How to get the best self-timer family photos

One of the biggest first world problems we face, especially as a blogging family, is getting family photos.
Admittedly this is not helped by the fact I'm actually really particular about photos, especially of myself.
But my favourite photos are definitely the ones of the three of us together, and I'm a little gutted that I've only just learnt the great success of utilising that self-timer on my Canon 200D, as we don't have too many photos of the three of us together from when Henry was little, bar the odd selfie, and two photo shoots we had done.

However, now that I've learnt a few little tips and tricks, and had a few rather lovely comments on my Instagram on some of my successful photos, I thought I would do a little blog post.

Tag team.
We always work as a team to get our self-timer photos. Usually Dann will stand, normally with Henry, in the proposed location for the photo. This allows me to flip the screen on the camera, set it up in the correct mode, and set the focus.

Multi-photos.
I always, always set up the shot as a 10 second self-timer, taking a minimum of five continuous shots, though normally I set for 10 shots. Usually the first couple of photos aren't quite right, but numbers, 4 to 8 are usually perfectly workable.

Move just a little bit. 
We're working on this one. But even a little bit of movement, lean in, turn slightly, lift your hand, can change a shot completely, and you have 10 to play with, so move around and change things up. No you won't have the chance to completely move about, but even a slight turn can change a photo. Plus they can help make the kids actually look up at the camera!

Go full length and wide. 
I almost always go for a far off shot with our self timer photos. We're either stood and have our entire bodies in the shot in a more traditional family photo style, or we're all kneeling on the ground, at Henry's level and playing a little bit. I love both types, as you get the whole person included. I also think wider images with lots of background just works with these types of images, particularly those stood up ones as we tend to use them when we're about and about.

You don't have to have a tripod. 
In fact, I don't think any of my previous self-timer family photos have even been taken on a tripod. This photo from my instagram was taken at our local farm, with the camera perched on top of a fence post! These two photos were taken in Dann's parents back garden (the location for our very first self timer family photo!) with the camera on the garden table!

So what are you waiting for? It's time to get the whole family included in your photos too!

You can find more family photography tips in this post and this one of moving kids.

All images taken on the Canon 200D