8 Ways to Make Your Family Photos Unique & Personal
No more stiff, over-posed family photos here; that’s so early 2000’s. You know the ones—where the kids look like they’re being held hostage, where the adults are clearly wildly stressed out, and where chaos reigns supreme (but not in a good way). We’re saying goodbye to boring family photos that feel just like everybody else’s, and hello to family photos that feel unique, personal, and authentic to your family + the season of life you’re in. In this blog post, I’ve got 8 unique family photo ideas that you can use to help personalize your session and make it more than just a photoshoot; instead, turning it into a fun memory that everyone will love to look back on!
8 Ways to Make Your Family Photos Unique
1. Choose a location that’s special to you
Can I let you in on a little secret?
Family photos don’t always have to take place in a random field dressed in your Sunday best.
I know, I know—cue *gasp*.
Instead of heading out to the park that every family in your town trudges off to when it’s time for the annual family photoshoot, why not choose a location that’s actually special to your family? Having your photos taken in a place that holds some sort of significance to you, will make both the experience and the photos all the more meaningful. Trust me: if you’re looking back on your photos and all you can remember is how long it took to drive to that meadow in the middle of nowhere, that you didn’t actually care about, your photos aren’t going to bring up the best memories.
Here are a few locations that might be special to your family, and make for a great backdrop for your family photos:
A diner you go to every weekend
A special park that you always take the kids to
A trail you love to hike together
Your family’s farm or cabin out of town
A pond where you go to feed the ducks together
Your kids’ favorite ice cream shop/place to get sweet treats
And when in doubt, simply find a park with a great playground that your kiddos will love to explore.
I once did a session with a family at their home, under the peach tree they planted many years ago in their backyard. It was so beautiful to capture the little family they continue to grow in that special spot! Another favorite of mine was a sweet session that took place in the park where the parents’ new daughter would grow up playing with the ducks, wading in the river, riding the train. . . what an incredible photoshoot that will be for her to look back on later in life.
2. Include meaningful props & items
The backdrop of your session is important, yes, but equally as important is what’s in the foreground: you, your little ones, and whatever items, chairs, stools, etc. you’ve got with you. It can be really special to include props and items that hold sentimental value to your family, such as your newborn’s favorite blanket, your toddler’s favorite stuffed animal, or maybe a favorite toy—maybe it’s a Hot Wheel you gifted them for Christmas, or a doll they love to carry around everywhere.
Not only can bringing sentimental items offer a little bit of comfort to your babes if they’re nervous in front of the camera; it also makes for a much more natural, effortless session. Your kids are much more likely to have genuine smiles on their faces when they’re pushing around their favorite trucks or playing house with their Barbies, than if they were to be forced into a pose or action that didn’t feel natural. I truly believe that the secret to amazing family photos is simply to let your kids be kids, and the rest will fall into place.
3. Do an activity your family loves
Another key part of turning your family photos into authentic, personalized representations of who you are, is having an experience-based session. Don’t be afraid to incorporate an activity into your family session or add a personal touch! Oftentimes these little details are exactly what makes a family session feel so memorable.
Think about it, what do you want to remember about this time of life? Maybe it’s a tradition you’ve created over the years with your kids, or maybe it’s something totally random! By including an activity or experience that you love to do together, you allow yourselves to step into your natural habitat; to be in your element even with a camera in front of you.
To figure out what you want to include in your session, consider what your family loves or often does together in your normal routines. Love to hang out in the backyard on a Friday night and cook s’mores over a bonfire? Sounds lovely. Do your kids get excited to ride bikes in front of the house after school? You better tell ‘em to grab their helmets, because we’ll do it! Whether it’s baking your favorite cookie recipe in the kitchen, seeing who can fly their kite highest in the sky, roller skating at your local rink, playing in the kiddie pool, or staying in to make pizza, these activities will naturally encourage the exact types of emotions we want to capture.
A quick personal example: when I was a kid, my dad would take me and my brother to fly paper airplanes in the parking lot before school, and what I would do to have that on camera. . .
Even if it doesn’t feel big to you, even if it’s something small… if it’s special to your family, then it’s worth documenting.
4. Play a game together
I know this technically falls under “incorporating an activity,” but I felt like it deserved its own separate section! Games have always been such a fun way for people to come together, get creative, have fun, and connect, so why not play a game your family loves during your session? There’s nothing that’ll get your kids having a better time than competing at something they love, or pretending they’re a cool character in a fairytale. Maybe your fam loves to play board games at night, or you have low-key croquet competitions every Sunday afternoon. This could even be as simple as playing a classic kids’ game like hide and seek, tag, or duck duck goose during your session—yes, I’m totally serious! Just picture the pure fun your kids would have running around the yard playing tag, and how much genuine joy would come through in every single photo.
5. Incorporate your favorite foods
Just as games are a great way to encourage playfulness and creativity, food is an amazing way to connect over something delicious that everybody loves. There are a number of ways you could incorporate the food you & your kids love into your session: if you love to bake/cook together, you could spend some time in the kitchen, collaborating to make your favorite dish. Got a favorite ice cream joint in the area that your kids drool over every single time? Go grab a cone! And if all else fails, food is also a great way to encourage your kiddos to smile for just one real quick posed shot, or to give them a little mid-session break/energy boost if they need it.
6. Tailor your kids’ outfits to their personalities
Remember when everyone and their mother had a Christmas card that looked like it was taken in the exact same place, wearing the exact same outfits, with the exact same cardboard-cutout poses and forced smiles? Same—it wasn’t a vibe. I will say that coordinated outfits can be totally adorable, but if you want your kids to feel like themselves & have a genuinely fun time during your session, you may want to tailor their outfits to their personalities, instead. Dressing in outfits that they adore and feel comfortable in is so much better for little ones, since they won’t have to worry about wearing something that doesn’t fit, or that isn’t something they’d normally wear. For example, don’t force your daughter into a dress if she never wears dresses.
And if you do want a few photos with coordinated or matching outfits, be my guest—just make sure that everyone has clothing that fits properly, and that you’re listening to your kids if they say they’re uncomfy/unhappy.
Need help picking your family photo outfits, but don’t want to spend a fortune on brand new pieces? I’ve got a great guide to thrifting the perfect outfits for your family photos!
7. Have your session in your own home
It’s a goal of mine to work with more families whose home is not just a backdrop, but a part of their story. There’s something truly special about capturing families in their own space. . . the familiar walls hold so much love and laughter, which allows photos to feel significantly more intimate and authentic. You’re able to be completely comfortable, let loose, and be in the place that means so much to you and the family you’ve created, whether you’ve lived there for a year or twenty.
Don’t worry about your home being too messy for an in-home session; first of all, that’s part of the beauty of capturing your family in your authentic space, in your element! Second of all, we’ll only use 2-3 different spaces throughout your home during your session, so you absolutely do not have to do a full deep clean of every single room. Choose the spaces that have the best natural light, the lightest walls, and, most importantly, that feel special to you.
If in-home photos sound right up your alley, then you won’t want to miss my guide to Preparing for Your In-Home Family Photo Session where I go through my tips for a smooth, stress-free session.
8. Include your animals
What’s a family without their animals?! If you’ve got pets, bring ‘em along for the fun. Parks are the perfect place to bring a dog, while your home might be best if you wanna snuggle your kitties. There’s nothing sweeter than cozying up on the couch for a family movie night and having your furry friends come up to join! Obviously, there will be certain limits if you have larger animals, but we can definitely get creative with it—maybe you have a homestead with horses, cows, and chickens, so we do your session outside on your property. Pets are so incredibly special to families, and are such an important and valuable part of our lives, so of course they deserve to be right alongside you.
The beauty of family sessions is that every single one is different than the last; I’ll never have the same experience twice as a family photographer. If you’re ready to plan your session in the New Braunfels, San Antonio, or Austin area, it would be my honor to help you bring your vision to life & create undeniably you photos together. Inquire here, and let’s figure out how to create a session that feels completely unique, personal, and authentic to the beautiful family you’ve created!
Planning a maternity or newborn session in the near future? I’ve got you covered with all my best tips below ⬇️
