A Free & Easy Family Photography Project!
I think it’s fair to say we’re all a bit short on money and long on time at the moment. And it’s also fair to say that there’s a lot of us working and/or homeschooling indoors. Things can get a little boring!
So whilst talking to some (very worn out) friends with kids I came upon the idea of a DIY family photography project. It’s something you can do for free at home or out on a walk together. It’s also a fun way of getting the kids involved in photography whilst capturing forever these unique moments together as a family.
I’ll also be sharing the best, free places you can upload your photos to so that grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends can all see what you’ve been up to. It’s a brilliant way to keep in touch, which at the moment is so important. And it’s a special something you can treasure together forever.
The following are all themes and ideas I’ve used myself for family shoots or found on the internet. You can choose just 1 or mix it up and do a few. It can be something which spans a few weeks or just one weekend and all you’ll need is a camera or smartphone. Either way enjoy yourselves and let me know how it goes, I’d love to see the results!
My Tip: Treat each family photo project as a story.
First a strong intro, with lots of behind the scenes action of each challenge being put together. Then a good middle, where the project itself is documented from as many angles as possible. Finish off with the final product or a nice shot all together. Decide as a family which images to keep, aim for between 30-40 as a good number.
The Challenges:
Painted Rocks.
Find some nice flat rocks out on a walk near home and get painting 🙂 Don’t forget to get some snaps of where the best rocks were found and how you got them all home! Keep things colourful and include some positive messages or hellos for loved ones. Make sure you add the date to them all and they’ll be a nice reminder of this time together. For photos try piling them up, keeping them all flat & spread out, or holding them all together for a selfie. Lighting can make all the difference too so check out a few different places around the house.
My Tip: Place near windows, this can give a nice lighting effect.
Hide!Either out in the local park or get creative around the home. For smaller kids this is a great opportunity for counting practice. For everyone else it’s just lots of fun! Get the kids to hide with your phone and they can take your picture as you look for them. If you have a group of kids, try a different version called Sardines. In this game, only one person hides with a camera or phone while all the others close their eyes and count. As each person finds the hider, they get their photo taken and then hide alongside them. Soon everyone is packed in like sardines. The last one to find the hiding place can be the first hider next time. My Tip: These images would look great in a collage which you can all create together online.
Big Hug.
Everyone loves a hug and it guarantees a big smile. Most cameras and smartphones have a self timer option, get to know how this works then set it for 10 seconds so you can all get into place. Not every picture will work and some may be too dark or too bright. The plan here is to just enjoy yourselves. You can practice by all looking into the camera or just at each other. No 2 hugs are the same and each one will be worth it!
My Tip: The tighter the squeeze the better the image!
Big Bake Off.
Kitchen time is up at the moment! Cooking & baking are great family activities. It could be the dreaded Banana bread or a messy victoria sponge, whichever you fancy creating get all the ingredients out and get your kids to document the whole process. First up plan what you’d like to bake. Then it’s off the shops to find all the ingredients. This would make a great documentary family photography project as the kids capture each element of the process. Once back home and everything is spread out you can get some selfies together starting out and even some short videos of what you hope to achieve. The journey is more important than the destination here! So even if things don’t go to plan you’ll have some great photos to remind you of the fun you’ve had!
Family Obstacle Course.
Some serious imagination needed here as you create an unforgettable challenge around the house! Create a plan of the course together and then it’s time to get creative. Gather together lots of everyday items such as brooms, mops and chairs and then decide what you can do to make things challenging. Yarn or wool is a good addition so you can mark out the boundaries and the start line. Before the off each competitor should think up their start line dance which can be marked out of 10.
My Tip: most phones have an action shot setting so try this out along with some different angles. A short video or slow mo of the start dance will work really well with the still footage. Apps like boomerang would be perfect for this. Your living room won’t thank you but the memories will be worth it!
You’ll find some great ideas here: https://www.fatherly.com/play/how-to-build-an-obstacle-course-living-room/
Create a Rainbow or mural.
If you haven’t already then get the painting gear and an old sheet out. A window rainbow and message for health workers or a sheet mural is a great idea. Choose a theme and then make it as colourful as possible. First prepare your space, this could be a messy one 🙂 Then it’s time for a practice. Let your little artist choose their favourite colours and decide their theme. It could be birds, animals, a favourite park or recent outing, or a drawing of the family. Once they’re happy with the test run it can be copied out onto your big sheet.
My Tip: This will be a great opportunity for lots of colourful close ups, but be careful to keep the camera out of the paint!
Family Picnic.
You may or may not have a garden, but either way get your recently baked goods set up on a big rug and enjoy the demolition! If you have lots of different cups and plates then get them out and onto a brightly coloured rug or sheet. Make it extra special by picking some flowers on your walk or decorating the area with some pretty things from around the house. Then enjoy the food and the photos!
My Tip: This is a good one for up close food photos and a lying down selfie all together. The closer and more smooshed up the better!
Where to put your Family Photography Project.
You’ve had a great time taking pictures, you’re covered in flour and the living room’s a tip so what now? There’s some great free places available to put your photos and it’s super easy to share them with other family members and friends. My personal favourite is Google Photos. All you’ll need is a gmail account and you’re good to go. You can upload straight from your phone and easily create folders for each photo project. These can then be shared, either by email or by whatsapp. There’s also endless options to share everything directly to your social media. I personally love the photo assistant which will automatically edit and even create short photo films and suggests lots of fun things you can do with your images.
Blogs…
If you’re feeling more creative then you might like to start a Family Blog of your own. There are lots of free sites out there but things can get a bit messy and annoying when each one wants you to start paying for hosting etc. My very first blog was with https://www.blogger.com/ which is so easy to use and also allows you to upload directly from your Google photos albums. You’ll get a link as if it’s your own website and you can accompany your galleries with as much text as you like. Perfect if you fancy getting a bit more into the photo-blogging world 🙂
For some more options this post has lots of other free blogging sites you can try https://themeisle.com/blog/best-free-blogging-sites/
If you have any more ideas for your family photography project I’d love to hear them!! You can contact me any time at ibizaphotographyweddings@gmail.com
Or take a look through my Instagram and contact me there.
To see more Ibiza Family Photography and for more info on what’s included please visit my Family Photo Gallery ♥
With Love, Anne xx ♥
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