We’ve all seen the photos of smiling, angelic siblings in wrinkle-free outfits, frolicking on a beach or in a meadow — so delightful! But let’s be honest: most family photos don’t turn out to be so perfect, whether due to bickering siblings, fussy babies, or distracted kids who will do anything but sit still.

Luckily, there are plenty of fun ways to capture your family’s personality without having to wipe away tears or send someone to time-out. Here are four easy, out-of-the box ideas for sibling photo shoots that are fun and authentic.

1. Use everyday activities as the basis of your photo shoot

Staged sibling photo shoots can be challenging to navigate, since kids don’t always have the patience to smile, pose, and change into different outfits. If that describes your family, consider opting for a photography session incorporating actual activities they love doing together: building a fort in the living room, playing a board game, decorating your home for the holidays.

Having them bond over an activity ensures they remain engaged and cooperative. Just be sure to keep an eye out for meltdown triggers (e.g., losing a game or getting bonked by a pillow).

2. Snap a close-up, loving moment

Your Pinterest board might be full of ideas for sibling photo shoots in elaborate locations or with expensive backdrops, but you don’t need all of these frills to capture a sweet moment. You (or your photographer) can:

Ask the siblings to put their arms around each other
Tell the siblings to give each other a hug
Have a younger sibling sit on an older one’s lap
Direct two siblings to stand back-to-back while holding hands

These relaxed poses are all relatively simple and understandable, yet they keep the siblings close together, which, ultimately, makes for some loving photos.

3. Take a funny photo with silly instructions

Some kids freeze up as soon as they spy a camera lens. To help the kids be less stiff and have more fun, you can give them instructions by asking them to:

Sing their favorite song
Tell you their best joke
Give you a silly face
Pose like their favorite TV character
Make their own photo shoot props out of household items (e.g., toilet paper rolls, construction paper, markers, and stickers)

Pro tip: You’ll get the most genuine grins and laughs after these silly photos. If you have other family members around, like a grandparent or a cousin, encourage them to get in on the fun, too — it’ll give your kids more confidence to loosen up and be silly with their siblings.

4. Give them a challenge to complete together

Have kids who refuse to cooperate with each other? One way to get siblings together in a photo is by giving them a challenge that requires working and interacting with each other. Depending on your kids’ interests and personalities, you could challenge them to invent a new dance together or build the tallest block tower possible. (Challenges also make for dynamic action shots!)

Or you can give them an incentive to work toward, like a tasty treat, once they accomplish the challenge — which can be another sibling photo shoot opportunity. Remember: if they’re having fun, their joy will show in the photos.
Sibling photo shoots are one of the best ways to capture the little details and milestones as your kids grow up — which, as most parents can agree, happens way too quick! After your sibling photo shoot, remember to turn these precious memories into a custom photo book that your whole family can enjoy.