Just because your kiddos are all grown up now, doesn’t mean the annual family photos should come to an end!!!!! It’s so important to continue to capture and create memories no matter your age or if children are involved.

Truthfully, your photo sessions get a little easier and less hectic as your kids become adults. We don’t have to worry about temper tantrums (I hope!) and it’s not a challege to get everyone’s attention. As the photographer, working with an adult family means we have the opportunity to move quicker. Your 30 minute session becomes 15 and your hour session becomes a half hour.

Now, posing may not be as energetic and cuddly as they would be with a toddler. I’m sure dad isn’t as interested in giving the kids piggy back rides as he was when they were smaller. With a more relaxed age group, I like to keep poses simple.

To add a more comfortable and loving feel to the full family portraits, I’ll ask everyone to squeeze in close and place their arm on the person next to them either on the shoulder or bicep. Then, for an even more snuggled-in look, I’ll next ask everyone to lean their heads on one another.

With adult families like this, we have the chance to break down into smaller groupings. For example: all the boys together, all the girls together, siblings, couples, grandparents and grandkids, immediate families etc. For each of these groups, I’ll follow the same posing structure as the full family photo. Depending on the group and their personalities, I may suggest a few other pose ideas. These look something like: holding hands and walking, locking arms and walking, leaning against a wall, or seated.

Couples portraits usually allow us to be a bit more snuggly within each pose. I’ll always ask for a hand-holding walking pose – it’s great for all ages! I love doing a nose to nose pose as well for each couple. The younger couples usually enjoy a back-to-check wrap around hug pose. This is a favorite of mine!

If there’s extra time in a session, I also love to offer LinkedIn headshots especially for the younger adults who might be applying to jobs right now.

Overall, the poses for adult families isn’t anything revolutionary or crazy unique. I find simplicity to be the best. I encourage families to let their personality shine and don’t be afraid to be goofy. This will help your photographer get a feel for what kind of poses they can lean into. As the photographer, I find that being creative with composition is the best way to add variety in these scenarios. I try to think outside the box and see if there are any othe perspectives I can offer within 1 pose.

Serena Rae Photography is a portrait photographer based out of Douglassville, PA. Offering a lifestyle photography experience for those who want their genuine moments, honest connections, and cheerful way of life captured. If you’re a lover of timeless imagery and living a life of color, it’s about time we connect! Serving Berks County, Montgomery County, Chester County, Bucks County, Delaware County, Lehigh County areas.