6 tips to take better photos of your family

Yet the best lighting you’ll find for your get-together will come from a window — soft, even light that will make everyone look great, without any shadows on their faces. But that can happen

only if they are facing the window. PRO TIP: Try to take the shot with as little clutter in the background as possible. That way, you can focus attention on the faces, not the mess on the

kitchen table. For instance, in this mother-and-daughter photo of Robin and Natalie Cayetano, we positioned them so they were angled with much of a blank wall behind them, making for a less

cluttered image. 5. GO OUTSIDE TO CATCH SOME SUNLIGHT Sometimes you don’t have access to window light inside and your available interior overhead light is harsh and unflattering. Solution:

Go outside if you can, even if it’s just to pose by the door, to get the available light on your faces. When you’re outside, open shade can produce the same soft, even light that you get

from a window. But if you stand in direct sun, it could produce harsh shadows on your faces, especially in the eyes. Try to have the sun behind you, not facing you, and everyone will be able

to see all your faces without shadows. Courtesy Jefferson Graham In this shot of the Cayetano family, they posed on a seat on their front porch in the shade. A loving family is one that

sits together, right? Three of the family members fit on the seat while Natalie sat on the arm. She appears to be a little taller than her dad, but she probably wouldn’t complain. Dog Wes is

in the shot, too, and there is a secret to getting animals to participate. Just take lots and lots of photos, because odds are the pet will be looking up for at least one of them. 6. TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY Both new iPhones and Android models have a new PORTRAIT SELFIE mode camera setting, which lets you take better-looking self-portraits with a cool blurred

background. This works best for photos of one or two people. Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro devices let you swap out individual faces in the AI-driven BEST TAKE editing feature of Google

Photos for a better shot of the same person, which it offers up from similar photos. It’s another reason to take several bursts of pictures in the same photo session. After all, you’re not

buying film. _This story, originally published November 17, 2021, was updated to include new smartphone settings and technology._ _Jefferson Graham is a contributing writer who covers

personal technology and previously was a technology columnist for _USA Today_. He hosts the streaming travel photography series Photowalks on Amazon Prime, Tubi and YouTube, as well as the 

iPhone Photo Show podcast._