Top 10 Essential Tips for Beautiful Family Photos

Planning the Perfect Family Portrait. Start with the end product in mind.

The first step is starting from the end. By "the end," we mean the final product you want from your family photos. Would you like to create a BOOK filled with cherished family memories? Are you interested in designing WALL ART to decorate your home? Perhaps you want a few PRINTS to send out to family and friends as a keepsake of your family's growth. Or would DIGITAL FILES suffice for your needs? Knowing the answers to these questions is crucial before booking your family photographer.

1. How to decide what pictures to order from family photos? Here is a list of few suggestions:

Your gorgeous pictures should serve a meaningful purpose for you and your family, evoking emotions such as smiles/laugh, and bringing the whole family together. However, it's also essential to take a practical approach that suits your lifestyle, home decor, and personal preferences.

2. Assess Your Space and Needs. Look Around Your Home.

• Wall Space: Identify available wall space in your home where you could display wall art. Consider the size and style of the space to determine what kind of photos (and in what sizes) would look best. Also, look at the colors in that space. Furniture colors, frames (if there already are on the wall), imagine your wall art having in that space. What style will fit the best. Modern traditional. Canvas or metal? You will need to communicate this to your professional family photographer.

  • Table and Shelf Space: Check if you have room on tables, shelves, or mantels for framed prints or photo books.

  • Gifts and Keepsakes:

Family and Friends: Make a list of who might appreciate receiving prints or albums as gifts. Personal Use: Consider if you would enjoy having physical prints around the house or your office.

3. Decide on the Type of Products

Wall Art:

• Canvas Prints: Canvases are great for a modern and sleek look, making bold statements while being typically lightweight. Photographers use various types of canvases, with giclee canvases becoming very popular. A giclee canvas is a digital painting printed on canvas with a clear paint or gel added to the surface. A more advanced technique involves adding several layers of varnish and oil paint on top. We recommend applying a full oil paint layer on the canvas rather than just a few brush strokes. This provides better archival quality, the ink ages differently than oil paint.

• Framed Wall Art: We always recommend to add a frame to an artwork for more polished look. Remember to choose frames that match your home decor. You can frame canvas, metal or paper print. You can add the Matt to a paper print for a gallery look.

• Metal or Acrylic Prints: Provide a contemporary, vibrant, and durable option. These can be especially striking for high-definition photos.

Albums or Books:

• Photo Books: Simple way to keep all your photographs in one place. They have usually soft paper and hard cover.

• Books: Are more personalized and have higher quality prints and binding compared to photo books. They come with beautiful cover and thick paper.

Individual Prints:

• Standard Prints: They are useful for gifts or personal small keepsakes.

• Photo Box: This is becoming a very popular option for families. It is a high quality box with matted prints, usually 8x10 size. It is a great addition to a wall art.

Digital Options:

• Digital Files: are good as a backup files for a hard drive or if want to share your photos online. Some photographers don't offer digital files.

4. Budget and Prioritization


Set a Budget with a goal in mind:

Here is saying you get what you paid for is true. You are hiring a personal service. An artist/photographer with a specific set of skills. Based of his skills, personality (connecting to your children and family), business professionalism you will forever love or "like" your photos forever.

To get the specific result, you must hire specific photographer. you put 10 photographers in a room with the same equipment, lighting, model and time and you will see 10 completely different pices. Here you are hiring someone's talent and expertise. It is hard to train an artist "to see the art".

Some photographers don't offer specific products. You must ask this question prior to booking. If you are looking for a wall art and your photographer never ordered one, you might be disappointment when he will try to test one on your pocket. To design custom books takes skills and knowledge, especially when you are looking to add custom poetry like Masterpiece Christmas does.


5. Communicate to your photographer! Your goals, budget, timeframe, measurements.

Measure the spaces where you plan to hang or display your photos to ensure you order the right sizes. Also, take note of your home’s color scheme and decor style to choose complementary photo products.

6. Choosing a Color Scheme for Extended Family Photos.

Your attire and the photoshoot location should complement your home's style. For instance, if your home is bright and modern, a dark, traditional studio picture might not fit well. Instead, consider something more casual. A bright outfit is perfect for a beach session, enhancing the overall aesthetic and harmony with your home decor.

  • Consider a palette with a variety of colors to ensure everyone has options - earth tones, jewel tones, and neutrals work well in most home.

  • Avoid using only two colors, especially black, white, or khaki, as it can limit creativity.

  • Use Pinterest or Canva to create a palette that suits your family’s style and share it with your family photographer.

7. What to Wear for a Family Photo Session

Selecting a Cohesive Wardrobe.

  • DRESS A LITTLE NICER: Choose outfits that look nicer than your normal attire, and consider dressing up a bit - mom, consider wearing a dress, and dads, opt for khakis or chinos.

  • WARDROBE COLORS - ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES!: Think about the color scheme of your home and choose outfits that fit - neutrals are classic, jewel tones are rich and vibrant, and avoid neons and logos.

  • Here's a blog link to help you choose the perfect outfit for a beach family session: How to Choose a Perfect Outfit for Your Beach Family Session. This guide provides tips and ideas to ensure your family looks great and feels comfortable during your beach photoshoot.

8. Preparing for the Photo Shoot

Tips for a Successful Session

  • Plan your outfits to ensure a cohesive look - stay away from a bold color or pattern and plan the wardrobe with your photographer.

  • Make sure you’re comfortable and can move around - family sessions often involve play and movement.

  • Be yourself and let your personality shine through in the images.

9. Capturing the Moment

Natural Poses and Interaction

At Masterpiece Artwork, we love to pose families and children naturally. Our goal is to capture the unique story of each family, child, or individual through our photography.Working with Your Photographer

10. Viewing of your Digital Images and Delivery

  • Review your new images in-studio with your photographer. It is much easier to do it this way. Your professional photographer will guide you through the selection and will help you choose the right product that you had in mind right in the beginning. You will be able to view samples and discuss available options.

  • The viewing appointment is where you purchase your favorite images.

Bonus Tips for a Stress-Free Session

At Masterpiece Artwork, we specialize in making family sessions stress-free. With over two decades of experience working with families and children, Ela and Larry Hersberger, seasoned photographers, have seen it all. We've developed a system to ensure that the family portrait session is enjoyable and effortless, resulting in breathtaking artwork for your home. We offer a variety of products, including wall art, custom books, gift prints, and more. Reach out for more information. We're more than happy to assist you in creating a special piece for your home.

Larry and Ela Hersberger