Everyone makes snapshots of family members and close friends, but the problem is making "real" photographs of them. Sometimes it's easy to make the transition to serious photography using your friends and family as models; sometimes it's not. Advantages are that they are close and frequently available, so you can photograph them over and over, and at least sometimes get them to reveal their personalities to the camera.

Some disadvantages are that, at the beginning anyway, your family may not consider your photography important. You can win them over by giving them copies of your best pictures. Another problem is that family members become over-photographed and camera-shy. Don't press too hard for pictures.

In addition, you must deal with people's feelings about how they look, which may or may not be realistic. For example, my sister, who was a good looking woman, complained that my pictures of her made her look like an old turtle. The problem, of course, was that she didn't like being old and had really nothing to do with the picture itself.

The best way of photographing parents, children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even family pets is to keep your camera close at hand. You must be persistent, and be just as polite to them as you would be to strangers. As with strangers, approach family members only when they are in a receptive mood. Then, clearly explain what you are trying to achieve, and why it may take several rolls of film to get there. When you are finished, make sure that you thank your "models" formally, of course. Show them their flattering pictures later, and give them prints or enlargements as thank-you gifts.

Examples of great opportunities for family group pictures are at weddings, birthdays, graduations, name-giving ceremonies, showers, holidays, and family reunions. Try to scout out in advance the place you want people to gather. Place senior members of the family (or the bridal couple, the birthday boy, etc.) up front and center, filling the frame, with everyone else arranged as interestingly as possible. Check the viewfinder carefully to make sure that everyone is included. Ask everyone to look at the lens when you shoot. Take several pictures of any big group; you should do this quickly so people don't freeze up. If you use the flash, minimize hard shadows by posing people away from walls, and using a bounce card or dome over the flash head.

For outdoor settings, choose a shaded location for group wedding and reunion pictures. Steps are great for posing a large family. Since almost everyone treasures family group photos, you should have no problem setting up these shots.

If you mount your best family prints in a good album, over the years it will become a valued heirloom.