Traditional family portraits are at best a stiff and unrealistic representation of a family, artfully arranged to arbitrary standards of artistic balance without regard for the individuality and personality of the people involved. At worst they are enough to make you cringe. Most of us have sat for mediocre family portraits and many of us have been the victims of incredibly bad ones. Traditional portraits are enough to make you want to swear off family altogether, which is why the ability to take modern, attractive, expressive family portraits can make any photographer an overnight success. Here are nine tips for capturing a family without making them look like taxidermy gone wrong.

Get to know the people involved ahead of time.

You don’t have to be best friends, but it’s important to know the basic tone of the family and the different personalities that create this mood. The best way to do this is to ask them about themselves and their favorite activities. A great modern family portrait will capture that unique tone while allowing each individual to shine. The goal is a cohesive picture where no one is over-emphasized and no one is lost in the crowd.

Capture the moment.

This is really the heart of photography and yet it is too often forgotten when it comes to family portraits. Has the family recently had a new addition or experienced another milestone? These moments should be an important part of the portrait. This is an opportunity to look back and remember the way they were at that moment in time.

Focus on the eyes.

If any part of your photo must be in focus, it is the eyes. There is a reason that so many adages focus on the eyes as windows or messengers. They truly communicate more about a person than any other part of the body. Few portraits can be successful if they draw the observers’ attention away from the subjects’ eyes.

Make children feel comfortable.

Children, especially toddlers and teenagers, are wary of strangers, particularly strangers that come with a camera and a list of orders. Your best bet is to befriend these youngest family members as quickly as possible and gain their allegiance before you take a single shot. You’d be amazed at how quickly kids are won over by simple silliness and fun. Keep in mind that a little time spent gaining trust will pay off in more authentic smiles, increased cooperation, and a longer attention span.

Talk to your subjects about wardrobe choices.

Few families have any idea what will look good on camera, which has led to some true portrait disasters. For best results, encourage them to avoid matchy-matchy outfits. Every mother is dying to see their little herd of darlings in matching plaid, but this rarely creates a good picture. Advise your subjects to wear bright or light colors that neither match nor clash. Long sleeves and simply crew neck or v-necks photograph well and allow the emphasis to remain on the subjects and the portrait itself. Although black is a preferred choice for fashion, it can be too severe in a family portrait and make it difficult to balance the light. If the family in question is not well represented by true colors, neutrals are an excellent compromise and can allow a wider variety of backgrounds to be used.

Choose backgrounds carefully.

Gone are the days when an obviously fake forest scene or a mottled blue curtain could be considered an appropriate backdrop for a family portrait. Today, people want portrait backgrounds to either be appropriate and natural, or to disappear altogether. Consider taking portraits in a variety of settings, even if this requires having several different sittings. Try capturing the family in their native environment, such as on their family room sofa or in their own back yard. Even plain black or white is preferable to faux nature scenes. There is nothing fake about the family, so keep their portraits as real as possible.

Don’t be afraid of movement.

One of the most common complaints about the traditional family portrait is that it is so stiff. No one naturally sits in that arrangement, and this discomfort is unfortunately captured by the camera. The good news is that a stiff, triangular arrangement is not necessary for a great photograph that is pleasing to the eye. In fact, while many photographers are convinced that the only way to capture so many people in single picture is to pose them like a floral arrangement, some of the best portraits are taken while the subjects are moving. Try having everyone walk toward you while you snap away, or capture them piled on each other haphazardly.

Work quickly.

In other words: remember that you are working with people and not a still life. Don’t plan shots that involve naturally squirmy small children sitting in any given position for a long time or assuming awkward poses. Keep everyone in the photo engaged and constantly moving. Similarly, there will be no natural smiles the umpteenth time you shout ‘Say Cheese!’ You must be fast and constantly changing or your subjects will lose interest and look as bored as they feel.

Look around.

If you are new to the field of modern family portraits (or an experienced professional looking for new ideas) check out the many portfolios on the internet. Luckily, many professional photography businesses use their website as a place to advertise and showcase their best work, so it should be easy to find more examples than you could possibly need. This will allow you to check out your competition and stay up with the latest photography trends. It also gives you an idea of what new ideas don’t work at all, removing the unpleasant process of trial and error from your professional life.

Family photos don’t have to be stiff or formal. In fact, modern portraits are beautiful, artistic, and uniquely representative of the people that they are capturing. By following these nine suggestions, you should be able to improve your skills and make some of your customers very happy.