The Best of Family Portrait Photography: Professional Techniques and Images

by Bill Hurter

Artwork from 30 of the industry's top photographers is used to highlight both clearcut shooting strategies and colorful, cutting edge approaches to family portraiture in this handbook intended for idea gathering and inspiration. Advice on focal length, perspective, and maximizing the potential of digital equipment highlights the technical aspects of family portraiture while group posing strategies demonstrate how best to flatter each subject and convey a sense of family unity. A lengthy discussion of lighting—the backbone of portraiture—and the manipulation of shadows and highlights instructs photographers on how to create mood and interest in a variety of lighting scenarios, both indoors and out. Specifics on adjusting body lines, colors, and shapes, working with young children, and creating a comfortable atmosphere ensure that the photographer captures the unique personality of each family with dynamic and attractive images.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2012

Reviews

[Mary Scott]

A very nice resource for family or any group photography, with good thoughts on composition, posing, and especially, on depth of field. Includes lots of photos by a variety of photographers. I am a relative novice, but much of the detail was quite technical and this is a resource I will be able to return to later and glean more from the discussions of (unnatural) light (I only work with the natural kind, or from single sources at this point!).

[Heather]

Great ideas for something we are ALL doing, whether formally or not.

[Caelie]

I didn't have time to finish this book but it was a good resources and I would take it out from my library again. The photos are now a bit dated.