How To Avoid Family Portrait Clichés

The list kinda goes like this:

1. Alter your perspective: Get extra-high or low for some unique shots.
2. Play with eye contact: Try looking off camera or exchanging looks with someone in the frame.
3. Break the rules of composition: You don't always need the rule of thirds. Go crazy and sometimes you might run into something you'll love.
4. Experiment with lighting: Generate mood with backlighting and silhouetting your subject, or slow down your ISO and grab tons of light into your photo.
5. Get your subject comfortable: You can do this with silly shots, making the subject feel like it's less of chore and more of a fun activity.
6. Shoot candid: Posed shots are okay sometimes, but candidness is unbelievably effective every time!
7. Introduce props: Interesting items can and will add a new life to your photos.
8. Obscure your subject: Try shots where your focus is more on one part of the body, leaving the rest of the photo open to the viewer's imagination.
9. Take a bunch of shots: Bursting can create a very interesting series of images if you do it right.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Murphy.