As a Portland family photographer, one of the questions I hear most often is: “What should we do during the session?”

And honestly, I completely understand. Being in front of a camera can feel awkward, especially when you are not used to having your photos taken. Kids may get distracted, parents may feel a little stiff, and suddenly everyone is wondering, “What am I supposed to do with my hands?”

That’s why, during my Portland family photography sessions, I try not to focus too much on traditional posing. Instead, I give families simple prompts and little activities that encourage them to interact naturally.

The goal isn’t to create perfectly posed photos. It’s to capture the connection, laughter, movement, and little moments that actually feel like your family.

Here are seven of my favorite prompts for creating natural Portland family photos during an outdoor session.

1. Get the kids talking to their parents

Instead of asking a child to look at the camera and smile, try giving them something to talk about with Mom or Dad.

For a holiday family session, you could ask:“What do you want for Christmas this year?”You can also ask about their favorite toy, what they did at school, or what they want to do after the photo session.

The conversation gives the child something to focus on besides the camera. More importantly, it often creates genuine smiles, funny reactions, and sweet interactions between the child and their parents.

2. Ask them to whisper to each other

This is one of my favorite prompts for creating intimate family moments.

Ask the child to get close to Mom or Dad and whisper something in their ear. It can be a secret, a silly joke, or something completely made up.

You don’t even need to know what they are saying.

As a photographer, I can step back, let the family interact, and capture those little moments of connection.

These are often the photographs that feel the most authentic when looking back at a family photography session in Portland.

3. Ask the parents to give their child a little kiss

A simple kiss can create a beautiful moment between parents and children.

One small tip for parents: keep the kiss soft and gentle rather than giving a big, exaggerated kiss. A strong kiss can squish the child’s face and change their features, which may not photograph as naturally.

A quick little kiss on the cheek or forehead is usually all you need.

4. Dance, spin, and move together

When children start getting restless, I like to introduce movement.

Ask Mom or Dad to dance with their child, spin them around, or hold hands and turn in a circle together.

Movement helps everyone relax, and kids usually love it.

This is especially helpful during outdoor family photography, where we can use the space around us instead of keeping everyone in one fixed pose.

Sometimes the best photograph happens right after the movement—when everyone is laughing and naturally looking at each other.

5. Try the “Simba pose”

If Dad is up for a little fun, try the classic Simba pose inspired by The Lion King.

Have Dad lift the child up and ask him to show everyone how strong he is.

Kids usually love this one, and it creates a playful interaction between Dad and the child.

It doesn’t have to look perfectly posed. In fact, the imperfect, spontaneous moments are often the ones I love most.

6. Take a walk together

Walking is one of my favorite ways to create natural-looking Portland family photos.

Instead of having everyone stand in a straight line, ask the family to walk together, hold hands, talk, or simply enjoy being outside.

I also like to stagger the family members slightly—some people a little farther forward, others slightly behind. This creates more depth in the frame and keeps the photograph from feeling too flat or formal.

Portland has so many beautiful outdoor locations for this kind of family session, and walking allows the family to interact with the environment while I capture them naturally.

7. Interact with the environment

One of the easiest ways to make an outdoor session feel natural is to let the environment become part of the photograph.

Ask the child to pick a flower for Mom, collect leaves, touch the grass, look for something interesting, or explore the area together.

These little activities give children something to do instead of simply asking them to “pose.”

As a Portland family photographer, I love using the natural surroundings to tell a story. The trees, flowers, open spaces, and changing light can all become part of the family’s photographs.

The goal isn’t perfect posing

The most important thing I’ve learned from photographing families is that you don’t always need a perfect pose to create a beautiful photograph.

Sometimes, the best images come from a child laughing at something Dad said, Mom giving a quick kiss, siblings running through the grass, or everyone simply walking together.

As a photographer, my job isn’t just to tell you where to stand. It’s to create an environment where you can forget about the camera for a moment and simply be together.

That’s what I am looking for during every Portland family photography session: genuine connection, natural movement, and photographs that feel like you.

If you’re looking for a Portland family photographer for an outdoor family session, I hope these prompts give you a little more confidence in front of the camera—and maybe a few ideas to make your next family photo session more fun.