For Photographers
The exact prompts and settings I use in my Santa Clarita portrait business are packaged up so you can skip the trial and error.
Hey, photographer friend! I'm Liana: family, maternity, and newborn photographer in Santa Clarita, California. After years of figuring things out the hard way (awkward silences during sessions, blown-out galleries), I started writing down everything that actually works. These guides are the result: practical, no-fluff resources you can use at your very next session.
**The families who look stiff in photos aren't unphotogenic: they were never given anything to *do*.**
The Effortless Posing Guide gives you 10 go-to family setups plus the exact prompts I say out loud at every session: the words that turn awkward standing-around into genuine laughter, real snuggles, and the kind of frames moms print big.
**Inside the guide:**
- **The prompts-beat-poses philosophy**: the place → prompt → shoot-through-it formula behind every natural gallery
- **10 setups that always work**: the walk, the snuggle pile, nose-to-nose, the lift, piggyback, whisper game, the swing, and more, each with placement, exact wording, and why it works
- **The script bank**: word-for-word lines for genuine smiles, shy kids, dads who hate photos, and mid-session energy dips
- **Kids: turning chaos into gold**: the 3-minute meltdown reset, jobs-not-instructions, and 5 games that work on ages 2–7
- **Maternity & couples prompts**: hands, the almost-kiss, silhouettes, flattering bump angles
- **Newborn lifestyle**: how to guide the family *around* the baby (never pose the baby)
- **Flattering every body**: chin, angles, hands, and the 45° turn, said the way you'd say it to a friend
- **Extended family, fast & painless**: the anchor-person system for big groups
- **The 15-minute mini session flow**: the exact minute-by-minute sequence for minis
- **One-page printable quick reference**: take it to every session
**This is for you if:** you shoot families, maternity, newborns, or kids and want clients who look relaxed and connected instead of posed and stiff.
**This is not for you if:** you're looking for camera settings or business/marketing advice: this is pure posing and directing.
Details: PDF format, instant download after checkout. For your personal business use; please do not share or resell.
**Stop guessing your settings mid-session.**
Camera Settings Made Simple is built around a real working kit: Canon EOS R6, Canon EOS 6D Mark II, six lenses, and the Speedlite 470EX-AI, with starting-point settings for every situation a family photographer actually faces: backlit golden hour, open shade, overcast, harsh midday, indoor window light, running toddlers, and bounce flash after dark.
**Inside the guide:**
- **The 60-second exposure triangle refresher**: aperture, shutter, ISO in plain English
- **The priority system**: how to decide what matters most in any scene (freeze motion? blur the background? survive the dark?)
- **9 scenario starting points**: golden hour backlit, open shade, overcast, harsh midday, indoor window light, sunset, running kids, groups, night/flash: each with mode, aperture, shutter, ISO, and notes
- **The lens guide**: which lens for what: RF 50mm f/1.8 workhorse, EF 85mm f/1.8 portraits, EF 35mm f/2 storytelling, both 24-105mm zooms
- **R6 power features**: Eye Detection AF, Servo + burst, IBIS, silent shutter, Auto ISO with minimum shutter speed
- **6D Mark II notes**: getting the most from the second body, ISO comfort zones, Live View Dual Pixel AF
- **Speedlite 470EX-AI basics**: bounce flash that looks natural, outdoor fill flash settings, what to avoid
- **The supporting cast**: RAW vs JPEG, white balance, metering modes, Picture Style
- **One-page printable cheat sheet**: every scenario distilled to one line
**This is for you if:** you shoot Canon (especially the R6 or 6D Mark II) and want to walk into sessions knowing your starting settings instead of chimping your way through golden hour.
**This is not for you if:** you shoot Sony/Nikon/Fuji as your primary system: the concepts transfer, but every example is Canon-specific.
Details: PDF format, instant download after checkout. For your personal business use; please do not share or resell.
**Both guides in one download (save $27).**
Posing and camera settings: everything you need to walk into your next session confident.
**What's inside:**
- The Effortless Posing Guide: 10 natural family setups with word-for-word prompts, toddler tricks, maternity and newborn guidance, and a 15-minute mini flow
- Camera Settings Made Simple, The Canon Edition: starting-point settings for the Canon R6 & 6D Mark II, 9 real-world scenarios, lens-by-lens guide, and flash basics
**Details:** Two PDF files, instant download, for your personal business use. Written by Liana Herrera, family photographer in Santa Clarita, CA (@lianaherreraphotography).
Details: PDF format, instant download after checkout. For your personal business use; please do not share or resell.
Ten go-to family setups with the exact word-for-word prompts I say out loud, toddler wrangling tricks, maternity and couples prompts, newborn lifestyle guidance, extended family strategies, a 15-minute mini session flow, and a printable cheat sheet for your camera bag. For photographers who want natural, connected poses without the awkward "okay, now act natural."
**The families who look stiff in photos aren't unphotogenic: they were never given anything to *do*.**
The Effortless Posing Guide gives you 10 go-to family setups plus the exact prompts I say out loud at every session: the words that turn awkward standing-around into genuine laughter, real snuggles, and the kind of frames moms print big.
**Inside the guide:**
- **The prompts-beat-poses philosophy**: the place → prompt → shoot-through-it formula behind every natural gallery
- **10 setups that always work**: the walk, the snuggle pile, nose-to-nose, the lift, piggyback, whisper game, the swing, and more, each with placement, exact wording, and why it works
- **The script bank**: word-for-word lines for genuine smiles, shy kids, dads who hate photos, and mid-session energy dips
- **Kids: turning chaos into gold**: the 3-minute meltdown reset, jobs-not-instructions, and 5 games that work on ages 2–7
- **Maternity & couples prompts**: hands, the almost-kiss, silhouettes, flattering bump angles
- **Newborn lifestyle**: how to guide the family *around* the baby (never pose the baby)
- **Flattering every body**: chin, angles, hands, and the 45° turn, said the way you'd say it to a friend
- **Extended family, fast & painless**: the anchor-person system for big groups
- **The 15-minute mini session flow**: the exact minute-by-minute sequence for minis
- **One-page printable quick reference**: take it to every session
**This is for you if:** you shoot families, maternity, newborns, or kids and want clients who look relaxed and connected instead of posed and stiff.
**This is not for you if:** you're looking for camera settings or business/marketing advice: this is pure posing and directing.
Details: PDF format, instant download after checkout. For your personal business use; please do not share or resell.
Stop guessing your settings. Exposure basics in plain English, starting-point settings for every scenario (golden hour, harsh midday, indoor low light, flash), lens-by-lens guidance for the most common Canon kits, Canon R6 and 6D Mark II specific tips, Speedlite flash basics, and a one-page cheat sheet. For Canon shooters who want to walk into any session confident about their settings.
**Stop guessing your settings mid-session.**
Camera Settings Made Simple is built around a real working kit: Canon EOS R6, Canon EOS 6D Mark II, six lenses, and the Speedlite 470EX-AI, with starting-point settings for every situation a family photographer actually faces: backlit golden hour, open shade, overcast, harsh midday, indoor window light, running toddlers, and bounce flash after dark.
**Inside the guide:**
- **The 60-second exposure triangle refresher**: aperture, shutter, ISO in plain English
- **The priority system**: how to decide what matters most in any scene (freeze motion? blur the background? survive the dark?)
- **9 scenario starting points**: golden hour backlit, open shade, overcast, harsh midday, indoor window light, sunset, running kids, groups, night/flash: each with mode, aperture, shutter, ISO, and notes
- **The lens guide**: which lens for what: RF 50mm f/1.8 workhorse, EF 85mm f/1.8 portraits, EF 35mm f/2 storytelling, both 24-105mm zooms
- **R6 power features**: Eye Detection AF, Servo + burst, IBIS, silent shutter, Auto ISO with minimum shutter speed
- **6D Mark II notes**: getting the most from the second body, ISO comfort zones, Live View Dual Pixel AF
- **Speedlite 470EX-AI basics**: bounce flash that looks natural, outdoor fill flash settings, what to avoid
- **The supporting cast**: RAW vs JPEG, white balance, metering modes, Picture Style
- **One-page printable cheat sheet**: every scenario distilled to one line
**This is for you if:** you shoot Canon (especially the R6 or 6D Mark II) and want to walk into sessions knowing your starting settings instead of chimping your way through golden hour.
**This is not for you if:** you shoot Sony/Nikon/Fuji as your primary system: the concepts transfer, but every example is Canon-specific.
Details: PDF format, instant download after checkout. For your personal business use; please do not share or resell.
**Both guides in one download (save $27).**
Posing and camera settings: everything you need to walk into your next session confident.
**What's inside:**
- The Effortless Posing Guide: 10 natural family setups with word-for-word prompts, toddler tricks, maternity and newborn guidance, and a 15-minute mini flow
- Camera Settings Made Simple, The Canon Edition: starting-point settings for the Canon R6 & 6D Mark II, 9 real-world scenarios, lens-by-lens guide, and flash basics
**Details:** Two PDF files, instant download, for your personal business use. Written by Liana Herrera, family photographer in Santa Clarita, CA (@lianaherreraphotography).
Details: PDF format, instant download after checkout. For your personal business use; please do not share or resell.
Both guides in one download. Posing and camera settings: everything you need to walk into your next session confident.
How it works
1. Click buy on any guide.
2. Check out securely.
3. Download your PDF instantly: yours to keep forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I receive the guides?
Instantly! Right after checkout you'll get a download link, plus an email with your files.
Can I share these?
Each purchase is for one photographer. Please don't redistribute.
Do you offer refunds?
All sales are final on digital downloads, but email me with any file trouble and I'll make it right.
I'm a beginner so are these over my head?
Not at all, plain English, zero assumed knowledge.
Do you do mentoring?
Not right now but these guides are the best way to learn from me.