7 Family Pictures That Speak
Do you look back at pictures of your family and wish that you were in more of them? Do the pictures you currently have represent
Do you look back at pictures of your family and wish that you were in more of them? Do the pictures you currently have represent the true spirit of your family, who you truly are, how you connect and not just everyone with pleasing smiles looking at the camera?
“Many families who come to me struggle to get honest authentic images with everyone in one frame” Images filled with truth and authenticity are within your reach and I’m going to show you how!
Discover 7 ways to capture authentic family photos of your own
I once thought my camera was mostly to be used to document our happy times. It would appear on occasions when we were all dressed in formal clothing, standing together looking at the camera. The ‘highlight reel’ version of our lives. Yes, they are full of visual beauty and bring back memories but they lack wisdom and authenticity.
Over the years as a parent and as my children grew, I was drawn to a more natural style of photography where looking back I can see us as unique individuals. Preserving my children’s facial expressions, not just their pleasing smiles, along with our unique connection and love, was what really inspired me. The photographs of our adventures together and their happy, dirty faces reassured me that what I was doing was “ ENOUGH”!
Implementing these 7 steps successfully will help you to take images of your family that you will treasure your whole life too.
Read on to find out how to create images with love, connection and authenticity of your own for your walls ( or skip to BOOK IN A CALL or BOOK NOW with Bronwyn who will use her expertise over her journey as a parent and photographer to capture your family)
The aim with portraiture is to capture something authentic, genuine and real to reveal the true spirit of your subject. Interaction is key- how often does someone stop and stare into your eyes ask you your story and simply give you the space to see the beauty in you. In this image, I asked these boys to sit with their Mother and show her some love. There is nothing forced here, this is how they came together naturally and when I look at this image I can feel the love and connection they share.
I never force a child to smile. When you allow a child to relax in front of the camera and remove all expectations of how they “must” behave you begin to see way beyond a cheesy smile.
I encourage you to take notice of the light and the different times of day when it is at its best. Golden light, one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset brings an image from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In this image the light is highlighting this beautiful bump bringing the viewers eye to the story of this image.
Thinking about the light and then intentionally putting yourself or your subject in the way of it is powerful. Knowing when and where the light hits will help you develop a relationship with light which brings wonder and calm to your every day. I personally think that this is the most important thing for creating images that speak.
In this image the light is balanced both for her face and for the glow, all while highlighting her wonderful expression, the narrative of this story.
The way the body moves to the rhythm of music, the emotions conveyed through every step, the raw beauty of the art form are all elements that inspire my own work and can be used in your images.
It is through my love for dance, that I am able to tap into the deepest parts of myself and infuse my work with a sense of truth and authenticity.
If you find yourself needing a boost of inspiration, I encourage you to try something different. Maybe put a piece of music on that you’ve never heard before and move your body to the sound and let your imagination run wild with ideas.
It is pretty common to take pictures while you are standing up but in doing so we miss out on the world from other angles. My favourite photos I have taken are the ones where I am down below their level and shooting them up into the sky or with children at their level seeing the world from their exact eye line or from above angling down. Expressing your point of view via your own unique perspective will help narrate the story you want to tell about your subject.
I can remember this moment so well the family came together and by giving them some space and calm the little girl was able to drift off into her own world expressing her state of mind in a wonderfully poetic way.
When shooting portraits we can sometimes forget to go beyond the traditional headshot. Beautiful and telling portraits do not have to include your subject’s face, often, you can find enough of a story in gestures. In this shot, I wanted to capture the love of this little girl for her Mother as she held her hands tightly around her neck. To be reminded how that feels as a Mother and a little girl for years to come.
Composition is about creating harmony not only between elements placed in the frame but also between what is blurred and what is in focus. Framing your subject artistically.
Taking a picture with a shallow dept of field offers a dreamy, blurry effect in the background of you shot, that when used correctly, can make almost anything look extraordinary.
The key to effective shallow depth of field is to first choose your sweet spot of focus. I usually choose my subjects eyes which is after all the heart of this photograph.
Get Close. Get physically closer to your subject instead of zooming or cropping in with your camera. Seek to show your connection with the subject you are photographing and let that engaged relationship be visible in the images.
For me, I love to focus on the details, the size of the little feet in the partents hands, the Mom holding her childs hand, how the Mom caresses the child’s hair, the soft glance. Fill the frame the exact way you want to print it later as cropping can decrease the quality of your digital image.
Making reflection Images
Don’t over think making reflection images. Look for relfections when you walk outside your home. Look at the way light and colour and nature might relfect off glass. Look for new perspectives in puddles, ponds, really any bodies of water.
Look For Inspiration from All Kinds Of Artists while I have favourite photographers I admire and follow, I do my best to look for inspiration from musicians, dancers and artists in other genres not related to photography.
I love to go to art galleries and see the way artists transform their feeling through unique creativity.
Natural expression in portraits is vital because it is the narrative. It translates the emotional tone of the moment and tells a story about a subject and their life.
BRONWYN O’BRIEN Co-Founder of Hippy & Bloom Photography is an award-winning outdoor lifestyle family photographer which means that she captures the beating heart of family life in a way that feels authentic.
Bronwyn specializes in creating images of families that the viewer can truly feel. Drawing from her own life experiences, she establishes deep connections and captures authentic moments, allowing families to be themselves. Her images are filled with love and connection, revealing the beauty within the chaos. Her appreciation for Irish nature and her use of natural light enhance your story, showcasing the beauty in what already exists!
You can BOOK A CHAT with Bronwyn or experience a photo session with her HERE!
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