Take Your Own Family Easter Portraits with a Smartphone

Easter Sunday is NOT canceled this year! Do not let this be the year you miss out on your annual family Easter portraits. For safety reasons during this pandemic, we recommend taking your own family photos. Yes, it is possible! All you need is your smartphone and possibly an accessory or two. So before or after your livestream Easter service, snap that photo that you'll add to your photo album like all the years before.

#1 - Dress up

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If you roll out of bed for Easter Sunday in your pajamas and messy bun, you will not feel inspired. Treat this like you would any year before...but with even more effort. Putting your best foot forward really sets the tone for the rest of the day. Here are our favorite picks for Easter outfits this season.

#1 - Pick your photo spot around the house

We recommend finding a spot with nice, even lighting. You do not want the sun causing your eyes to squint or have uneven shadows. This can be in front of a large window in your living room, on your front porch or in your garden. If you don't have access to a spot with good lighting, invest in a good ring light!

#2 - Clean up a little

If your background is a little messy, move a few things around. You want the focus to be on your family. This will ensure you have a photo that is gallery-wall-worthy.

#3 - Arrange your crew

Create balance in your photo composition by forming triangles when you pose your family of three or more. Start with a basic triangle and building additional triangles as you add more family members to the photo. You can utilize structures like stairs, stools, benches, decorative boulders and even tree stumps to get your subjects at the right height.

#4 - Use a tripod

Since it's a social distancing Easter Sunday, you will need a tripod or supporting structure to keep your phone steady. If you're using a smartphone, you can get a tall smartphone tripod or a tabletop tripod if you're setting the phone on the coffee table or a shelf.

#5 - Use the self-timer

Set the self-timer so you (or your designated family-member photographer) have enough time to hop in the photo. You may have to do this a few times before it's just right. Use burst mode so it will take a quick series of images. There's a reason professional photographers take so many shots to get "the one." So have some patience and be ready to take several before you get the perfect one for your family.

#6 - Be flexible

We don't mean yoga-pose flexible...just flexible with expectations. Every family is different. You might have to lower expectations if kids are squirming or babies are crying. And that's okay! It's YOUR family and sometimes the "imperfect" photos are the iconic ones that will last generations. So make it fun and find joy in this crazy time.

#7 - Have fun editing!

This is our favorite part! There are so many photo editing apps out there. Some favorites are Lightroom, VSCO, and Snapseed. Adjust exposure, contrast and whites to get the look you want. Experiment with filters for that extra touch.

Remember that you are capturing a historical moment for your family. Let us pray this is the only Easter Sunday we are quarantined due to a global pandemic. Take the time to get ready, look your best for your family and celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection.