How to Take Great Family Photos | 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 how to take great family photos.  See more family photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your family portrait today!

How to Take Great Family Photos

With a few tips and a little planning ahead, you’ll know how to take great family photos!  Here are a few tips:

  1.  Plan the session with your photographer.  I like to meet with families in person.  I visit them in their homes to plan for location, wardrobe, and the end goals for the portraits.  This way, I get a sense of their style and we get to know each other.  When we meet for the session, it’s like we know each other already and can hit the ground running!
  2. Plan outfits ahead of time and lay them out to see what they look like together.  This gives you a great visual of what your portraits will look like.  I like to help families consider where the portraits will hang when thinking about wardrobe as well.
  3. On session day, put away all the stress of getting ready and getting everyone out the door on time!  Believe me, I know that’s a chore.  But let it all go on the drive to the location.  Take a deep breath and let’s have fun!  This will allow you to relax and take the best family photos.

The Madonna Family

My session with the Madonna family was so much fun!  We laughed a lot and chatted along the way while capturing some fantastic photos of the three of them.    After our first set of images, we found a little place down the road where there were “beautiful weeds”.  I’m always on the lookout for beautiful weeds and we found some great ones.  I adore the depth and beauty of those final images.  The family now has great family photos to hang on the walls in the game room and to put around the living room.  They can even replace the dreaded school photo with a fantastic shot!

How to take great family photos, family posed in the woodsgreat family photos, family walking in the woodsyoung man posed in woods during family photoshow to take great family photos

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

2027 graduates… this is your moment. ✨👇🏻

Senior year comes up faster than you think—and before you know it, calendars are full and you’re trying to squeeze something in last minute.

The best sessions happen when there’s time to plan.
Time to choose the right location, the right outfits, and create photos that actually feel like you.

Every senior you see here had a session that was intentional, relaxed, and built around who they are.

That’s what makes the difference.

If you’re part of the Class of 2027 (or the parent of), now is the time to start thinking about your session.

📩 You can book a consultation through the link in my bio.
If you’re just starting a photography business… you need to watch this.

I recently showed up to a headshot session at an office building with all my gear—ready to go—and security wouldn’t let me in.

Not because anything was wrong… but because there was a miscommunication, and I didn’t have a certificate of insurance on file with the building.

It’s one of those things you don’t think about when you’re first starting out—but it matters.

As you grow and start booking more corporate or on-location sessions, these small admin details become part of the job.

Clear communication with your client (or their admin team) ahead of time can save you a lot of stress on shoot day.

👉🏻 If you’re in that stage of figuring everything out, I’ve put together a few resources to help you avoid mistakes like this—grab them in my bio.

What’s something you’ve learned the hard way on a shoot? 🤔⬇️
Think Tank Bags… if you see this… please sponsor me 🤝🏼

But in all seriousness—photographers love a good piece of gear.

And it’s really easy to convince yourself that the next upgrade is what’s going to take your work to the next level.

Sometimes that’s true.

If a piece of equipment makes your workflow smoother, more efficient, or solves a real problem for you—it’s worth every penny.

But if it’s just shiny, new, and replacing something that already works… it can probably wait.

The goal isn’t to have more gear—it’s to have the right gear for how you actually shoot.

🔗 If you’re trying to figure out what’s actually worth investing in, I put together a Photographer Gear Guide that breaks it all down—link in bio.

🤔 Curious… what’s one piece of equipment you’ve bought that was 100% worth it?
A small snapshot of the teams I’ve worked with recently 📸👇🏻

Headshots are one of those things that are easy to put off… until you realize your photos no longer reflect where you are now.

Outdated images, inconsistent team photos, or a mix of styles across platforms can quietly take away from how your brand is perceived.

A headshot refresh doesn’t have to be complicated—it just needs to be intentional.

If your team’s photos haven’t been updated in a while, this is a good time to take a look at what you’re currently using.

📩 If you’re ready for a headshot refresh, you can book a consultation 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.