Whether you’re hiring a professional or just want to capture some sweet moments at home, you may be wondering how to pose for gorgeous family portraits. Not all photographers have a gift for posing families in a way that looks both natural and beautiful (this is one of the things you’ll want to focus on when you look through their portfolio). And if you’re on your own, how do you pose your family in the best way possible?

As a Houston family photographer, I have lots of tips and tricks to get the best poses for family portraits. But I’ve also learned one of the most important secrets of all:

It’s about connection.

You can learn all day about angles, the rule of thirds, and complementary outfit colors. You can invest time in figuring out your camera settings and creating great lighting. But for images that are more than just pictures, for images that are memories, all you really need is to highlight the love and laughter that are part of your everyday life.

When I pose my clients, I use natural cues. I’ll ask them to walk around holding hands. I’ll tell the kids to hug their daddy, or ask mom to kiss her babies. I’ve learned that the most beautiful portraits are waiting to be captured in those moments.

If you book your photo session with Shannon Reece Jones Photography, I will take care of all the details for you. But you can capture beautiful portraits anytime, anywhere, by focusing more on the people than the poses. If you are feeling stiff or unnatural in front of the camera, remember that it’s about telling a story. Focus on hands, hand holding, smiles, kisses, hugs, toes, fingers, eyes, and mostly, the connection that your family has.

How to pose for gorgeous family portraits? It’s simple. Just be yourselves, and let your love for each shine through. There is nothing more beautiful than that.