What To Expect
From Your Outdoor Family Photo Shoot
What To Expect...
I keep my photo shoots as relaxed and informal as possible - it's not uncommon for children not to realise that the purpose of us meeting what to take photos as they are so busy playing! I find this really helps get the best smiles out of them and lets their personalities show through in the finished photos. Please don't worry about priming your children to say "cheese" or that they need to stay still for me to take photos of them!
When we meet up then we will go and play so expect to do all the usual things you would if you were on a family outing. If you'd like to be in some shots then activities such as looking for nice leaves together, or games that involve picking your children up, spinning them around, throwing them in the air, lots of hugs and holding hands etc are all great for some natural parent and child shots. Or if you'd prefer not to be in any shots that that's fine too - just let me know and I'll focus on the children! Of course if you'd like some slightly more posed, traditional family shots we can do this too and I have plenty of tricks to make this fun for the kids.
yorkshire WEATHER conditions
I get a lot of questions from clients asking about what the different weather conditions here in Yorkshire may mean for our outdoor photo shoot so here's a run down on what it means from a photographic perspective...
SUN...
It's only natural for clients to hope for a really sunny day for the photo shoot! While this can be great, it does present some challenges as sunlight can be very harsh and causes areas of shadows as well as bright patches on faces which can be really distracting in a portrait. If we do get a sunny day you won't find me complaining though! I just want you to be aware of a couple of things that we will need to keep in mind during the shoot...
On a sunny day I will always look for light shade and point the kids in that direction. This provides a lovely soft light that is very flattering for portraits and it also avoids any squinting! We still get the lovely sunlight in the background and the photos will come out looking great. The locations that I use frequently all have some shade that we can use, but if you're choosing your own location then this is something to really keep in mind in case we do get lucky and get a very sunny day!
I always strongly suggest scheduling the photo shoot for fairly early in the morning (around 9:30am or earlier is ideal) as this way the sun is still fairly low in the sky so there will be more natural shade. Once the sun is high in the sky it limits our options a lot more. Places are always quieter at this time too which is an added bonus. In the summer I also offer evening shoots which have the same advantages but of course aren't always suitable for younger children.
CLOUD...
This is ideal! Light cloud in particular is a wonderful natural diffuser and really does provide optimal conditions for our session. So if cloud is forecast please don't be put off at all!
RAIN....
I love working outdoors but the British weather is the one downside to it! I do find that, although it sometimes always seems to be raining, I actually only have to reschedule a very small percentage of my shoots - well under 10% in fact. In the run up to our photo shoot I'll keep a close eye on the weather forecast and if it's looking wet then I will contact you the day before so that we can discuss options. If the forecast is looking doubtful then your opinion is the most important thing to me and if rain is forecast then I will always let you make the final decision as to what we do. Here are the options...
If the forecast is for heavy rain then I will usually suggest rescheduling - the drowned rat look is never a good one! Light rain/passing showers can go either way and is really up to you. A lot of clients like to put on wellies and hats and have fun with a bit of puddle jumping, but if you'd prefer a drier day then that's fine too! We can either make a decision the evening before the shoot or even play it by ear and decide first thing in the morning on the day of the shoot. I'm happy to be flexible!
If we decide that rescheduling is the best option then we can do so at no extra cost. I keep back up dates for this eventuality so hopefully we will be able to find a convenient date very soon after the first one. Please note that the wait may be longer for weekend dates than midweeks but I will do everything I can to fit you in as soon as possible.
what to bring
Please treat the photoshoot as a typical family outing and bring anything that you normally would - nappies, spare clothes, wipes, drinks, snacks etc. In addition to your usual supplies you might like to consider bringing some or all of the following:
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Blankets: Perfect for babies or toddlers who need a rest, and great for family shots.
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Props or Toys: Feel free to bring any favourite items to include in the photos.
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Hats: Hats can add personality to photos and are great for controlling hair on windy days!
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Snacks: Bribes (snacks!) can work wonders for keeping kids happy and engaged—no judgement here!
