you’re thinking, “Why would you want a lens that is stuck at 50 mm when you have a lens that can do that and more?“ That’s a good point but the benefits of a fixed lens are that you won’t need to worry about the zoom changing on accident. I have also noticed personally that it produces better quality images than the 18 - 55 mm lens. If you get more into photography, fixed lenses’ would be a good thing to look at.

- Spencer Messmann

Taking Photos on a Budget

Many people are under the misconception that you need expensive gear and equipment to take good photos. This is simply not true. To start out in photography I would recommend the following gear:

• A phone

• An internet connection

No really! That’s all you need to start. I would also start an Instagram page to showcase your work to others and have an easy place for people to get in contact with you. Once you start taking some pictures I would get familiar with a free photo editor of your choice. On mobile, I recommend the free version of Adobe Lightroom. If you happen to be using a computer I would suggest GIMP. That’s all you need! Go out there and take some pictures!

- Spencer Messmann