What time of day should I book my photoshoot?
The best time for outdoor photoshoots is usually the morning or the late afternoon/evening when the sun is lower in the sky. The midday sun can cast hard shadows and reduce our options for photos.
But my favorite time to photograph families is just before sunset, often referred to as the ‘golden hour’. The light is magical and creates beautiful golden accents.
However, you also need to consider what time of day is best for your little ones if you have small children. When do they nap? When are they in the best mood to ‘perform’ for the camera? My littlest is always in a great mood in the morning. She starts to get grumpy around midday, before her nap, and is usually in a terrible mood when she wakes up for an hour or so! This means, the only time I can photograph her is the morning.
What to bring with you
Your family photoshoot is all about you! If there is anything you would like me to include in the photos, such as a special soft toy your child loves, or activities your family likes to do together, bring it along and I can include it in the shots.
There may be times I will ask you to sit on the ground, if you don’t want to muddy your clothes, you may want to bring a lovely blanket to sit on. But if you forget, don’t worry, I usually have one to hand!
One other important thing to bring along, especially if you have small children – snacks/bribes! Sometimes our little ones just need a little incentive!
What to Wear
Always dress so you feel comfortable! But to really make your images look as special as possible, I recommend taking time to plan your family’s clothing.
Be yourself! Think about what clothes define the sort of photoshoot you want! If that means raincoats and
wellies – go for it! I just love it when families want to spend their photoshoot climbing trees and jumping in muddy puddles. There is no such thing as forced smiles – the joy on their faces is real!!
Avoid any obvious labels on clothes or bold patterns. These can be distracting in the images when all eyes should be on you! You may want to opt for subtle neutral colours. This includes whites and pastel shades such as creams, pinks and blues. Strong, rich, bold colours can work well too! Such as deep pinks, rich purples and navy blues. If you are feeling daring, these colours can be quite striking.
Alternatively, little accents of colour can also be added with hairbands, hats and accessories.
0 Comments