Every Fall season, we are astounded by the beautiful colours that this season brings. It is always a popular time of year to take family photos. But as all parents know, getting your family prepared on a day where you need to be anywhere can be tough! We’re here to help you understand the process a bit more, and give you some tips on what you’ll need to know and do before your lifestyle photoshoot!
Choosing a Location
Choosing a location for your family photo session is something you should do well before the day of the shoot. Select a place that has significant meaning to you and your family, perhaps a place where your family loves to spend time. Choose somewhere that makes you and your family comfortable as well. If you or any family member gets shy in front of others, don’t choose a place where there will be plenty of onlookers. You want everyone to be their natural selves for the shoot. You often see family photoshoots in a park, but a park doesn’t have to be your location. You could choose a favourite family activity instead, like apple or cherry-picking at a farm, a picnic on the beach, or getting ice cream from your favourite ice cream shop. As long as everyone is comfortable and having a good time, the photos will turn out wonderful!
Preparing Your Family for the Shoot
If you’re shooting outside, make sure you check the weather a few days before the shoot, and plan a couple of outfits for everyone, just in case anything changes. We highly recommended that everyone’s outfits are coordinated, but that they don’t match exactly. It sometimes helps to choose three different colours as a swatch on which you base all of your outfits. Casual and comfortable is best, so feel free to show your personality! Rich, solid colours and textured clothing work best. Accessories like scarves, hats, fringe, and knitted items are great too, and can add some style and focal points to your photos. Wearing some white is ok (underneath another garment or white accessories) but avoid all white or all black clothing. Also, because the goal is to make your family photos as stylish and professionally artistic as possible, it’s best to avoid big, bold patterns, graphic t-shirts, sweat pants, or flip flops. If any members of your family wear glasses, ensure that they are glare-free. And do not wear transition lenses as it takes time for them to transition back to clear once darkened by sunlight. Organizing all of this in advance can really make getting ready the day of your shoot more of a breeze! One final preparation tip would be to arrive at least 10 minutes early to your chosen location. The extra time will allow you to avoid unexpected traffic or parking delays and will avoid the stress that can come with running late.
Ask Your Photographer Questions
Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask your photographer questions! They are the experts after all, and do family photoshoots like these all of the time. Ask their opinion on which room in your home is best for the shoot, what to expect upon arrival. If you have questions about clothing or timing, your photographer is there to answer them and make you feel comfortable and prepared the whole way through. A family photo session should be an enjoyable experience, so don’t hesitate to let your photographer know what works best for you and your family.
Ready to schedule your next family photo session? For all of your professional photography needs, reach out to Anna Kobelak at 416-805-9890 or by filling out the form below. Follow Anna on Instagram and Facebook
