Nothing is more awkward than figuring out what to do with your hands in photos! Do you put your hands on your hips? Knees? Face? Hair? If you're lost, here are some easy tips on where to place your hands when you're being photographed.

Tip #1: Give a hug! 

When you give someone a hug, your hands will naturally go around another person AND it doesn't look stiff or awkward. It's a win-win every time! When you hug someone, you are communicating affection and connection in your photo (and I'm ALL about that!).

A sweet photo of a mother and daughter hugging. Photo taken at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

Tip #2: Hand in pockets

Get a more casual and relaxed look by putting your hands in your pockets! Personally I think putting your hands in your pockets is such a fun way to give your photo a lifestyle feel to it. It adds personality and you'll look chic and modern!

Bonus Tip: I would also angle the body a bit so you're not facing straight-on at the camera. Unless you're a professional model, it's hard to get a flattering photo when you're facing straight-on! Angles create dimension, which adds depth and shape to your photo.

Extra Bonus Tip: Depending on how big your pockets are, you might find your pockets are too small to fit your whole hand. If that's the case, don't worry! Simply leave your thumbs on the outside and relax...and don't forget to rock it with confidence!

A portrait of a man before his deployment. I asked him to put his hands in his pockets for a casual, relaxed, and modern look. Photo was also taken at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC.

Tip #3: Hands OFF the belly...unless it's a maternity shoot.

This is another personal opinion of mine, but there's no reason to draw your eye to the belly unless you want to emphasize that you have a (real) baby bump! If you are pregnant, then having your hands on and around the belly is beautiful and meaningful. There is a tender and intimate feel to a photo when a mother and father puts their hands on the mother's belly. If you're not pregnant, however, please save the hands-on-belly photos for the real thing!

A portrait of a mom with her hands on the belly, displaying affection and intimacy for their little one. Their baby boy soon came a few weeks later! Photo was taken at their home in Durham, NC.

Tip #4: Hold hands

This is probably my favorite tip. I LOVE it when my clients are holding hands! Just like hugs, holding hands is symbolic and communicates connection for your visual narrative. I especially love using this tip with children because they are so active, and holding hands will help glue the family together (at least for a few seconds!). It is also an easy direction for kids to follow. I try and avoid complex instructions and try to keep things simple.

A father and his five sons! We had the little ones hold hands to help them stay together for a few seconds. Photo was taken in Seattle, WA.

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If you're looking to book a Raleigh family photographer, please contact me here! I also serve the surrounding areas in the Triangle including Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Apex, and often travel to Seattle, WA.

Whenever I pause to reflect back on past events, I'm always in awe of God's perfect timing. I booked tickets to Seattle (my hometown) months earlier, and I later learned that my dear friends, Alison and Mark, were going to have a baby around the same time I'd be in Seattle! Who knew that baby Zachariah was going to make his debut on July 6th (a day after his expected due date) AND while I'd be in town?

We started out by photographing some beautiful portraits of Alison holding baby Zachariah. I had Alison stand next to the window (I'm a huge fan of natural, window light!) because I wanted to use the soft light that was organically coming from the window. I thought it would be meaningful to capture the tenderness and intimate connection between mother and child during the first few weeks of a baby's life. We captured a few portraits of Mark and Zachariah later in the shoot, too, to also illustrate the connection between father and son. I want parents to be able to remember the joy of holding their babies because they're only little for so long!

We also captured candids of the two older brothers and the interaction they were having with Mark, their dad. They were eating popcorn, and Mark was balancing Ty beanie babies on their heads! It was so funny, and their giggles and smiles were priceless. We captured additional portraits of the whole family inside and outside their home, and it was perfect in every way! Baby Zachariah, you are so loved by your mommy, daddy, and older brothers :)

To capture the wonderful gift of family is one of the greatest honors and joys I have, and I'm truly blessed to do what I love to do! Enjoy the photos.

-Genevieve

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Do you love photographing your kids, but you want to make your photos more compelling, organic, and meaningful? Do you want to tell a better story with your photos? Parents often ask me how to take better photos of their kids, and I've put together three EASY tips for you so you can capture beautiful photos of your children! Whether you have a smartphone or DSLR, these principals can be applied to any camera.

1. Use window lighting.

Often times parents photograph their children indoors, and the best place to capture photos is next to a window during the daytime. Window light is an easy way to get diffused light, which helps create a soft and flattering look. To create depth and dimension to your photo, have your children turn their bodies about 45 to 90 degrees away from the window, so the light hits them on the side of their face.

2. Photograph at their eye-level.

A really easy thing to do is simply get down at their eye-level. Instead of standing and pointing your camera down, I encourage you to get on your knees to take the photo! Most of the time I'm on my knees, crawling around with them because it gives me a better view of their faces and what they're doing. It truly tells a better story!

3. Let them move.

Instead of telling your child to sit still and say cheese, let them move! Honestly, I've found the best way to capture authentic moments is when kids are having FUN. Be silly with them, and ask them to do things that will naturally get them to giggle. I often ask children to run towards me, or ask them to dance or tickle each other. If you're finding yourself getting grainy or blurry photos, move the fun to a location with more light.

Another tip: if there's an older sibling, I would often ask the older sibling to hug their younger sibling or to lead them by the hand. Why? Because these simple gestures build connection in your visual narrative.

Enjoy putting these new skills into practice!

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If you're looking to book a Durham family photographer or Raleigh family photographer, please contact me here.