Ideas for posing a family shoot

[Hedley]

So, I've been asked to do a shoot for a family of 2 parents, a 3 year old boy, and a 5 month old girl. Having spoken to them a few times in the run up to the shoot on Sunday, I get the feeling they want some shots that are slightly off the usual script (4 on a bench gazing wistfully etc).
I'll run through my usual set-ups with them but I thought it would be nice to have a few more ideas up my sleeve if things are going well.
That's where I need the help of the POTN hive mind - do you have any favourite or quirky pose set-ups for families that you can share? TIA

[stealers]

Let the father hold the 5 month old infant in his lap, lying on his right shoulder, mom behind him on her kneels, son in between parents is a good pose. This is the most common I see with family portraits. Ofcourse keep a note on the light direction too.

[Noelle8818]

Perhaps you can pose the children in the front then have the parents standing off to the side in the back with a narrow DOF. So you are focused on the children, but you can still see the parents out of focus gazing at the children. But 5 months is that age where some can sit by themselves, and some cant...and 3 is at the age that some will hold a 5 month old in place, and some cant. LOL.

I'll share a picture I did this Saturday at a session. I gotta upload to photobucket first. The kids were 9 months, 3 yr, 6 yr. The photo was a hit because it's "different"...even though I've seen it 1000 times in the photography world. :lol:

[Noelle8818]

This is the style I was referring to...some people like, some hate...my husband isn't a fan...but a couple families I have done this for love it.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b92/CammiNoelle/2009/IMG_3215_edited-1.jpg


Also, you could try laying all on their bellies looking up at you (you also on your belly!). A 5 month old can push themselves up on their arms, and I have taken some cute pictures of mom and baby like that. I have never tried a whole family though...and some think that's a cheesy pose. :)

[Gordeez]

Noelle8818: I like that picture. Im going to have to try that now with my family.

[Noelle8818]

Noelle8818: I like that picture. Im going to have to try that now with my family.
Thank you! I also do it with the parents smooching too. That's my preferred pose, but the children run the shoot, and they weren't cooperating during the parents' smooch. :lol: