Family Photo Ideas | Houston Family Photographer

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in family portraits and can help with planning family photo ideas.  See more family photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your family portrait today!

Family Photo Ideas

When thinking about your family portrait session, it’s nice to have some ideas about what to wear, what props to bring, what to do, and what you’ll do with the portraits after everything is over!  Here are some helpful tips on each of these:

WHAT TO WEAR: Choose coordinating colors for each member of the family.  We don’t need everyone in the same color but the colors do need to coordinate so that they blend well together.  Also, consider the environment and background of your images.  Finally, be yourself!  Choose clothing that makes you feel and look your best!

WHAT PROPS TO BRING: If you have items that are special to your family, bring them to your portrait session!  If the whole family loves football, bring one to throw around and we’ll get some action shots.  If you are musicians, bring some instruments and we will make those an important part of the family photos.  Your personality as a family can shine…these are for you!

WHAT TO DO: You may feel like you don’t know what to do during the family photo session.  Don’t worry because your photographer will help you with this.  At Tara Flannery Photography, we like to get posed shots of everyone smiling and looking at the camera and we will help with all of the posing.  We also like to get those less-planned connection moments that are the beautiful in-between.  We will help guide those as well.

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR PORTRAITS: Before your family photo session, think about what you’d like to ultimately do with the family portraits.  Do you have a space on the wall where you and the kids can admire the portrait every day?  Or maybe you’d like an album that can sit on the coffee table and be shown to Grandma when she comes to visit.  A little pre-planning for these end goals goes a long way towards creating a beautiful end piece that shows off your gorgeous new portraits!

Family Portraits for The Hickman Family

The Hickman family was so excited about their family portrait session.  Mom and baby girl had matching purple tutus.  I love the color and how it beautifully coordinates with the natural greenery in our scene.  And Dad blends seamlessly with the family too.  Since she was turning two, we got some individual portraits of baby girl as well.  She will be able to look back on the family photos and see how very special she is.  You can see the love in Mom and Dad’s faces.  The little smirk in the second photo is just precious!

Family portrait in the woods with purple tutus Two year old girl portrait in the woods with purple tutuFamily fun photos in the woodsTwo year old girl portrait with purple tutuFun Family portraits in the woods

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in family portraits.  See more family photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your family portrait today!

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@taraflanneryphotography

I think family photos mean something a little different to me now. 🤍

For years, I was the mom hanging new portraits on the walls while my kids were still living at home. Then came senior portraits, graduations, and eventually watching both of them head off to start their own next chapters.

Now that my youngest is off at college, the house is a whole lot quieter.

But everywhere I look, there they are.

On the walls. In frames. In albums. All of these different versions of our family and my kids at ages I can’t go back to.

And maybe that’s why I feel so strongly about family portraits.

When you’re in the middle of raising your kids, it’s easy to think there will always be another year. Another fall. Another chance to schedule the photos.

There probably will be.

But they’ll never be exactly this age again.

Take the photos. Print them. Put them on your walls. Let your home fill up with the people you love.

Someday, you’ll be really glad you did. 🤍

📸 I still have a few weekend dates available for fall family portraits. If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll get around to updating yours, maybe this is your sign.

Head to the link in my bio to reserve your session.
Capture One, if you’re looking for someone to sponsor… I’m your girl. 😉📸

But seriously—if you’re a headshot or portrait photographer and you haven’t tried shooting tethered yet, let me introduce you to one of my favorite workflow upgrades.

Tethering simply means connecting your camera to a computer so your images appear on a larger screen as you shoot. I use a wired connection straight into Capture One, which makes it easy to review images during the session, catch the little details I might miss on the back of my camera, and favorite the strongest shots as I go.

And when I’m finished? My selects are already organized, so I can transfer everything to my main computer at home and jump into editing without sorting through the entire session all over again.

I used to tether wirelessly, but switching to a wired setup has made the process much more reliable and seamless for me.

It’s one of those small workflow changes that makes a BIG difference—especially when you photograph a lot of headshots.

And if you’re just getting started in photography—or looking for ways to improve your setup, lighting, posing, and workflow—I have a whole collection of free resources for photographers waiting for you at the link in my bio. 📸

Photographers, are you shooting tethered yet? 👇🏻
Family photos with a 4-year-old? You just have to roll with it. 😂🤍

Little kids aren’t going to stand perfectly still, follow every direction, and smile on command—and I don’t expect them to!

I’d much rather meet them where they are. We’ll play, move around, be silly, take little breaks when we need them, and work toward those sweet moments in between.

That’s part of why I love family sessions so much. The goal isn’t perfectly behaved kids or a picture-perfect hour. It’s capturing your family as they are right now.

And yes, we’ll still get that beautiful everyone-looking-at-the-camera photo for the frame. 😉 But sometimes the personality-filled moments end up being the favorites.

🍂 I still have a few fall family portrait dates available! Head to the link in my bio to reserve your session.
Honestly… a little bit of everything. 📸

From professional headshots and personal branding to senior portraits and family sessions, I love creating photos that help people and businesses tell their story.

And there’s plenty more I can help with, too—large team group composites, in-office headshots for teams with different schedules, acting and modeling headshots, office branding, and more.

Basically, if you need photos for yourself, your family, or your business, let’s talk about what you have in mind. I’ll help you figure out the best way to make it happen.

📸 Not sure where to start? Book a consultation with me through the link in my bio.
Money may not buy happiness, but having photos of your family to look back on years from now? That’s pretty priceless. 🤍

Fall family portrait season is here, and I have a few weekend dates still available (spots are filling fast!) 👇🏻

September 20
October 3, 10, & 17
November 7 & 15

If you’ve been meaning to update the family photos, document this season, or get those holiday card photos checked off your list, this is your sign to get on the calendar.

And once you book, I’ll make sure you’re not left wondering what to wear, where we’re going, what to bring, or what to expect. My Family Session Welcome Guide walks you through everything you need to know to feel prepared for your session. (linked in my bio)

📸 Ready to make some memories worth keeping? Grab your date through the link in my bio.

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Serving the Greater Houston, Texas Area

tara@taraflannery.com

713-412-5437

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Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers of America PPA.
Tara is a Certified Professional Photographer.
Tara is a member of TPPA Texas Professional Photographer's Association.
Tara has earned her Master of Photography degree.
Tara has earned her Photographic Craftsman certification.
Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston PPGH.