Movement Makes Magic in Family Photos

If there is one thing I’ve learned from talking to dozens of photographers over the years, it’s that movement makes magic in family photos. It is the key to getting beautiful photos. Moving is also a great way to capture the things that make life special – like secret handshakes, dancing, running, and playing.

In our most recent family photos, we made movement our main focus. It was a rainy afternoon in the mountains of Utah, but that didn’t stop us from having fun! My 4-inch heels may have been a mistake to hike in, but I love the way the photos turned out. So, here are three magical moments created by movement:

Secret Handshake

My husband and daughter have a secret handshake. It was her idea after she saw The Parent Trap for the first time. She created every step and I love it. It’s so cute and brings a huge smile to my face every time they do it. So, we insisted our photographer capture this sweet moment in time.

We will treasure these photos forever. Hopefully, they will keep doing their secret handshake forever too!

Play with Your Kids

We really made an effort to play with our kids like we would if we were on a nature walk. We were singing songs, spinning around, trying to make them laugh. All of this made for the cutest and most genuine smiles. I also love the way movement in a photo makes you feel. It makes everything come alive for me.

Twirl in the Dress

If you wear a dress, you’ve got to twirl in it. I don’t care if you’re 5 or 65! It makes for the prettiest photos. There’s something so magic about movement. Even if your photographer doesn’t suggest it, I would tell them you would like to do a couple of twirling photos. For a 6-year-old, there is also nothing more fun than spinning around in your new dress and sparkly princess shoes.

Family Hug Photo

In our family, we do a family hug before bed every night. It was so sweet when my daughter yelled “family hug” during the photo session. Now, we get to remember this special moment in time. I suggest every family do one “family hug” photo because they are just so full of love.

Just Move

It feels odd when you start making movement a priority in photos simply because so many of us are used to the sit perfectly still and smile type of photoshoot. I promise the results of movement will be worth the tiny bit of awkwardness you may feel. Movement in family photos creates magic. Copy some of my ideas here if you need ideas and let us know how it goes! Happy family photo season!