Taking Portraits at Home

By Katie Mann

As much as I cherish those everyday photos of my son, you know… the ones where he’s dressed himself in a Walmart bag or in his Daddy’s tie, his own underpants, and his cowboy boots, there is just nothing quite like a professional studio portrait to make this Mama’s heart swell with love.

Austin has reached the age where he hates to get dressed up to go anywhere. By the time I get him to the portrait studio, I need their bathroom for some serious repairs. Forgetting the logistical difficulties of getting him there in one piece, there’s also the other big negative, which is the cost. Between sitting fees, and the cost per photo, it’s enough to wipe out my Christmas budget just for a couple of nice looking photos of my son.

It’s not all that hard to take professional looking photos of your loved ones though. There are a few key things that will get you the quality look of a professional.

Avoid “busy” patterned clothing. Solids are best, and light colors tend to bring out the best in everyone.

If photographing a group, have them dress in “like” items. Even having everyone wear a plain white t-shirt is better than a hodge-podge of patterns and colors.

Try taking them outdoors. Parks or large yards are great for taking shots of people, especially if there is a nice grassy hill or stand of trees that you can position them in front of. Nature has some beautiful backdrops available if you take the time to seek them out. Remember to position them so that they are not facing into the sun.

Use natural light when at all possible, and avoid mid-day sun. Photos taken in the early morning or late afternoon will have a much softer look to them, and there is still enough light for them to come out properly.

No good out of door places to go? Not a problem. Move the mini van out of the garage, drape one wall with a solid color sheet (black or white are particularly striking backdrops); set up a chair or other seating and you’ve got your own personal portrait studio. Leave the garage door open, and time your shoot for when you’ll have optimum light without the harsh glare that you can get out of doors.

Don’t have any people to photograph? That’s what pets are for. And getting a pet sitting done can be both difficult and expensive, because there are places that just won’t photograph your fur child.

Don’t forget to let your subjects cut loose every now and then. The outtakes can be just as enjoyable as the more posed photographs, and letting them have some time to for fun can get you a longer photo session with much more willing participants.

The most important tip of all…. Get it all set up, and have a friend or neighbor get behind the camera so that you can be in the picture for a change!