If you want the best tips for good family photos, then you are in the right spot! Preparing for your family photo session will be much less stressful thanks to these tips for family pictures! Your family Christmas card photo will be amazing this year! Check out these family picture tips!
It can be hard to have great family sessions when there are so many different variables in play! Small children, different textures, bright colors, and all the other little details that need to be thought of can easily make your pictures turn out different ways.
The good news is that you can make your family portrait session a lot of fun and make sure all your family members are having fun, too!
This post is sponsored by Braun and Oral-B at Walmart.com All opinions are my own.

One of my favorite family traditions is taking new family photos every year for our Christmas cards (yes, we still mail Christmas cards each year!). I super duper love my family and I like to pretend that we all look amazing all the time, thus we take family photos.
We usually are a hot mess of leopard print with tie-dye, messy hair, and shoes on the wrong feet, but for one day a year, I like to capture my family in family picture perfection, where we are all looking our best, all at the same time, and look good together.
Because, even though we do all try to look nice for church on Sundays, we don’t usually coordinate our outfits together, and someone’s hair may still be unbrushed by the time we arrive.
I also love seeing how our family has grown and changed over the years!
We’ve taken family photos together now for several years and learned quite a few family picture tips!
We’ve run the gambit of family photo sessions, from small indoor photography studios at department stores to a family photographer booked online, to a friend with an okay camera taking them for us, to us taking them ourselves with my nice DSLR camera and a tripod, to hiring actual professional family photographers.
We also have wrangled twins, newborns, toddlers, and pregnant bellies as our family has grown over the years to our current crew of seven people – two adults and five kids.
We’ve also dealt with concussions, tears, boogers, cold weather, and hot weather on the day of the family photo sessions.
I’ve even taken several other people’s family photos for them too, learning what is required to take good family photos from the photographer’s point of view.
There are a thousand different things that can go wrong and ruin a holiday photo. Great discounts at Walmart.com this holiday season on Braun and Oral-B will make sure you look your best (more about the amazing rebates and offers on them are below), ready for anything, and can walk away with a cherished photo… not an epic fail.
So if you want good family pictures to proudly hang and display on your walls (physical or otherwise), the following deals and tips for good family photos are 100% for you. I’ve even created a handy checklist on preparing for your family photo session that you can download by filling out the subscription box below too.

2018 Fagan Family Photo by Cammi J Photography
Tips for Good Family Photos
I’ve broken down my family picture tips into a few different headings to help you better organize yourself – tips for hiring a photographer, picking the right time for the shoot, figuring out exactly what type of pictures you want, tips for what to wear for a family photo shoot, what grooming should be done beforehand, how to prepare yourself and the kids mentally for the big day, and tips for the day of your family photography shoot.
Tips for Hiring a Family Photographer
Good family photos all begin with the photographer and their equipment. You get what you pay for.
If you ask your neighbor, who usually just takes photos of his dog, to snap a few pictures of your family in your backyard one afternoon, with his 2015 smartphone, chances are you will not have those beautiful family portraits you were dreaming of.
Go figure.
While I don’t think you need to take out a small personal loan in order to have dreamy family pictures, I do think you need to be willing to cough up some money if that’s what you want. Obviously, going over these things to consider when choosing a family photographer and shopping around for the right one is important here!
Even though I have a very nice DSLR camera and have taken a few family pictures (like the one below which I think turned out amazing, and of a family with six kids) it doesn’t actually mean I am a professional photographer.

I don’t even own or use Photoshop (I just use PicMonkey online). I have taken very few classes on photography and fewer on editing and filters and presets. I also am not very comfortable photographing a lot of people at once, including young kids (especially if they don’t know you beforehand). I don’t know the best compositions or poses to try, nor do I have those pro family photography tips about leaning forward to make you look thinner or what everyone should do with their hands.
Ultimately, you need to find a photographer who does work that you LOVE and feel comfortable with and then hire them.
Tips for Booking a Family Photography Session Wisely
Schedule your family photo session early so you can cancel due to sickness, injury, weather, or unexpected events and can reschedule with plenty of time to get edited photos back and make Christmas cards or gifts (or whatever you do with your images). Plus, it’s not super cold yet when it’s only Fall.
I learned this lesson the year we did family picture swaps with our new best friends in Texas.
We all got dressed up and ready to take some great photos of each other’s family. We choose a nice little park in town and did a few test shots for lighting and we’re going to get started.

Well, we put our daughter (the twin of the one pictured below) up on the railing there and she fell backward and fell straight onto her head and started screaming and wailing “Ow!” over and over again super loud for the next 20 minutes. We took her to the ER after we saw her eyes kinda start to wander and drift and roll inside her head and she began to get sleepy in the car as we left the park.
She was thankfully fine with a mild concussion (most likely).
But two lessons learned: 1) No sitting on railings and 2) Schedule your family photo sessions early in the year.
There was also the one time too when the twins were 15 months old and we took photos in a small studio and just said “Forget it” after about 10 minutes of them being totally uncooperative, rescheduling for a few days later, which worked out so much better, producing this adorableness:

If I remember correctly, the problem with the first attempt was when we scheduled it. I’m pretty sure it was during nap time, or right before lunch. Either way, they weren’t having it, and the snacks weren’t working.
When it comes to tips for a family photo shoot, I strongly recommend picking the time of day for your photos that works best for you and your kids. Because, while I know that the best time for lighting is two hours before sunset and after sunrise, a good photographer can take pictures at any time of day using whatever shade is available.
Don’t schedule family photos during nap time, too soon after nap time ends either as they might be super groggy or grumpy, or too near bedtime. Also, don’t schedule family pictures before or during your regular meal times.
I have also found bringing snacks to generally be a bad idea, yes, even for little toddlers. Just plan the session accordingly and keep the snacks in the car for later as a special bribe if needed.
Lastly, remember to factor in traffic when scheduling a family photo session time, especially because the ideal light might coincide with work getting out. Take it from someone who lives close to Austin!

Tell the Family Photographer What You Want
After you’ve selected your photographer and have a date set, be sure to clearly communicate to them what you are looking for. Many will reach out to you with questions about your kids and family ahead of time so they are prepared for you better too, but if they don’t, reach out to them!
They’ll want to know what specific images or shots you want: the entire family, just the kids, just the parents, individual headshots, all of you jumping in the air, running, holding hands, or kissing the baby. Whatever family photo shoot poses and ideas you find on the internet and want to try, be sure to let your photographer know. It keeps both parties happy!
You should know if you like candid or formal shots better too, or a mixture of the two.
Also consider props you may want, especially if doing a holiday-themed shoot. For the young kids, it can be especially helpful to bring along a favorite blanket, book, or simple game. Or you can bring a favorite family game or activity to play together and have the photographer capture you “in the moment” playing it together.
Tips for Family Photos: What to Wear
What to wear to a family photo session has got to be one of the biggest dilemmas when it comes to getting those great family pictures!
How do you look adorable, be matching but not too matchy, and not spend a few hundred on new clothes for the whole family which, chances are, may not be worn much after said family photo session is over?
It’s our struggle every. single. year.
So, here’s my best advice on what to wear in family pictures:
1. Determine the dress code of clothes you’ll wear.
Are you going to do super glam formalwear (tuxes and ball gowns), semi-formal (dress shirt and tie and evening dresses), business casual (button-downs, loafers, and day dresses), casual (jeans and button-downs, blouses, or polos), or ultra-casual (shorts and tees)?
Most families seem to go for dress code ranging from semi-formal to casual.

Whatever level of dress you choose to take on, it’s important you’re all dressed to that same level or it might look pretty strange.
2. Know that some clothing choices are better than others when it comes to pictures.
Generally speaking, you’ll want to stick to the following types of clothing:
- Long sleeves
- Long pants or skirts
- Solid colors or simple stripes or patterns (like polka dots)
Logos or words, crazy patterns or graphics, or extra embellishments can stick out a lot in a group setting and be super distracting! It’s better to stick to more classic colors, textures, patterns, and styles.
Long sleeves are not mandatory for great pictures, but I feel like they often help to take away some of the awkwardness of so many hands and arms in group photos. ?
I would also recommend higher necklines and longer tops to avoid too much other skin showing, but I’m a bit of a prude when it comes to cleavage and bellies and butts showing. I just find them distracting in a group shot – I want everyone looking at your family’s happy faces!
Lastly, make sure the clothes don’t have too much sheen or shine to them, aren’t going to be see-through in the bright daylight, or otherwise don’t photograph well.

3. Start with the person that’s hardest to dress, then second hardest, and so on.
In our family, that’s my husband. He’s a big, tall guy and not particularly in love with photos of himself. I want to make sure he’ll be happy with what he’s wearing so he’ll have a great attitude about the pictures and like the end product when all is said and done.
If he doesn’t have something currently in his wardrobe that he loves, we are limited a bit to what we can find (quickly and hopefully cheaply) in the nearest big and tall store (though he should really try a personal stylist for men subscription box one of these years).
We find a shirt that he likes and looks good in, hopefully in our desired color palette but sometimes his clothes dictate the feel for the rest of the family’s clothes.
After he figures out what he’s wearing, we then plan out what I will wear, as I’m the second hardest person to shop and dress. This year I tried a few women’s clothing subscription boxes for some better clothes to wear as I’m in this weird postpartum stage and have like zero nice clothes in my current bigger size.
The kids are all super easy to shop for because they are small and cute and easily fit in clothes. But you can also try your luck with a kids clothes subscription box too!
4. Pick a color scheme.
Picking a family color scheme for photos is totally up to you. Pick colors that look good on you, though! Opt for colors fitting with the season (darks, pastels, neutrals).
Pick colors that complement each other, or pick a color spectrum that everyone will wear (blues or grays or browns). You can also designate that girls will all wear one color and the boys another.
This is where browsing through family pictures on Pinterest or Google is super helpful for some inspiration.

5. Coordinate, but don’t match.
Well, maybe unless you have twins. ?
There is no need to find the same outfit for every one of the same gender. It’s a little cliché and unnatural. You are individuals even within the same family. Go for styles, patterns, and colors that look good right next to each other, but that are slightly different and unique.
This lets your kids express their personality more too, rather than wearing something you picked out solely for family pictures, never to be worn again.
6. Keep in mind the weather.
If you are dressed in layers and heavy denim in hot summer weather, then you’re a sweaty mess in your pictures, and your makeup begins to smear as you wipe it away.
If you are dressed for summer weather, and it’s freezing cold out, your kids cry and are miserable, shivering, and unable to smile, with pink noses and cheeks, and noses that start to run.
Pick out clothes that are appropriate for best family pictures!
7. Don’t forget shoes and accessories.
There have been many years where we overlook the footwear! Closed toes shoes are usually preferred to the flip-flops and sandals, but it’ll be up to you. Just be sure you have some nice shoes that will match and coordinate and complete your look. This may mean spending a little time cleaning or polishing up some shoes before picture day.
Decide on jewelry, hats, scarves, watches, or gloves (or whatever you like to accessorize with that) for your pictures. They can add some fun dimension to your shoot!

Tips for Looking Your Best in Family Photos: Groom Yourself
Shave, pluck, tweeze, wax, whiten, wash, dye, cut, brush!
If you want to look your best in family pictures, you need to groom yourself!
I try to redye my hair about a week or two before the family pictures. My husband dyed his facial hair a few days before our pictures this year, and everyone (except the baby) in the family got a haircut to trim those split and scraggly ends and have us looking ready for picture day. I made sure to wash my face extra diligently in order to keep that adult acne away too.
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Family photos can start to get expensive, so I love saving where I can on getting myself and the family ready for the photos!
My husband also trims his nose hairs, ear hairs, and I make sure all wax is removed from the kids’ ears (my son especially gets a lot of gross wax build-up!). We also trim the nails and/or paint them.
If you’re planning photos for far enough out, you can also try to exercise and lose a little weight before the family photos (assuming you need to lose weight or exercise more) so you’ll be feeling and looking good.
Also, make it a goal to go to bed early and get extra sleep for several days before family picture day. It will help get rid of those bags under your eyes naturally.
Because when it comes to makeup tips for family photos, I don’t have any real tips, just my own personal preference and advice, and that is to keep it simple and natural.
I have in many years put on a nice thick coat of foundation, and eyeliner, eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, etc and I don’t think it looks good to put on more makeup than you normally wear to, let’s say, church. Skip the seductive date night makeup, and go more for an everyday makeup look.

I almost never, ever wear lipstick, so why was I putting it on for a family photo all of a sudden? I almost never wear foundation or blush either, so what was I doing that for?
I am not sure! I do, though, recommend covering up blemishes and acne a little should you have some (which I usually do). If you don’t know how to cover them up properly and naturally, then maybe ask for some more professional advice on how to do so (even if that means Youtube or beauty bloggers).
Just be sure you have the makeup you want to wear and use on hand before the day of your shoot.
As part of your grooming prep, you can also do things like get your wedding ring or other jewelry cleaned, get your glasses adjusted and cleaned, polish and shine your shoes, and wash and iron your clothes.
Lastly, if you want bonus points, practice smiling and posing for the camera, and have your kids join you. Be sure to find some good posing tips somewhere (and then share them with me?).
Preparing for Your Family Photo Session
Besides the physical preparations for family photo shoots, of clothes and body, there is the mental preparation for the photo shoot.
My husband is an amazing sport about the whole ordeal, even though he doesn’t always love photos of himself. He knows that good family pictures are important to me, and tells the kids as much. All the kids understand that they need to be on their best behaviors for the photo session too.
We emphasize to the kids that we are paying for these photos, that it’s the one time a year that mom cares that they wear what I say they have to wear. We explain we want nice pictures too because they will hang on our walls and be sent to family and friends and kept as memories forever.
It can be helpful to look at your previous years’ family photos, remarking to your kids how beautiful and great and handsome they are.
Of course, you should also pray that it won’t rain, or that no one will get sick or have boogers the day of, and that it will be the right temperature.
You can also bribe your children if you feel it absolutely necessary, but I’d save that more for the day of the event (“We’ll get ice cream after our photos are over!”)
How to Get Ready for Family Pictures {on the Day of Your Session}
Okay, the day of the family shoot is a stressful time for mom (and everyone in her path?). This is where the previous preparation goes a long way! If clothes are already purchased and washed, dried, and ironed before the day of, you’re WAY ahead of the game!
I recommend getting ready early for your photo shoot so you have time to get yourselves completely ready and not be stressing or running late, because the sun doesn’t wait for you. You should be getting ready at least 2 hours before your scheduled family photography session, more or less depending on your family size and if your clothes have been pressed, and if you still need to eat.
I recommend eating before getting dressed so you don’t mess your clothes. If you are worried about wrinkles at all in your clothes, don’t put them on until you arrive at your destination. And definitely, consider not dressing the baby until you arrive at your destination to avoid any spit-up stains or poop explosions!
You’ll want to do your makeup and your hair and your kids’ hair too.
My advice for your hair is to make it nice, sleek, and pretty. While I don’t think the day of your shoot is the time to experiment with curling irons or flat irons for the first time in your life, as you might ruin your hair, feel free to do your hair extra special, but maybe not super over the top.
Same goes for your kids’ hair.
Whatever style you’re going for, use hairspray, mousse or gel to tame those flyaways (or little postpartum baby hairs), and use bobby pins and/or clips and bands to keep your hair exactly where you want it to be.
Make sure you take a moment to properly accessorize too! Add jewelry, scarves, jackets, cardigans, and other items appropriately. Also be sure to remove Fitbits (or other sport watches) and hair ties on the wrist (which are a classic staple in my life).
How to Take Great Family Pictures During the Shoot
When you arrive at your destination, be sure to remove cell phones, keys, wallets, pocket knives, handguns, or any other items off your person so you won’t have lumps in your pockets and weird shapes jutting out. Leave them safely in your locked car, along with your purse and diaper bag. Keep just your one key with you in a pocket, or hand your keys to the photographer. I’m sure she’ll be happy to hold them for you.
When you’re taking the photos, remember to suck in your gut, and check your kids’ hair isn’t in their face, they don’t have any boogers dripping down their nose (bring a tissue in your pocket) and that the baby’s clothes aren’t riding up weird, especially if you are holding her for the pictures.
My husband also, wisely, brought along a roll of clear packing tape so he could remove the little fuzzy lint from our kids’ sweaters off his and my black shirts between shots and locations. If it’s really hot, you may also want to bring a small washcloth or something to wipe away the sweat off your forehead real fast.
Also, encourage some fun into the occasion. Taking family photos often feels SO formal, which I totally understand, but getting laughter and kisses and hugs and favorite family little games or activities in the mix is guaranteed to help your pictures be that much better, especially if you are going for those candid family photos!

It’s also helpful to have some sort of toy to get the baby’s attention (though your photographer likely has something anyway), behind the photographer. Try to let the photographer do their thing when they are taking photos of just the kids, and get out of the way, because kids often look to their parents rather than the camera and photographer when there are too many people giving commands to “smile” or do this or that.
And with any luck, you’ll get back an amazing assortment of not just one, but dozens of family picture perfection where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera and looking amazing! The main reason that you’re getting all of these photos is so that you can have sweet memories!
All great family photos are ones that make beautiful family photos so just keep that in mind when you’re getting ready! A successful family photo shoot is one where you can have some candid shots and perfect photos, all in one!
I hope that these simple tips help!
Don’t forget to grab your family photo checklist to remind you of all these tips!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Braun and Oral-B at Walmart.com. The opinions and text are all mine.
Tina Wallace says
Thank you for this!! I have always wanted to do family photos, especially after having my first daughter. I know it’s common, but I did so many with her (cake smash, baptism, 1st birthday, etc) then was lucky if I got the hospital pictures of the next two. ? the baby didn’t even have hospital pictures done because we both were flown to Boston hospitals and almost didn’t make it. It was a long road before we were able to all go home, the last thing on my mind was photographs. So I would love to start a tradition of doing annual family photographs. I’m just worried about the costs, and the outfit choices mainly but I’m very interested in starting new family traditions since our family is now complete.
Katelyn Fagan says
Yes!! You should do it! Sounds like this year would be a great year to start! You can always keep it simple and go to a studio like at JCPenney to keep costs down. They always have a package deal going on or a Groupon deal even! Some of our first family pictures were taken by them. It works too. Then when you have more time to plan or slightly more money to spend, you can splurge on an outdoor family photographer. As for outfits… always shop your own closets first! Good luck! Hope they turn out amazing.