"We're just not camera people"
I hear it all the time, usually right before someone books a session with me. Dad hates having his picture taken. The kids won't sit still. Mom is always the one behind the phone, so she's barely in any family photos at all.
If that sounds like your family, I want you to know something: you don't have to be good in front of a camera. You just have to show up and be yourselves. Finding the pictures is my job.
This backyard session in Westchester, NY is a good example of what that looks like.
Why family photos so often feel stiff
Most people picture a family session as standing in a line, chins up, everyone saying "cheese" on three. It's no surprise they dread it. Holding a pose feels awkward, and that awkwardness shows up in the photos.
Kids feel it most. Ask a seven-year-old to sit still and smile and you'll get the same frozen grin every time. Let him run barefoot across the lawn and you'll see who he really is.
The photos families keep for decades usually aren't the perfect ones. They're the ones that make you remember how something felt.
How I photograph families instead
My approach is documentary. I'm there to capture what your family is actually like, not to direct a photo shoot.
No stiff poses. I don't line anyone up or ask you to hold a smile. If I give a prompt at all, it's something to do, like "race to the tree" or "squeeze Mom as hard as you can," not a pose to hold.
Play comes first. Kids relax as soon as they realize this is playtime and not a photo shoot. Piggyback rides, tickle fights and rolling in the grass are all welcome.
Your own space. Your backyard, your neighborhood park, the street you walk every day. Familiar places help everyone forget the camera faster.
Mess is part of it. Grass-stained knees, wild hair and a little chaos are what make the photos look like your family.
A golden-hour evening in a Westchester backyard
We started this session at home, in the family's own garden, as the evening sun came through the trees. The boys were barefoot almost immediately, and nobody seemed to notice the camera after the first few minutes.
There was no warm-up and no lineup. We just ran. Mom and Dad grabbed the boys' hands and the four of them raced across the lawn together.
Then Dad scooped Mom up, the boys piled on, and the whole family ended up in one big laughing hug. I didn't plan that moment. I just made sure I was ready for it.
There were quieter moments too: Mom wrapping both boys in a hug, and the two parents holding each other while the kids played nearby.
But the brothers stole the show. They wrestled, rode piggyback, collapsed in the grass and couldn't stop cracking each other up. This is what being brothers really looks like, and no pose could have created it.
We ended with Dad and his boys in the last of the light, still laughing.
If your family is camera-shy, here's what to expect
We'll talk first. Before the session I'll ask what your family loves to do together, so I have ideas for games and activities that suit you.
Pick a place that feels like home. Your backyard, a favorite park or a walk around your neighborhood all work beautifully. Somewhere familiar helps everyone relax.
Wear clothes you can move in. Soft, comfortable layers in coordinating colors work best. Bare feet are always welcome.
Let the kids be kids. You don't need to keep them clean or make them behave. Running, climbing and being silly make the best photos.
Forget about me. Hug, tease, chase, laugh. The less you think about the camera, the more the pictures will look like you.
Ready for family photos that actually feel like you?
I'm Cindy, a Westchester-based documentary family and kids photographer. I photograph families all over Westchester County, New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut, and I love traveling with families for vacation sessions too.
If your family has always avoided the camera, you're exactly who I love to photograph. Get in touch here to check dates and plan a relaxed session of your own.
