Are you looking for the secrets of taking perfect family photos? Look no further. These tips will help you take better pictures in no time flat; no photography degree required.

Planned Family Pictures

If you are planning your family photos ahead, ask that family members' clothes be similar in color as well as texture and style. This will give the picture a uniform appearance and won't make one family member stand out. You might also suggest bringing 1 or 2 different changes of clothing to experiment with what looks best overall on camera.

Of course, if your purpose is to make a family member stand out, have that family member wear a color that contrasts with the rest of the group.

Locations for Family Photos

Avoid locations that have a lot of clutter in them. For example, if you pick a family room with lots of toys on the floor, the viewer's eye will be attracted to the toys as well as the children that are posed in the room. This is not to say that you can't use a prop. You just don't want to have dozens of props that distract the eye.

If you are outside, make sure that the landscape adds to the photograph rather than detracts from the picture. For instance, you want to avoid telephone wires and trash cans in the background or an errant tree branch "growing" at a strange angle out from someone's body.

Photographing Family Pictures Outdoors

The best outside light to have when taking family photos is a slightly overcast day. If the sun is shining, don't take your pictures in direct sunlight. In addition, avoid a mix of direct sunshine and shadows. The resulting shade-sunlight exposure is unflattering to people's faces. You may have to use a fill-flash if your family is in shadows or shade.