Genuine Smiles in Photos: A Photographer’s Approach

When you look back at your family photos years from now, what do you want to remember? The laughter, the love, the way your kids held onto you so tightly? That’s what I want to capture. While posed shots where everyone smiles at the camera have their place, my favorites are the ones that show natural emotion and real, heartfelt expressions. Genuine smiles in photos make all the difference – they reflect joy, connection, and the little moments that make your family unique.

1. Helping Your Family Feel Comfortable

For real, natural smiles and expressions, your family needs to feel comfortable and relaxed. My goal is to make the session fun and effortless – with lots of movement, playful prompts, and little moments that feel natural instead of staged.

Before your session, I’ll send a questionnaire and schedule a quick phone consultation to get to know your family. This helps me learn what makes your kids laugh, what they love, and how they interact with each other so I can bring out genuine smiles and emotion during the session.

2. Building Trust and Connection

You can help set the tone by preparing your kids for what to expect.

*Let me take the lead – I’ve worked with so many families and know how to roll with whatever happens.

*Talk about me ahead of time – let them know we’ll be playing games and having fun.

*Stay positive – if kids sense that photos are stressful, they’ll feel uneasy.

3. Encouraging Genuine Smiles in Photos

The best photos happen when kids feel safe, happy, and free to be themselves.

Go with the flow! Some of the best moments come when we embrace the unexpected.

Try to keep corrections to a minimum during the session. If your child isn’t following directions perfectly, that’s okay – I’ll guide them in a way that feels natural.

4. Creating a Fun and Relaxed Atmosphere

One of my favorite ways to capture real smiles is by keeping the session playful and engaging.

Depending on your family’s personality, I might suggest a silly game, a playful challenge, or a fun movement prompt to get everyone laughing. Some kids love showing off their best superhero pose, while others light up when twirling in a dress or racing a sibling.

For quieter families, we’ll focus more on gentle interactions – snuggles, hand-holding, or whispered “I love yous.” My approach is always adaptable because every family is different.

The goal is simple – to create a space where you can relax, enjoy your time together, and let real moments unfold.

5. Capturing Relationships

I always make time for parent and child moments because they hold so much meaning.

Let me worry about angles, lighting, and composition – your only job is to love on your family while I capture it.

Instead of focusing on the camera, just be in the moment – hug your kids, stroke their hair, whisper something sweet in their ear.

6. Embracing Imperfections & Unscripted Moments

No two sessions are alike because no two families are the same – and that’s what makes your photos special.

There’s no need to stress about every detail being perfect – the best moments often happen when things don’t go as planned. Just be yourselves, and the rest will follow.

7. Client Experiences

Here’s what some of my clients have said about their experience:

“Anne is so great to work with! She is patient and has the sweetest ideas for poses. She positions and prompts us perfectly to capture real, genuine emotion.” – Megan

“We were so fortunate to have Anne capture our family photos. She is so good with our three little kids and was able to capture their personalities. We were able to have a mixture of posed and real authentic photos, which I really appreciated. Our photos turned out amazing and they will be something that I will forever cherish. I highly recommend Anne!!” – Kelsey

Want to hear more about what it’s like to work with me? Check out my client reviews here!

8. Ready to Book Your Family Photos in Colorado Springs?

If real emotion and genuine smiles in photos are important to you, I’d love to help capture them. Whether we’re playing games, running through an open field, or sharing sweet moments between parent and child – I’ll be there to document the connections that matter most.

Let’s plan your session! Click here to reach out.