The warmer season is just around the corner and you might be planning your family’s annual photo session at this point. I’m going to share 5 ways to plan your session for success this year.
NUMBER 1: BOOK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER IN ADVANCE
Good photographers tend to book up fast during the most popular dates of the year, so reserving yours ahead of time means you’ll get the best option. You want to avoid scrambling at the last minute to book a photographer when the season is almost over and photographers have very little availability left.
NUMBER 2: BOOK THE BEST DATE
When is the best date for outdoor family photos in Winnipeg? In the 17 years I’ve been doing this, the most beautiful colours and weather tends to be between September 28 and October 10. And the prettiest hour of light on those days is generally between 5pm and 6pm.
Some people prefer spring photos, or even winter photos, but the vast majority of my clients love fall photos. The weather isn’t too hot or too cold, the colours are spectacular and the beautiful pre-sunset time is at a reasonable time of the day for kiddos who might be going to be early. It’s a win-win for a lot of families.
NUMBER 3: PICK A LOCATION THAT WORKS WELL FOR PHOTOS
Some of my favourite locations are ones that have lots of trees, but also a lot of variety in landscape. This means picking locations that have a mix of forest, water, fields, trails, elevation, etc. I also avoid picking locations that only have wide open spaces because not having any shade to use could be a problem on a very sunny day.
A good location also factors in accessibility (it has to be easy to get to for all family members). However, if your family is up for an adventure, picking a location that includes some hiking or trailblazing to find the best spots could be fun!
Here are some of my favourite locations in Winnipeg for fall photos:
NUMBER 4: DECIDE WHAT TO WEAR
One of the most common questions asked is what should the family wear for their photos. My go to answer is always this:
For colours, I recommend a light & neutral colour palette. For example, greys, beige, cream mixed in with pastels of pinks, greens and/or blues is good. You can add one or two patterns (a floral or a low contrast stripe in the same colour palette). Things to avoid: bright saturated colours, high contrast, logos, graphics or lettering. I also recommend avoiding wearing black (if possible) as black cotton tends to show white lint a lot more on camera than when we see it in real life.
I have a Pinterest board with photo examples of what works well. Click here to see it:
NUMBER 5: TRUST YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER
One of the hardest things is to trust the photographer to lead you, if you haven’t had much experience with a professional photo shoot before. I know how much work and energy it takes to plan a photo shoot for your family, and when you finally do show up, the stakes feel high. I often have moms arrive at a session worried their kids won’t cooperate, or that their outfits don’t work, or that everyone will look awkward posing for photos.
All I can say is – trust your photographer.
I’m the professional and my job is to take all the personality dynamics, the energy, the colours, backgrounds, sunlight, angles and MAKE SURE your photos turn out amazing.
I’m just as invested in the outcome of the photos as my families are. I want my families to be happy with their photos, but I also want the photos to look amazing for my own portfolio! Taking photos of families especially with younger kids is my specialty, and I’m more than prepared for the challenge.
I also know that kids can move quickly, and making sure to catch action shots, or shallow depth of field photos can be hard. I often use the auto-eye-tracker on my mirrorless cameras to nail the focus, even in fast moving subjects (hello toddlers!). Combined with my beautiful Sigma Art Lens, I’m all about catching those gorgeous moments that I’m seeing moving quickly before me.
So remember, trust your photographer and give yourself permission to let loose to enjoy the process. The family photo session is a place for you to play, to enjoy the company of your family and to spend time bonding with your spouse and kids. When that is your only focus, the rest will fall into place. I promise.
