You and your best friend(s) are two peas in a pod, the three musketeers, soul sisters, ride or die buddies, kindred spirits, Thelma and Louise…

You could sit inside a cardboard box in a Wyoming field and somehow find a way to turn blue in the face from laughing so hard. No matter the occasion, you know how to make any moment memorable as long as you have each other!

So, how to do you capture those cute candid’s that will forever make you smile?

Mis amigos and I have put some serious time into mastering the art of the perfect gal-pal (or guy pal!) photo. Below, we share with you all of our secrets 😉

#1 TAKE YOUR TIME

Take your time! So what if it takes thirty minutes to get the perfect picture? You cuties like being around each other right? I guarantee in 30 years you’re going to be so happy you have that photo no matter how much time it took! And let’s be honest… No one likes to be rushed. All good things happen in time! Including a good photo. So be patient and play!

#2 BURST MODE!

We’ve all taken the picture where we put our arms around each other and put our other hand on our hip. Original.

Listen, that’s not bad, (I definitely still do it sometimes! Look above!) but the photos where we are actually laughing and moving are the ones that have LIFE! Those are the pictures that jump out of the frame, that create a feeling, that make the person looking at it giggle… Not a flat photo with plastered smile.

Kindly tell your’ photographer, whether it’s someone you know or a stranger you’ve asked to take your photo, to snap several or even use burst mode! That way you guys can actually look at each other and giggle (cuz that’s what we besties do!), you can move a little  or capture something completely in the moment and unplanned.

#3 SWITCH IT UP

I have so many photos with my best friends that every time we have a photo shoot we make it our personal mission to take a DIFFERENT photo. We love coming up with new “visions” for our pictures. When you’re snapping that photo think of the story you’re telling! Actually laugh, don’t be afraid to look at each other and not the camera, hold hands, turn your back, get cheesy with “heart hands” or peace signs, karate chop, piggy back, run, walk and think of your background.

If you’re having a hard time thinking of a picture idea, then don’t think at all… Capture exactly what you’re doing. If you’re in a pottery class, take a picture of all of you working on your pot, everyones hands around the pot, everyone “cheers’ing” the finished product, etc. Envision your picture as seizing a moment in time forever. How would you want that to look?

#4 THINK OF THE BIG PICTURE

If you’re trying to capture a moment in a beautiful place then make sure you can SEE your surroundings in the photo. I’m all about a cute selfie, but if you’re in a fun environment don’t be afraid to utilize that self-timer or ask someone to take your photo so it can be seen. If you’re not anywhere particularly special but you still want a cute pic with your pals, continue to be aware of your surroundings. Find a colorful wall, some foliage or at least take note that your background isn’t a trashcan, a dirty table or something unflattering. You and your friends are beautiful and trying to capture a special moment. We don’t want anything dimming your light!

#5 HAVE FUN

I know so many people that dread taking photos. It’s okay. I understand that it’s not everybody’s favorite event but if you learn to have fun and enjoy the process then your photos will turn out 150% better.

When I’m on an adventure with my friends we genuinely enjoy having a fun photo shoot. We love being ridiculous together or being super sappy and capturing everything we are grateful for (being together and being happy!) in one perfect snapshot. We’ve taken 300 photos in one sitting, climbed cliffs, buried each other in the sand, covered our faces in chocolate… The sky is the limit! Once you start getting creative and playing with new ideas you’ll find the fun in getting the perfect picture. If you need some inspiration, Pinterest “picture ideas” or “best friend photos.” That goes a long way. Explore!

#6 THE WORST PICTURES = THE BEST PICTURES

For every adorable picture, there are 209 awful pictures. The above photo is a piggyback that went wrong, haha! This is the perfect example of our plan not working out how we thought it would and yet our this photo turned out so right.

If you and your clan are being ridiculous and laughing uncontrollably, then you’re going to be having a great time, you’re actually going to enjoy taking photos, they’re going to turn out spontaneously amazing and each one will be different. See? It’s FUN that makes this process work. Get crazy!

Exhibit A…

Exhibit B…

Exhibit C…

Exhibit D…

Were those pictures exactly what we were going for? Nope. What the heck were we even doing in that last one?! Who knows, but every time I look at those photos I can’t help but laugh and feel so lucky to have such special friends in my life.

So, how do you get those perfect, one-of-a-kind photos with your closest companions?

—> HAVE FUN <—

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust