a heavenly family portrait session

Late spring Barbara from California called Photo Generations to set up her family portrait session here in Ann Arbor.  She was coming to Ann Arbor for the double pleasure of celebrating both a U of Michigan college graduation AND a wedding.  The family pictures were marking this special time for the family.

Her daughter was getting married just hours after attending the Ann Arbor U of M commencement that President Obama addressed.  In Ann Arbor a few days, Barbara’s family planned to scoot over to my Dexter studio for a family portrait two days after the twin ceremonies.

Several weeks after long-distance planning the session I had such a wonderful surprise when they arrived at the studio from Ann Arbor for their picture session that Monday evening!  Warm happy vibrant people!

The gorgeous weather commanded we get outside,  but first we did a series of in-studio B&W portraits, before heading outdoors to the water.

My number one favorite image of the hour long session was an unposed Black & White photo… the couple of honor sharing a quiet moment together…they were catching up on their separate work days while waiting for the rest of the family to get ready for the group photo.  We had the best ‘portrait’ of the session even before the session started.  This is Heaven for a professional photographer!  Congratulations newlyweds!

on making a successful family portrait:  from a professional portrait photographer viewpoint

In considering this family, and why the family photographs were so successful  (they chose at least a dozen different family portraits) I’ve decided to re-examine what a  ‘traditional family portrait’  really is.   Once again I am reminded ‘ traditional family portraits’  do not have to be stuffy, stiff, formal unimaginative.

Barbara’s family is a perfect example I had not met them, and it was not possible to meet personally before the session, sooo, we spoke on the phone and via email conversations to plan the session…  I got the impression they were looking for something rather traditional and advised all to wear a darker top with long sleeves to the elbow.

This is the safest way to dress because everyone looks the slimmest they can , dark colors unify the group and it is a malleable, classic look I can dress up or down with background lighting & posing.

Photo Generations was created after over a decade of daily staff photo journalism experience.  ‘F-8 and Be there’ is the mantra of a news photographer.  This means, know your equipment, be ready to make a picture as it its happening, go to where it is happeining, and be aware.

These ideas of ‘ F=8 and Be There’ carry over to portrait photography.  And now I have been making family portraits for almost as long as the photojournalism, (!) and I still get a thrill when the elements all come together satisfying both me and my client.

(I always want to meet before we do a session!  Why?  Well it gives me a feeling to the style of photography most sympatico with my client.  Some folks want a formal feeling.  Some families are ‘huggers’ and playful.  Ages vary.  Family size varies.  Decorating tastes vary.   My style of photography is fluid and varies with the personalities of  the family we are photographing.)

I  realize in ‘traditional  portraits’  the ‘traditional’ part includes this:

• use solid techniques
• use flattering light
• show true emotion of your subject
• capture fleeting gesture
• show relationships in families.
• prepare the final images for most pleasing effect
• The above points can be applied to any style of portraits and are necesary to create a touching meaningful professional portrait
• planning the portraits is the first step
• making the images during the session is the middle step
• editing, choosing and preparing the images and finally hanging the portraits are the final steps.