Photos of grandmothers and grandfathers
Published: 27.08.2021
People strive to preserve the history of their family, passing it on to their children and grandchildren. Time flies by quickly, children grow up and move far away from home, grandparents are not getting any younger. It is not often that the whole family gathers together. If you have a family celebration coming up or you simply decided to visit your grandparents, capture these moments in photographs. Years later, your great-grandchildren will want to know what their great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers looked like. It will be interesting to tell them the story of their ancestors, look through photos together, find similarities in appearance, and share family traditions and characteristics. Don't miss the opportunity to take photos of your grandmothers and grandfathers, even if they consider themselves unphotogenic and don't want to pose for the camera. An experienced photographer will take into account all the peculiarities of photographing elderly people and will create excellent shots for the family album. Let's consider how to best prepare for a photoshoot and what ideas can be used for photos with grandmothers and grandfathers.
What should be considered when preparing for a photoshoot
To ensure that all family members enjoy the photo shoot process and you end up with quality photos, prepare for the photo session in advance. During preparation, pay attention to the following points:
- Decide on the purpose of the photoshoot, determine how you will use the photos. If you need a portrait for a photo frame, it is better to use a studio shoot and consult with a professional photographer. If you want to create a photo album for family memories, you can get by with a good smartphone camera and take pictures in a home setting.
- Talk to your grandparents about how they prefer to be photographed. Some may feel comfortable and relaxed at home, while others may prefer to go for a photo walk in the park or forest. Always consider the preferences of your loved ones, the more comfortable they are during the photoshoot, the more confident and relaxed they will feel in front of the camera.
- Grandmothers often do not want to be photographed because they are embarrassed by signs of aging and do not like how they look in pictures. Help them overcome their complexes by telling them that a woman is beautiful at any age and that the most important thing in a photo is emotions and inner beauty. Take your grandmother to a makeup artist and hair stylist, they will help conceal the signs of aging. An experienced stylist can make your grandmother look 10 years younger. She will be delighted with her appearance and will enjoy looking at the photos.
- Choose the appropriate lighting. Elderly people often feel uncomfortable in a studio under the light of softboxes and reflectors. Use softer or natural lighting instead.
- Choose a location for the photo shoot. Avoid modern high-tech interiors, as they will contrast with the age of the models in the photos. Do not use too dark or bright colors as a background, it is better to choose light and neutral tones. When shooting outdoors, consider that grandmothers and grandfathers may find it difficult to reach a picturesque location and they may quickly get tired from the photo shoot process.
- Discuss with your grandmothers and grandfathers how they feel about a staged photoshoot, whether they are willing to pose for the camera. If they are, rehearse the scenarios and poses so they will feel more confident during the shoot. If elderly people find it difficult to pose for staged photos, consider doing a documentary photoshoot where the photographer captures them during their everyday activities. These photos will turn out natural and lively.
- Talk to the whole family about how they envision the joint photoshoot. Often, the ideas of children, parents, and grandparents about how to best take a family photo do not coincide. For example, a daughter may want to take a photo of a family picnic outdoors, while a grandmother may feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar environment. Find a compromise so that everyone enjoys the shooting process, then you won't have unhappy faces and forced smiles in your photos.
Ideas on how to photograph grandmothers and grandfathers
To make family photos look unique and interesting, use your imagination. Choose unusual angles, experiment with poses, exposure, and photo subjects. Here are a few ideas for a photoshoot with grandparents.
- Love conquers all ages. Arrange a Love Story style photoshoot for your grandparents. Let them hug, hold hands, or take a walk together in the park. These photos evoke many tender and warm feelings, and you will be proud of the love that your family has managed to carry through the years.
- Do not make grandmothers and grandfathers pose for photos, they are already not at the age to strike fancy poses. Take pictures of them doing their favorite activities. Let grandpa work on something, and grandma water the flowers she has grown. A favorite activity brings positive emotions to a person and makes them more relaxed, which will definitely have a positive impact on the photo.
- If the health and physical condition of the grandparents allow it, actively organize a photo shoot. Head to the river, go for a boat ride, go to the forest to pick mushrooms, or have a photo shoot at the dacha during the harvest. Photos in motion are dynamic, lively, and natural.
- Grandmothers and grandfathers are more accustomed to printed photographs and find it difficult to embrace new technologies. For them, it is much more valuable to hold a photo album in their hands and flip through the pages than to view photos on a computer screen. Order a Light album for your grandparents, they will appreciate such a gift and it will take a special place in their home.
An interesting plot for a photo - generational continuity. Take a portrait of a grandmother, mother, daughter, and granddaughter. In such a picture, the beauty of different ages, external resemblance, and family traits will be visible.
The greatest happiness and pride for grandmothers and grandfathers are their grandchildren. Capture moments like grandma teaching her granddaughter to bake a pie, and grandpa reading a fairy tale to his grandson. These photos will preserve precious family memories, and grown-up grandchildren will enjoy looking back on them years later.
Capture emotions. In order for grandmothers and grandfathers to feel relaxed in front of the camera, talk to them, tell a funny story, create a casual atmosphere. Forced smiles are always visible in photos, try to achieve genuine emotions. It doesn't necessarily have to be joy and laughter. Capture contemplation, sadness, uncertainty, doubts. All feelings are important and valuable in their own way.
Cool photos deserve unusual framing. Print your cool photos in a polaroid style. Fans of instant photography from the 90s may experience familiar feelings holding a photo in the style of a Polaroid. Those unfamiliar with traditional polaroids will enjoy square images with space for captions.
