3 Tips for the Best Mother’s Day Picture!

It’s Mother’s Day Sunday. After church everyone is dressed nicely, the sun is shining, and it’s the perfect time for a picture. Or is it?

Maybe it’s just my family, but after church, my kids can’t wait to get home and have a snack before our big Sunday afternoon meal. They’re not in the mood to stand around waiting for a picture or to smile lovingly while doing so. Not only that, but the sun is directly overhead, turning foreheads into fiveheads and making our eyes squinty, like I’m trying to thread a needle without my glasses. It’s not a great look.

If you would like to avoid irritating your family and getting another mediocre picture of your crew, I suggest these three easy steps:

1. Prime your People – Happy kids are cute kids. Happy adults are cute–well, no, they’re not always cute, but they are certainly more attractive than grumpy adults! If you want to make sure no one is discontent, see that their needs are met. Are they well-fed? Did everyone have a chance to use the restroom after church? This is real life, friends, and these things matter.
2. Location is Key – Squinting into the sun isn’t fun and will detract from your goal of a lovely picture to commemorate this Mother’s Day. Look for open shade, which is shade with some ambient light. Sometimes this means shadows of buildings, trees, pergolas, or anything else that provides some shelter from the sun without being totally dark. Avoid dappled light under thin tree canopies, as this will create hot spots (overexposed areas) on your subjects. If you can’t find any shade, you can still make the best of afternoon light by putting your subject’s back to the sun and making sure everyone has an even amount of light hitting them. Just try to avoid taking the shot with the sun actually in the frame–unless you want a silhouette!!
3. Make Mom the Star – This day is about the moms, motherhood, and the love of these ladies. When arranging the picture, it’s important to highlight mom’s beauty. Position her in the center with her kids around her–standing, sitting, or in her arms if they’re little. You can get as creative as you like with positioning, but remember to have each person make contact with the family member nearest them. Physical contact and eye contact convey closeness and connection.

I hope these three tips help you make small adjustments to your personal family photos this Mother’s Day. I’ll give you one bonus idea (probably the biggest take-away here) that is close to my heart!

A lot of moms shy away from having their picture taken because they’re self-conscious. If you know a mom that hides when the camera comes out, there are ways to snap a memory of the love her kids feel for her. This particular idea is for moms of young children. Have mom crouch down with her arms open wide, ready to receive a hug. Place her children about fifteen feet in front of her and then position yourself behind mom, facing the kids. Tell the kids to look at mom and run to her for a hug. As they’re running and giggling their way toward her, take pictures from a few feet behind mom. Make sure you’re getting mom’s head and shoulders in the image, with the focus on the kids’ expressions. The look on their sweet faces will tell the story of mom’s true beauty and the love they feel for her. Mom wins twice: she’ll enjoy a big excited hug from her littles and she’ll cherish these images long after this Mother’s Day.

May God bless you this Mother’s Day with sweet memories and joyful times with your family!