Yes, pets are welcome in your family portraits!  However, I suggest you containing them so that you can take a few without your pets as well.  While most of the time it works out fine with pets, like in this photo, pets (like children) can be unpredictable. The added stress of coordinating the extra family members can sometimes make grown-ups forget to smile.

I am often asked what kind of clothing to wear for family portraits, and while there are a few no-no’s, I usually tell people to wear something that reflects their family’s style and the type of portrait they’d like hanging on the wall.  Denim is a popular choice, and here’s a sample of a cool effect that can be done with the blues!

I had way too much fun photographing this little cutie!  She really wanted to be finished by this time, so after this shot I let her play in the leaves for a few minutes.  After that, she even posed a few more times for me!

Posin’ like a little man!

We were still getting everything situated here, and I was firing off a couple of test shots, when I saw the baby yawn.  I snapped it quickly, but something malfunctioned, giving a bit of a halo effect around little Corbin.  But I love how it turned out.  His yawn and little hand grabbing Dad’s thumb are just adorable.

This group of ladies had far too much fun while I was working hard!  Just kidding. We all had fun with this session.  They decided to order a proof book from the session, and here is the cover (the title was entirely their idea!):

Family gatherings are the perfect time to have a professional portrait made of the whole group.  Everyone’s already together, and portraits make great gifts for Grandparents and Great-Grandparents.