# I hate photographing my family for posed photos...



## jdramirez (Sep 3, 2013)

They always look horrible. The wife has very thin eyes naturally when she smiles, so it looks like they are closed, my daughter likes to bug out her eyes to be funny... and then today we were on a limited time schedule so I really didn't have a chance to review the images... and needless to say... Ughhh... 

And then I was asked to have my two and their two cousin do a group photo... I don't see that ending well since the baby may elect to cry... the other will bug out her eyes, the one cousin is completely unruly and if she lived in my house and acted the way she did, she would be disciplined everyday, and the other is physically and mentally handicapped. 

So god help me.


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## rpt (Sep 3, 2013)

Simple solution! Don't photograph the family that way... Just shoot them in their natural environment doing what they like best... You are more likely to get keepers that way - but then you knew that already


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## jdramirez (Sep 3, 2013)

rpt said:


> Simple solution! Don't photograph the family that way... Just shoot them in their natural environment doing what they like best... You are more likely to get keepers that way - but then you knew that already



I do... all the time... because that is the only way I get natural photos... but it is the group photos that are requested. I'm like a rap DJ at a hot NY club who is asked to play some Sweet Home Alabama... sure... I love me some Sweet Home Alabama... but will THIS crowd dance to the tune. Nope.


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## thebowtie (Sep 3, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> rpt said:
> 
> 
> > Simple solution! Don't photograph the family that way... Just shoot them in their natural environment doing what they like best... You are more likely to get keepers that way - but then you knew that already
> ...


Maybe there's a different way.
It seems that you get acceptable shots once the subjects are comfortable with your presence as you shoot them one-on-one, or in smaller groups, and that the problem really arises when you have a large group, who probably get restless while you compose and shoot.

Try something that turns the "oh, no, a group photo" into a "yippee" moment.
Make it fun! (Now I don't know what that will take in your circumstances - to make it fun long enough to keep their attention.
If the young ones are the troublemakers - give them something fun to do as part of the shoot!

Just an idea.

Cheers


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## jdramirez (Sep 3, 2013)

thebowtie said:


> jdramirez said:
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> > rpt said:
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I'm more of a ninja photographer. I'm stealthy and I take the shot when they least expect it. it has nothing to do with comfort level.


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## dstppy (Sep 3, 2013)

Count yourself lucky, my group family pictures have native Asians in them . . . not only do we get the pose, we get the peace sign


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## Dylan777 (Sep 8, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> They always look horrible. The wife has very thin eyes naturally when she smiles, so it looks like they are closed, my daughter likes to bug out her eyes to be funny... and then today we were on a limited time schedule so I really didn't have a chance to review the images... and needless to say... Ughhh...
> 
> And then I was asked to have my two and their two cousin do a group photo... I don't see that ending well since the baby may elect to cry... the other will bug out her eyes, the one cousin is completely unruly and if she lived in my house and acted the way she did, she would be disciplined everyday, and the other is physically and mentally handicapped.
> 
> So god help me.



LOL.... ;D ;D ;D

This is where I take out my 70-200 or future 300/400 f2.8 IS II. Stay far away from them and let them play as kid - you'll more decent photos instead asking them to pose for shots.


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## jdramirez (Sep 8, 2013)

Dylan777 said:


> jdramirez said:
> 
> 
> > They always look horrible. The wife has very thin eyes naturally when she smiles, so it looks like they are closed, my daughter likes to bug out her eyes to be funny... and then today we were on a limited time schedule so I really didn't have a chance to review the images... and needless to say... Ughhh...
> ...



I do agree, but if I serve up a fine creme brulee, I will inevitably hear that they ordered tira misu. 

oh and today I had the baby set up for some photos of her feet with an umbrella and of camera flash and she refuses to cooperate.. she's just kicking away like she is trying to tread water. I'm thinking I should just become s landscape photographer because landscapes don't blink or move.


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## MacroBug (Sep 8, 2013)

When in doubt, offfer to pay them if they behave to your satisfaction. Works wonders, but won't do much for the baby...


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## jcollett (Sep 10, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> I'm thinking I should just become s landscape photographer because landscapes don't blink or move.



Just remember that the light and seasons wait for no one!


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## alexanderferdinand (Sep 13, 2013)

Good answer.
The best is to make picutres when they dont notice you.
The way I do it.
And a camera is always near me, so I can react fast.
The yippie!- moment is also a very good idea.


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## mkabi (Sep 13, 2013)

I hate group pictures myself, they want organized pictures from a dysfunct./unorganized world. My wife is a queen of posers, who loves to pose.... every single picture that she likes has her posing the same way in every pictures. If you compare all the pictures from her childhood to current, it has her growing older, and the background changing.

Me on the other hand, I can't pose... my smile is all f-ed up.. it curls up and fucks up my face. Pictures in which I am in a natural situation, I would say 5 out 10 are good, as opposed to 10 out 10 are bad when I am posing.

In my opinion, take the pictures... group pictures and natural pictures.
In post, separate them and let the people who wanted the group pictures decide what they want to keep and what they want to chuck.


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## distant.star (Sep 13, 2013)

.
Two suggestions:

1. You're never a prophet in your own country. Consider hiring a professional portrait photographer -- and get in the picture yourself.

2. Failing number 1, try a technique I've found successful, especially in dealing with eye issues. Get everyone placed as you want them and tell them to close their eyes and take a deep breath. Tell them to keep their eyes closed and count out loud from 10 down to one -- and on one open their eyes. (You don't do the count, they do as it keeps their minds occupied so their bodies can relax.) On the count of two, you open up with the fasted fps you've got.

Whatever works! Good luck.


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## candyman (Sep 13, 2013)

distant.star said:


> .
> Two suggestions:
> 
> 1. You're never a prophet in your own country. Consider hiring a professional portrait photographer -- and get in the picture yourself.
> ...


Good advice. +1 on the fps


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## jdramirez (Sep 13, 2013)

I've decided... I'm going to set them all together.... take a photo and then use a zombie app. I'll print the photos and when they ask whytheyare all zombies, I'll say that is how they look and i don't see what they are talking about.


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## bseitz234 (Sep 13, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> I've decided... I'm going to set them all together.... take a photo and then use a zombie app. I'll print the photos and when they ask whytheyare all zombies, I'll say that is how they look and i don't see what they are talking about.



I see no possible repercussions of doing this. ;-) Sounds like a good plan to me!


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## Rat (Sep 13, 2013)

distant.star said:


> 1. You're never a prophet in your own country. Consider hiring a professional portrait photographer -- and get in the picture yourself.


Solid advice and nicely put  

Might I add: put your camera on a tripod and get a wireless remote. This way, you can focus on managing your subjects and they will never know when you're going to take the picture, because you will be busy talking to them & stuff.

On the other hand, the zombie plan sounds great )


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## mrsfotografie (Sep 13, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> They always look horrible. The wife has very thin eyes naturally when she smiles, so it looks like they are closed, my daughter likes to bug out her eyes to be funny... and then today we were on a limited time schedule so I really didn't have a chance to review the images... and needless to say... Ughhh...
> 
> And then I was asked to have my two and their two cousin do a group photo... I don't see that ending well since the baby may elect to cry... the other will bug out her eyes, the one cousin is completely unruly and if she lived in my house and acted the way she did, she would be disciplined everyday, and the other is physically and mentally handicapped.
> 
> So god help me.



Such honesty deserves a commendation! Thumbs up!

My respect


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## mrsfotografie (Sep 13, 2013)

candyman said:


> distant.star said:
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> ...



Brilliant, in fact. I'll try to remember this!


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## cellomaster27 (Sep 13, 2013)

Hahahaha! I could understand jdramirez.. It's one of those things you just cringe at doing because its so difficult and annoying to get a good photo. Trust me, my grandma ALWAYS looks anywhere but the camera or closes her eyes or doesn't smile IF she looks at the camera. And that's one person. Being Asian, a lot of ppl are like "I look bad, retake!" But grandma looks best in that one!! -____-;; so I get like 30 groups photos but maybe one okay one?? Someone's gonna look bad/less than ideal. Oh the joys of family group shots.. Think of it as memories? 

Oh and usually I end up keeping almost all the photos. I pick out the best photo for each person. It works out?  happy shooting.


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## jdramirez (Sep 14, 2013)

distant.star said:


> .
> Two suggestions:
> 
> 1. You're never a prophet in your own country. Consider hiring a professional portrait photographer -- and get in the picture yourself.
> ...



I have known about the eyes closed before the shot and then open and shoot away... but blinking isn't the problem. Is it that one kid (mine) likes to ham it up, one is a baby, one is severely handicapped and can't take direction and the other kid is just bad/questionably raised. 

Several years ago, I made the joke that if Lisa (my sister-in-law) had a day care it would be called, "Stern Hand Daycare (for everyone else's kid)". It was long and wordy and only somewhat funny. I'm not entirely convinced that my niece had ever heard the word "no" until she was 5. But I digress.


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## jdramirez (Sep 14, 2013)

cellomaster27 said:


> Hahahaha! I could understand jdramirez.. It's one of those things you just cringe at doing because its so difficult and annoying to get a good photo. Trust me, my grandma ALWAYS looks anywhere but the camera or closes her eyes or doesn't smile IF she looks at the camera. And that's one person. Being Asian, a lot of ppl are like "I look bad, retake!" But grandma looks best in that one!! -____-;; so I get like 30 groups photos but maybe one okay one?? Someone's gonna look bad/less than ideal. Oh the joys of family group shots.. Think of it as memories?
> 
> Oh and usually I end up keeping almost all the photos. I pick out the best photo for each person. It works out?  happy shooting.



Speaking of grandmothers... I wonder if mine will let me take her portrait... which will inevitably be used at her funeral. 

"Ok Momo, now look at the camera and pretend like you are sorry for all the mean things you said to people over the years. No... that's a smile... act like you mean it."


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## Valvebounce (Sep 14, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> I have known about the eyes closed before the shot and then open and shoot away... but blinking isn't the problem. Is it that one kid (mine) likes to ham it up, one is a baby, one is severely handicapped and can't take direction and the other kid is just bad/questionably raised.
> 
> Several years ago, I made the joke that if Lisa (my sister-in-law) had a day care it would be called, "Stern Hand Daycare (for everyone else's kid)". It was long and wordy and only somewhat funny. I'm not entirely convinced that my niece had ever heard the word "no" until she was 5. But I digress.



I know what you mean, I just met my 23 month old nephew, I feel sure the first time he heard no was when I told him to leave the hifi alone! And that was after waiting for some sort of reaction from his parents... :-\



jdramirez said:


> Speaking of grandmothers... I wonder if mine will let me take her portrait... which will inevitably be used at her funeral.
> 
> "Ok Momo, now look at the camera and pretend like you are sorry for all the mean things you said to people over the years. No... that's a smile... act like you mean it."


Rotflmao! ;D ;D    
That is so funny sad true of many of all our elderly relatives, the only one in my family that truly has he right to be mean and or grumpy is my 88 year old father, he went ashore on D+4, went through to the end of the war and experienced things no man should have to, and no man has the right to do to another, yet still it is going on! :'(

Cheers Graham


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## eli452 (Sep 14, 2013)

Not exactly in line of the post but very similar...
I Hate "I have been there" photos. My wife is a queen of such posers. So at every trip location I have to take 2 shots. One of her blocking most of the view... the other of the site/scene/view...


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## spacetimeroger (Sep 14, 2013)

You are definitely not alone. Posed, group photos are, in my opinion, one of the most boring things to photograph...ever, I think the idea of doing them is really a holdover from the earliest days of photography, where perhaps a family could only really afford to have a few photographs taken in their lifetime, and they served a sort of documentary purpose. Nowadays, I'd much rather have individual, interesting photographs of the people I care about, as opposed to a single photograph that includes everyone along the lines of a middle school class photo...but some folks like seeing multiple generations of family in a single shot. Such group shots are my east favorite aspect of wedding photography, too -- I tend to enjoy everything about shooting a wedding, but I can't stand doing the posed group shots. 

The only suggestion I have is to think more like a studio or art photographer, and work to create & build the shot with props, interesting composition, lighting, etc. as opposed to a photographer with a more journalistic bent, when doing such photos--I struggle with this because my favorite photos, and I think, the best, most genuine and interesting moments come from capturing human expression & interaction when the subjects aren't aware that you are getting the photo.

It might be worthwhile to scour the web and look at old group/family photos from times past (say, early 1900s), and then attempt to recreate a stylized sort of group photo -- at least it would make things more interesting for you and present a photographic challenge, as I really get what you are saying, if this isn't the kind of photography that interests you, taking posed family shots is worse than having teeth extracted without anesthesia (at least for me). 

Alternatively, next time they ask, just give them a coupon to a Sears photo studio.


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## AudioGlenn (Sep 14, 2013)

oh man... my heart goes out to you brudda.


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## distant.star (Sep 14, 2013)

spacetimeroger said:


> Alternatively, next time they ask, just give them a coupon to a Sears photo studio.



That's a great idea, although it won't get you any pictures. Sears and walmart went out of the photo portrait business last year.


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## spacetimeroger (Sep 14, 2013)

distant.star said:


> spacetimeroger said:
> 
> 
> > Alternatively, next time they ask, just give them a coupon to a Sears photo studio.
> ...



Whoops! Yeah, I see they closed up shop in April of this year...oh well! JC Penney's it is: http://www.jcpportraits.com/portrait-offers?gclid=CK2g_Z7jy7kCFc9i7AodqxYAAw


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## jdramirez (Sep 15, 2013)

mkabi said:


> I hate group pictures myself, they want organized pictures from a dysfunct./unorganized world. My wife is a queen of posers, who loves to pose.... every single picture that she likes has her posing the same way in every pictures. If you compare all the pictures from her childhood to current, it has her growing older, and the background changing.


I want to do a 365 photo from the first 365 days of my daughter's first year and something like the above would be helpful because I am lining up the eye at the cross hairs in all the photos... but I kinda wish the baby was in the same orientation in each of the photos... If it was your wife, that would be much simpler.


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## mrsfotografie (Sep 15, 2013)

jdramirez said:


> mkabi said:
> 
> 
> > I hate group pictures myself, they want organized pictures from a dysfunct./unorganized world. My wife is a queen of posers, who loves to pose.... every single picture that she likes has her posing the same way in every pictures. If you compare all the pictures from her childhood to current, it has her growing older, and the background changing.
> ...



Wow, that's a challenge. I wouldn't be able to do such a thing because I'm away for work every so often...


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## jdramirez (Sep 15, 2013)

mrsfotografie said:


> jdramirez said:
> 
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> > mkabi said:
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It started off being 1 for every day she was born... but I work traditional hours and I have a 10 year old who plays softball. So coming home around 8p.m. with the baby asleep and my partially exhausted put a damper to that plan, but I am still taking photos almost every day... so now it is 365 from the first 365.


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## Rat (Sep 21, 2013)

Found attached picture on tastefully offensive. Thought I needed to share


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