Photography and your Family: Some tips from two of Australia's best professional photographers

© photographs taken and supplied by Little Manly Photography

Location, Location

Wherever you choose to be photographed, whether inside or out, you will want somewhere with great natural lighting. Some great locations are at the beach, local parkland, your home or even a funky laneway or building. Think about what's nearby and what suits your own family style. Janet recommends choosing "a time and place that represents you and your family - it might be home, an adventure you like to do together or even your fave café." Elena's hot tip is to "pick a spot where you and the family feel most comfortable." 

Consider your Clothing

Planning your family's outfits is one of the most fun parts, but can also be quite daunting too. Elena's golden advice is "keep it simple, keep it yourself and when it comes to colours, keep it neutral. Achieve cohesion by selecting a few focal colours and textured clothing items." Think about complimentary colours, tones and styles while considering the weather. Janet recommends when choosing your family's clothing that "you don't want to match but rather compliment each other." 

© photographs taken and supplied by Hyggelig Photography

Consider your Groupings

When photographing young children, trying to get them to pose endlessly in many and varied ways is a sure way to induce a tantrum and doesn't usually result in the best quality photos anyway! Consider what groupings you want and then work around that. Do you want one of just the kids altogether? Other popular groupings include the whole family together, the kids with one parent and then the other, and even just the parents on their own. Many of the best photos are candid shots where everyone is having fun. Remember that in spite of all of your plans, Elena says that her "favourite photos captured are those special 'in between' moments."

Au Naturel

To capture your child's brightest smiles, you’ll need to work quickly and ask little of the kids. Elena suggests "relax and take it easy on your kids or babies, don't worry that they won't perform. That creates more unnecessary stress. Just enjoy your time with your family on the shoot." Cuddles, walking, holding hands and looking at each other or the camera will all create some relaxed and loving photographs. And as Janet suggests "bribes are awesome but save them for the end!"

© photographs taken and supplied by Little Manly Photography

Don't wait!

Whether you're pregnant, planning to expand your family or have now completed your family, there's no need to wait! The photos you take now, capture memories of today. If your family grows, you can take the opportunity to get more then too! Janet explains that "there is no perfect time for photos. Just remember, the kids will look back on photos in 10-20 years and will love them regardless!" 

Go Professional

Nothing can beat using a professional if your finances allow. They have the expertise and experience to get the most out of your time and it's also the best way to guarantee you will have a plethora of high-quality images! If you do choose to take the photos yourself, use a tripod with a camera and timer and take a few sample shots first to make sure you're happy with the backdrop and lighting. Or if you want to leave it to the professionals, we highly recommend Janet at Hyggelig Photography in Melbourne and Elena from Little Manly Photography in Sydney.

Finally, remember to have fun. The photos will capture your mood so make sure it's a good one. 

GIVEAWAY ALERT

WIN a gift certificate for a newborn or maternity shoot in Sydney’s Northern Beaches with @littlemanlyphotography!
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✨ You must follow both pages. You can enter as many times as you like to increase your chances. Competition closes on Wednesday 4 November at 5pm AEST. The winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day on Instagram. The winner must be able to be photographed in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.