Good Pose for a family of 3

[meadow92]

Anyone have any tips on how to pose a family of 3. My friend wants me to do a family photo for her but I can't seem to get them to sit together and get a smile without one of them being off. :eek She's super picky and she should be it's her family picture. :) I can't think of a way to sit all 3 of them, 2 adults and an almost teenager. Thank you for any tips!

[mama c]

How about dad/mom on the left , legs facing out to the left, but head is turned towards you, teen in the middle, head/legs facing you, mom/dad parent on right, legs facing out to the right, head turned towards you?

Clear as mud?
Here's an outstandingly bad drawing for ya, featuring Tom, Joe, and Mary Stickfigure:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b5/MamaCrina/pose3.jpg

(and they are all supposed to be sitting here, but all standing would work, too!)

Or dad hugging mom and mom holds teen?

[Connie@DigiScrapInfo.com]

We had some taken this summer in conjunction with my dd's senior photos. I'll upload some of my fav's. (If I forget - pm me please.... I'm going to make some supper & come back). I'll get them up tomorrow for sure. (my photographer shared my fav. images with me)

I put up a bunch here at oscraps (http://www.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=292).

[HillsCass]

I HATE posing people with a passion, but 2 rules that stuck in my head from a photography book that might help is to never have heads in a row, either vertically or horizontally. Unless it's a special look you are going for lol.... but that by staggering them just a bit, it adds dynamics and flow to your photo....

We need Kim in here..... KIM!! You're the expert! :)

[Deanna]

yup its all about triangles, you dont want any head right above another one, or on the same level....just look and I mean really look in your view finder, before you take the pics, check their heads, the legs etc...if the lines are all triangular..generally you end up with a nicer shot...and go for some fun unposed ones too..sometimes those turn out to be the best IMO!

[Kim2002]

What kind of look are you going for? Formal or casual?

[meadow92]

more casual. They started out 3 feet from each other with their daughter in front. I got them closer together then she didn't want her hips or legs in the shot but her daughter was wearing a dress and she wanted all of that.

I'll try to get uploaded what I did do the first time. She wants them redone I don't mind doing it. I just want to have something in mind when I try again.

Thanks for all the suggestions. With my own family we just do silly things and goof off, my friends seem a little bit camera shy. :)

[Kim2002]

I'm sorry I didn't get you any suggestions before the shoot. Things got crazy here today. Most of the stuff I do is couples of groups of 5 or more and always has been on the more professional/business side. But I have a few thoughts for casual stuff.

If you are outside, you could do one of the 3 of them walking hand in hand, teen in the middle. Shoot from front and from behind.

Find a park bench to sit on and have the mom sit, the dad behind the bench leaning in over mom's shoulder, and the teen sitting next to the mom but have their knees sorta facing each other.

Have mom sit on a posing stool, teen sitting on a posing stool in front of mom. Have the teen scootch nice and close mom, but turned slightly so that the back is not completely flush with mom's front. Then have dad come in from behind with his head centered between the two of them and have him put his arms around them, sorta like a big hug (but without the squeeze).