Family Photography Guide

When you think about photography sessions for your family, are you thinking about the details outside of what you’re going to wear? There are many parts to planning a session, and I think it’s helpful to be prepared so you come into your session fully aware of what to expect!

Time of year

In Portland, the time of year greatly affects our family photo sessions. Middle of the summer means it could be over 90 degrees and sunny, and middle of winter? Prepare for freezing temperatures, pouring rain, ice and even snow. It’s important to remember when we’re planning our session that we take these things into consideration. The most important thing is that you’re comfortable! If you have little ones, I always suggest we choose a day when possible that’s neutral in temperature. This allows your children to be at ease, and allows you to make wardrobe choices that suit the temperature as well. If we’re heading to the Oregon Coast in mid January, it’s helpful to come prepared for lower temperatures and higher chances of wind and rain. On the opposite side, if it’s the middle of summer, we don’t want you getting heat stroke and blinded by the sun. Proper wardrobe is definitely recommended in both of these situations and I am here to guide you in planning so you have the best experience possible.

Location

Choosing your location for your family session has a TON to do with how your images turn out. I tell my clients to consider the location first, before anything else. Whether you’re pulled more towards a moody vibe or maybe a bright and airy feeling, the location will have a large impact on the images and how they feel. Location also has a large impact on the light. Think about the difference being in a large field, with nothing to block the light, versus a forest, where it’s naturally going to feel a lot darker. Background also plays a significant part when I’m documenting your day. If we consider taking photos at a very busy place, there’s likely going to be numerous people in the background, as well as small details that could potentially take away from “you” as the main subject. While I LOVE photographing in home sessions for families, the background of your space will greatly impact the photos. I suggest moving most decor, toys, dish ware and/or any other small items that may take away from your image

Outfits

While this is typically the first aspect people want to start planning, I actually advise to wait until we’ve picked a location. This allows me to help you choose colors that work within the background in a way that is complimentary. When it comes to colors; there are many options but I do recommend you stick with neutrals and earth tone colors. A great tip is to choose a color palette (you can find these everywhere on pinterest) and choose your outfits in a similar manner. Quick tip: The color you wear is going to reflect onto your skin, and others’ in your images. Typically I suggest sticking with solid colors, as this allows a lot more freedom! Choosing the type of fabric is also important. You want to consider your landscape and work within that so you stand out, but in a way that feels like you still belong there. For example; instead of choosing a form fitting black dress and heals in the middle of a field, I’d suggest you stick to loose, flowy, and light colored items. This allows you to blend in and still make a statement without looking too out of place.

Timing and Light

One of the most important factors when it comes to planning your family session. The placement of the sun is crucial when it comes to photography. While most people believe that high sun in the middle of the day is best, it actually couldn’t be further from the truth. Ideally we want the sun at a place where it hits below your eyes; this is to ensure you don’t have dark circles, and also eliminates hard highlights and shadows which tend to create unfavorable skin tone, wrinkles and pores. We are lucky in Oregon, in that we do have quite a lot of days that are overcast and this allows us to shoot more freely throughout the day. On days where the sun is bright, I only recommend shooting at sunrise, or at sunset. This is something to consider when you’re preparing to book your family session as children typically do have a period of time they’re happiest and at their best. If they tend to do better in mid afternoon, we may want to push our session to an early spring or fall, enabling us to document your session at a time that is best for them, and will give us the best lighting possible.

Have you decided where you want your Family session to be? Check out my Top 5 Family Session Locations!