#1. RELAX!

No matter which side of the lens you are on, tension makes for bad pictures. So, relax. Don't worry - about your clothes, the kids' smiles, the wrinkles on your face, or the glare on Mr. Dad's glasses. Family photo shoots ought to be fun. Make them that way.

#2. Forget Matching.

Seriously. I mean it. Do NOT try to color coordinate a family picture. Instead, encourage everyone to avoid loud patterns and colors (think solids, textures, muted tones...) and wear something that looks nice on them. You could try theming - earth tones, pastels, or primary colors - or just let come what may. Particularly in extended family shoots where you have limited control of what people wear, 4 or 5 clashing shades of fuchsia will not look better than sage green, country blue, sunshine yellow, and rose pink. I know you don't believe me. But give it a chance. Try it once. Skip the color coordination and you may find you are pleasantly surprised with what you see.

#3. Try Creative Poses

Everyone standing in 1 or 2 rows is nothing special. If you have small children, try seating the adult and standing the shorter ones around them. If everyone is the same height, let some sit, some kneel, and some stand to break up the monotony. Outdoors, try using an interesting prop, such as a split rail fence, a picnic table, or a stone wall to give you different levels. Use your imagination and the triangle rule - visualize lines drawn between heads to make triangles.

#4. Time Out for Parents

Parents: We know you feel responsible for your children. But as a rule (and the photographer will inform you of any exceptions) you are not responsible for them while the camera is pointing at them. We know how to make them smile; (so do you, and it is NOT by saying "now smile big, Sally - no, a REAL big smile... Oh, not your silly one, I know you can smile nice...) you are paying us to do it, so relax, look happy yourself, and let us do our job. No, we will not think your children are ill-behaved just because they look the wrong way and have to be told to smile; that is just part of taking pictures. (If you want to know a secret, adults are usually worse than the children)

#5. RELAX

Just a reminder... no one likes a picture of themselves looking stressed out. So relax and enjoy the session. Let your children be themselves and let the photographer tell them what to do. If you don't think about your clothes, it is likely no one else will either. After all, isn't it YOU they want to see?

Have fun with your photo shoot!

Actually, the lighting is really what makes or breaks a good picture. Especially with digital technology, composition can be re-adjusted after the fact, and just about any subject is potential for a good photo, but bad lighting is the death of beauty in photography. If your lighting is bad, it doesn't matter what else you do - your picture is only as good as your lighting.

So, aside from using studio lighting like the professionals, what can you do to get better pictures?

First, indirect lighting is always best. A cloudy day is better than a sunny day; shade is the photographer's friend. Direct flash rarely gives good results. This is because direct lighting tends to be harsh, with high contrast. Some areas are so bright they are almost blown out; others are lost in dark shadows. Diffused lighting is softer and more even, giving light to every part of the subject.

If you are shooting outside, and it is not a cloudy day, try to stick to the shade. You can always create your own shade; be creative! If you must shoot people in the morning or evening when the sun is low, try to arrange them so that the light is coming from a 45˚ angle behind you - so it is not directly in their faces, but not where it can affect your exposure either.

When working indoors, try to stay in evenly lighted areas so that you do not need to use your camera's flash. Indoor lighting tends to be warmer, giving your pictures a yellowish glow. Most cameras have a white-balance setting that will help with this problem. Play around until the colors look right. Mixed lighting (light from a window and a light bulb) is hard to work with and should be avoided unless you like a challenge.

If you must use flash:
The flash on most cameras is worse than useless most of the time. This is because it flashes a bright light directly on the subject, creating strange back shadows and usually a glare on the front. (This looks very bad on people with shiny foreheads.) I like to use bounce flash, where the light is directed at the wall or ceiling and bounced back to the subject, but many cameras do not have that flexibility. (You have to have a flash that is point-able, usually an extra expense and only compatible with higher-priced cameras.) As an alternative, create your own 'flash director'.

You will need a white plastic spoon (the kind you eat at picnics with). Cup it under your flash while shooting. The spoon will direct your light up (to the ceiling) and it will bounce back down on the subject, giving you more even lighting and less weird shadows. Experiment with different tilts of the spoon until you get a nice result.

Finally, your pictures will turn out better if your light source is to the side of and slightly above your subject. Light from directly in front, as mentioned before, tends to create unwanted shadows.

Good lighting makes for better photos. Pay attention as you take pictures and see what else you can discover about lighting and its effects!

This shot is pretty abstract - just interesting leaf patterns.

Stay tuned for more photos and tips in the future!