Hugs are family photos 101. Most families will immediately grab each other with the classic arms-around-waists pose when put together in front of the lens. So how do we mix it up and add some flair and creativity to our hugging photo ideas?

Hugging photo ideas for families with kids and toddlers

These ideas don’t just work for small kids and toddlers – there is plenty of scope for these to be used with bridal parties or teen friend groups (although maybe not the sitting on each other ones… but hey, you never know where an amazing photo will come from).

Other prompts that work well with this one for families with toddlers are Connecting Hands, Get Silly and of course, Look at the Camera to help you work with adults who can’t help but prompt the kids to look at the camera.

Or if you’re playing these for a bridal party audience, why not include Bridal Party Fun and Get Comedic, for a high energy, full-of-laughs session. And don’t forget to grab my Wedding Ready Runsheet from my shop to avoid photo disasters before they happen.

How to use this photo pose prompt

Wherever your clients end up for these hugging photo ideas, always get on their level to take photos. If they’re on the ground, sitting, then get down to ground level too. This is especially important for toddlers and small kids – their heads are so big already (it’s just biology, right?) and if you photograph them from your height, you end up with Alien Head Syndrome in your photos. Get down so your lens is face to face, especially if you tend to photograph with a shorter lens that’s more prone to fisheye distortion.

Once you give the prompt, there are a variety of options to capture: everyone looking at each other, the child looking at the camera with parents looking at them, everyone looking at the camera, etc. Capturing the interactions are important because these prompts often get laughs, so make sure you’re ready for movement with your camera settings. Shoot with servo focus to keep key people sharp while moving.

Prompt: Hug it out

• Kiss time: squeeze everyone in close, and then pick a child or adult and tell the others: “Now everyone give Jane a kiss!”
• Crazy faces: have everyone crowd together super close, like uncomfortably close, and have them make a few crazy faces. Capture the laughs that follow. Works well for families and wedding parties alike!
• Sibling squeeze: e.g. younger sibling to older, give the most aggressive hug you can! (Give the instruction to the younger one.)

• Piggy-back pose: stand people close together and have the back person hug the other from behind, as if piggy-backing, to get their heads close together. Be aware of the angle for adults (don’t make someone look bigger than they are). Works for couples, siblings, parents and children.

• Belly-to-belly: have the parent sit with the child on their lap facing them, belly-to-belly. Capture interactions, hug close, have the child “smell Mum’s eyebrow,” rub noses, kiss on cheeks or lips. Shoot in profile (side on), top down, and circle around to capture back of parent (blurred) and child’s face (in focus), and visa versa.

• Toddler spin: have the parent hold the child up against their side, with the child’s legs on either side of the parent’s torso (i.e. as many parents would default to when carrying a child). Have the parent spin on the spot (look out for trip hazards on the ground). Shout “Freeze!” once they are facing back to the camera. With both parents, you can have the other parent quickly hug from the side. This one is great for truculent toddlers as it always gets a thrilled laugh. Repeat with a countdown to build anticipation (and the smiles that go with it!).

Hugging photo ideas: Creative extension

• Motion blur: shoot with a narrow aperture (like f/28) and slow down the shutter speed to capture movement in your toddler spin.
• Look for opportunities to make “frames” from people’s bodies. E.g. mum and toddler hugging, with dad looking on in the background: can you get tight to frame dad’s face between the others?
• Hands are a great way to enhance the affection show in hug photos: e.g. shoot tight on a groom’s hand in the small of his bride’s back.
• Actually have someone strong piggy-back the other person… I love seeing this when the bride piggy-backs the groom!