How to Take More Meaningful Summer Family Photos
- Kirsty Hall
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
There's a photo of me as a child, sitting in a caravan, tucking into my cornflakes. No-one is looking at the camera. We're just eating breakfast. Every time I see it, I'm right back there - the smell of that morning, struck matches and toast, the slight chaos of a family holiday breakfast in a small static.
My dad took that photo. He took hundreds like it and for that, I will always be thankful.
Those images are some of the most precious things I own now. Because they tell my story - a truly meaningful family photo - which is exactly what I want to help you do with your own family photos this summer.
What I've learnt from him is that most of what makes a photo feel special is light, connection, and noticing moments. My dad really paid attention.
I used what I'd learnt to practice on my own family.
Just a girl and a washing line, but this photo of my daughter really makes me smile.
THE PROBLEM WITH 'SAY CHEESE'
Most of us grew up being lined up, told to smile, and then told to smile properly when the first attempt looked too forced. The resulting photos are fine. Perfectly fine. But they don't take you anywhere, do they?
They don't transport you back to the wet afternoon stuck in a caravan listening to the rain on the roof or the sound of the song that was playing at that moment on the radio that also takes you right back to that particular day. They just show that everyone was there and broadly cooperative.
Taking photos with real meaning and feeling doesn't require an expensive camera, a professional eye, or even particularly well-behaved children. It requires a small shift in how you think when you're taking a photo -
This is all about stepping away from convention and reminding ourselves about what a photo is for, so I'm going to start with;
3 PHOTOGRAPHY MINDSET SHIFTS
1. Stop asking children to smile
When you ask a child to smile, you'll almost always get a strained, slightly pained expression that ends up not really resembling the real them. Instead, let your children play.
Whether they're collecting shells, chasing waves, blowing dandelions or laughing at something silly you've done, they're much more likely to forget you're taking photographs.
That's when you'll capture the expressions you really recognise – the cheeky grin, the look of concentration, the meaningful burst of laughter – rather than the smile they think they're supposed to give. A little bit of gentle distraction will almost always create photographs that feel more natural and tell a much richer story.
See the difference? - telling them to say 'cheese' results in a forced expression (left). Ask them to answer any question you ask them with the word 'sausages' for natural laughter and smiles (right).
When children are playing a game their minds are on something else, not you taking a picture.
And if you're seeking natural laughter, try these:
Tell them NOT to smile.
Seriously - say "no smiling allowed." Watch how long that lasts.
A bit of silliness goes a long way.
Make every answer to your questions "sausages."
Embrace toilet humour.
A well-timed fart joke has probably rescued more photos than any photographer will admit.
Try this - Tell them they are not allowed to smile and that this is all very serious. It won't be long before the corners of their mouth start to turn up..! You have to look serious too.
2. Photograph the in-between bits
There are so many photography opportunities either side of the main event (the sandcastle, the birthday cake, the big moment) - and it's often where the real gold is. For example, the kids have been in the sea which of course you will have photographed - but don't stop there - press that shutter when they are running up the beach, that feeling of exhilaration they have, shivering but happy. Tousled, wet hair, getting cosy in a towel.
Sandy feet at the end of the day
Wet hair after swimming
Sticky hands mid-ice cream
Tired kids falling asleep on the way home
Someone staring out of a window
Even on the days when there's not much happening you can be creative with your photography. These types of shots tell more of a story than any posed picture ever could. It's all about noticing and observing - being ready for the moment rather than manufacturing it. Something my dad did beautifully.
There are lots of days in the summer holidays when there's not much planned and you're at home with the kids. When they are engaged with tasks like baking, crafting - these are golden moments that make great memories.
3. Get in the frame
How many photos do you have currently on your phone where you are in the image - (excluding selfies) I can bet you that there aren't many.
Here are a few things you can do that don't include a selfie stick, or that fear you have of 'spoiling' the image. My mum would always give this as an excuse...
Use a tripod/mini tripod
When the word 'tripod' is mentioned, people automatically assume a large ungainly device that they would never consider carrying around. There are lots of mini tripods on the market designed to fit neatly into a day bag, ready to take out when the need arises.
Prop your phone against something
nsider carrying around. You don't actually need a tripod - if there's a table nearby you can lean your phone against for eg a water bottle on that table and hey presto, you've got a steady prop for taking that photo. Just set your timer and jump into the frame.
Stop waiting until you look better
This is a big one. There will never be the perfect time to appear in a photo. You don't need to wait till you've been to the hairdressers, nor do you need to wait until you've lost a few pounds. Photos are all about you, at that moment in your life. I expand more on this topic here.
Look at each other, not the camera
Yes! During all my sessions involving family groups, I’ll gently encourage you to look at each other. Whether that’s a loving gaze, a shared joke, or a bump of foreheads - it will create some inevitable cringe, which in turn generates natural laughter and most importantly - CONNECTION.
Tell the people you are photographing to look at each other / make a silly face / and you'll love the results!
PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE ON A SUNNY DAY
Use shaded areas in bright sunshine
The bright midday sun creates harsh shadows on faces, causes people to squint and washes out colours. If you can, avoid and seek shade under a tree or at the side of a building or at the edge of some woodland. You still want light, just softer light. By doing this, your images will instantly lift, colours will deepen and faces will be lit in a far more flattering way. The bright sunshine beyond the shade will literally bounce back towards the person you are photographing, acting as a natural reflector.
Left: Photographing in the shade will deepen colours, even out skin tone and look more flattering. Choose an interesting background and you've got a vibrant, beautiful image. Middle: Harsh shadows in full sun. Right: Face away from the sun if no immediate shade nearby, particularly when sun at it's highest in the sky.
Face away from the sun
If there is no shade, the simple thing is to ask the person to put their back facing to the sun, rather than their face. Don't be concerned about faces being in shadow, your phone is more than capable of handling this and you can always adjust brightness and shadow settings later on. Overall, the benefits are more even skin tones, hair halos and more natural expressions!
Have fun photographing the sun! - use it to your advantage
Light is everything in a photograph and many opportunities await particularly with early morning or late evening sun. There is nothing like a beautiful hair halo at sun down. It's ok to point your phone straight at the sun in these cases as it will be so low in the sky.
WAYS TO MAKE YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAY PHOTOS MORE, WELL ... INTERESTING
Try different perspectives
Lots of us take photos without even thinking to adjust our position. Try taking a photo of your child when you are standing up, then take the photo again but at a lower level, that of your child. See the difference?
Getting down to their level can create a whole new spin on a photograph and the feeling you get from that photograph.
Likewise, try photographing from above, for example while they are doing an activity. I did this when the kids were river dipping and I was genuinely surprised at the result!
Use movement
Our phones are great at taking moving images.
Take the picture of my son, below on his trampoline. I took many shots but this one really shone out as the best simply because of his superman pose and the fact that he was blocking out the sun. Plus, see how sharp he is? Taken on my phone.
But mainly, he was completely absorbed in what he was doing and not worried about me taking a photo.
Don't feel like you need to get the person you're capturing right in the middle of your shot either. A child running across your picture really emphasises that movement - almost like you're trying to keep up with them!
Movement is far more likely to create interest.
Some easy opportunities to look for:
Running or jumping
Playing a game
Exploring rock pools, woods, or gardens
Splashing in water
Eating something they love
Move closer
Don't be afraid to move closer. It's tempting to pinch and zoom, but you'll usually get a better quality image by taking a few steps forward instead.
Getting closer invites you to notice the little details that are so easy to overlook in the rush of everyday life – the freckles that appear every summer, tiny eyelashes catching the light, sandy toes after a day at the beach, sticky fingers from melting ice cream or little hands tightly wrapped around yours.
These little things can quietly become some of the most treasured memories from their childhoods that will stick with us for years to come.
SOME MORE CREATIVE SUMMER IDEAS PEOPLE DON'T THINK TO PHOTOGRAPH
Water & Reflections
Children are naturally drawn to water. Whether it's the sea, a stream or a paddling pool in the garden, it invites play, curiosity and joy. On a sunny day, the combination of water and light can be magical – sparkling reflections, glowing silhouettes and plenty of genuine smiles. It's a perfect chance to take beautiful photographs
Look out for;
Fountains
Garden Hoses
Paddling pools
Water guns
Reflections can add a whole new layer to your photographs and water is often the first thing we think of – whether it's a puddle after the rain, a calm loch or the sea on a still day.
Reflections naturally draw our eye because they add depth, symmetry and a sense of calm to an image. Try getting low to the ground and include the reflection as well as your child splashing, skipping stones or peering into the water. Even if the reflection isn't perfectly clear, the ripples and movement can make a photograph feel more atmospheric and tell more of the story.
Have your phone ready next time you are on a bus or train with the kids
Reflections aren't just found in water, though. Windows can also create beautiful, unexpected photographs. If you're on a day out and travelling by train or bus, sitting in a café or even looking out from home on a rainy day, try photographing your child's reflection in the glass. Their face layered against the world beyond creates an image that's full of feeling. It's not just a picture of your child – it's a reminder of the journey, their excitement, their curiosity, and the little details that made that day memorable.
There are many more every day moments you can capture in an observational and candid manner, which will take you back to that day when you went to the beach, climbed that hill. Because those ordinary snippets of life can become the most treasured memories in years to come.
Children asleep in the car after a beach day
Sun cream being applied
Dripping ice lollies
Dads carrying everything
Windswept hair
Collecting shells
Tired end-of-day cuddles
Grandparents watching children play
Remember. Notice and observe.
...and lastly,
Your children won’t care whether the photo was technically perfect. They’ll care that you were there, and that someone thought their ordinary life was worth remembering.
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