It’s getting to be that time of year where people want family portraits and pictures, especially grandparents.  Family portraits are great gifts and can help save many memories. Here are some tips on how to take the perfect family portrait:

1. Come up with pose ideas before the shoot. When doing this you can think of multiple pose ideas and try to get the best of each for a plethora of photos.
2. Line up their feet. Groups sometimes form a U-shape without even realizing it. Make sure that everyone in a straight line and that their feet are also facing you.
3. Avoid multiple rows if possible. If you absolutely have to use multiple rows, tell the rows that are behind the first to get ‘uncomfortably’ close to the row in front of them.
4. If you have multiple rows focus on the people in the front center but don’t let the rest of the people become out of focus.
5. Encourage groups to wear relatively the same outfit. If possible tell the group to wear either black or white shirts or tops and whatever desired pants.
6.  Make sure all eyes are looking at a desired point and make sure the facial expression is relatively the same. 
7. Experiment with different angles and poses. Try to find the best angles for the group and play around with the poses for multiple results.
8. Squish groups together. Make sure the group or family is close together.
9. Try to get some genuine smiles.  Be funny and try to make your group laugh a little. A genuine smile makes the picture better.
10. Don’t let your subjects tilt their heads. Some people think they will fit in the picture better if they tilt and lower their heads. Watch for it and try to avoid it.