All photographers make images of people. Most often, these photos are of family or friends, simple casual photos that make lasting memories. This time, I’m going to give you my top simple tips for great people photos. Turn snapshots into great shots!

If you are making the image outdoors and it’s a beautiful sunny day, position the people so the sun is behind them, and use spot metering on the face to set the exposure

If the day is a bit cloudy or overcast, this is great light and you can put folks under cabanas, or trees or on a path without worrying about ugly shadows. SECRET TIP! The best light of all is right after a rain shower.

If you have a group of people, put them in threes in little triangles, not all in a straight line

Play music, tell funny stories, do whatever you can to help folks relax. Younger people have photos taken all the time, older folks may be less comfortable. A natural smile is a wonderful thing

Unless you are doing an assignment with a model in agreement, forget the artsy fartsy stuff. Have the people look into the lens and avoid poses that look fake and awkward

If doing half body shots, have your people lean a bit forward and push their chins towards the lens. They look better, it’s just that simple

If you are going to make photos that are not full length, avoid putting the upper or lower frame line on a joint. You don’t want that line on a neck, elbow, waist, wrist, knee or ankle.

Put folks who tire easily standing in chairs. Angle the chairs slightly off axis, but encourage the people to look into the lens

Tell your people to imagine or recall something that was very fun for each person. This loosens them up

If you have someone who is tense, ask them to take a big breath in and then puff their cheeks to blow it out. You do it first because it’s a bit silly, and no one likes to be silly first.

If you have a flash, set it to TTL and put it in the hotshoe and aim it right at the subjects. Use Flash Exposure Compensation on your camera or on the flash and set it to -1. This will add a small enlivening catchlight in the eyes and open up some shadows without looking like a flash shot. If you don’t have a flash, you should get one like a Godox TT680 for your camera. Very inexpensive, super reliable and works a charm. Believe me, once you start using this “fill flash” approach, you will be amazed how much a difference it makes!

When you are done, use your photo editing software to do basic sharpening and any exposure adjustments that please you. Don’t make a big deal of things. Then get a 5x7 print made and put it in one of those photo card holders. Make sure everyone in the image gets a copy. SECRET TIP! Even a small print has a usable life 10,000x longer than a picture on a photo sharing site, or on a phone.

That’s It! No more difficult than a few simple tips to change snapshots into great shots. Now grab your camera and go have some fun!