Family Portraits: How to Take Portraits Outdoors

Why should you take family portraits outdoors? Besides the potential for beautiful or fun backgrounds, photographing outside provides the opportunity to use natural lighting. If you are a professional photographer or serious enthusiast then you know that the external flash, studio lights and reflectors work to mimic the beauty of natural light.

If you are a beginner or the designated family photographer with a digital compact and built in flash, then taking your family portraits outdoors is the easiest way to get professional quality portraits, the type you'll want to display in picture frames.

The Best Natural Lighting for Taking Family Portraits Outdoors

Not all outdoor lighting is good. The worst time of day to take outdoor family portraits is mid day. The best times of day to take outdoor photographs is the hour before sunset and after dawn when the shadows are least harsh and the light is the softest. The closer to these times you can gather the family for their portrait, the better.

Another good option is to wait for a cloudy day when there is bright overcast light. This provides enough bright light and is the kind of softness professional photographers spend money on soft boxes to get. If the timing doesn't work out for any of the above, find shade that isn't too dark.

Settings for Outdoor Portraits

The obvious choice and perhaps the perfect choice is the family's backyard. Or you could take your family portraits outdoors at a place the family enjoys like a park. If you go away from home, look for times of the day that the location you choose is the least crowded.

You should also consider using a family hobby as a potential setting. If the family loves horses, a green pasture with horses in the background and the family posed in front could work well. If the family sails, consider the boat's deck.

Speaking of boats, a word of caution. If you decide to take outdoor family portraits on a beach, on water or in the snow, select the beach mode on a digital compact or if you use a DSLR or SLR, use a polarizing filter. This will help decrease the glare. Set the flash to "on" instead of "automatic" to help minimize shadows on the family. Don't face the family towards the sun or they'll be squinting.

As with any picture, be sure to hide or remove clutter in the background. Do you want to use the natural lighting of outdoors but want a plain background? Take a piece of material and tack it to something like a fence. Check for things like lawn sprinklers or anything behind the family that may be distracting like a lamp post.

If you want to minimize the overall background, use the Portrait mode or set your Aperture Priority for a smaller depth of field.

On the other hand, you may want to pose the family so that yard features such as a beautiful tree or garden cottage are part of the picture. Just be sure to take the picture with the focus on the family.

Whether you are taking family portraits outdoors for others or your own family, use these portrait tips and you'll be sure to take a portrait that will be proudly framed on the family wall.

Autumn Lockwood loves taking pictures and is a writer for Your Picture Frames. Your Picture Frames offers a large selection of white picture frames in a wide variety of finishes, styles and sizes. If you're looking for quality white picture frames or any other color visit our website or call 1-800-780-0699.