Tips For Getting Ready For Your Spring Family Portraits
I’ll wager a bet that most of us are eagerly awaiting Spring. This winter has certainly been an extreme one! Between the subzero temperatures, snow blizzards and being cooped up indoors, we are ready for sounds of birds chirping, warmer temperatures and bursts of color everywhere. This is a prefect time to start thinking and planning for your Spring Family Portraits!
If you skipped taking Holiday Family Pictures either due to the busy holiday season or because you did not want to look like an Eddie Bauer Commercial (nothing against Eddie Bauer – I love their winter coats!), Spring Family Portraits are a great way to celebrate color! Better yet, take the session outside! The lush greenery and blooming trees make an amazing backdrop. An added bonus is that the whole family can dress up in bright colors and shake away the winter blues. Below, are five tips to make the most of your Spring Family Portraits.
1) Plan Ahead
We all spend the last few weeks of winter counting days until Spring. The days start getting longer and suddenly our calendars seem to fill up very quickly. Plan ahead and start researching photographers in your area. Most photographers use the early part of the year to update their website and blog their recent sessions, which is a great way to check out their latest work and make sure their style fits with yours. If you have found a photographer you want to use, feel free to schedule a consultation and book your session months ahead. This makes the planning process much easier not only for you but also for your photographer.
2) Locations
Most photographers have a list of favorite locations that they like to use for family portraits. As photographers, we take the time to scout locations and test out lighting. However, if there is a location that you really like and want to incorporate in your family pictures, don’t be afraid to ask. Perhaps it is a park that you visited when the kids were young or a favorite family biking path that you want to revisit with the family. Photographers are generally open to suggestions.
3) Update Your Wardrobe
Spring is all about color. Be it pastels like pink and teal or brighter colors like orange and reds. Research the latest fashion trends and feel free to experiment. Start a Pinterest board and share it with your photographer. This will help them get to know you and your individual style even before the photoshoot and you can get expert opinions on what would work and what wouldn’t – a win-win for both parties!
4) Opt For A Lifestyle Photoshoot
Lifestyle Photoshoots are a documentary style of photography. It is a great way to capture interactions among families – simple, honest emotions that represent your true personality, like the tight grasp of a child’s hands, squeals of laughter as they play a game of tag, or blowing bubbles together in the park. These sessions tend to be more relaxed as the photographer captures the natural flow of your life. I find that Spring Family Portrait Sessions lend themselves more towards Lifestyle Photography.
5) Keep It Simple
Spring photos tend to be simple and clean. Stick to the basics – wardrobe, location and activity. Don’t try to overdo the shoot by trying to plan many different things within the photoshoot timeframe.
I hope these simple tips help you in planning and making the most out of your Spring Family Portraits. Remember to get outside and have fun. You owe it to yourself and your family after surviving a brutally cold and dark winter!
Follow along for my next article – Tips For Spring Family Portraits Readiness For Photographers.
All images in this post were edited with the new versatile MCP InFusion Lightroom Presets!
Karthika Gupta, guest blogger for this article, is a Lifestyle Wedding and Portrait Photographer in the Chicago Area. You can see more of her work on her website Memorable Jaunts and follow her on her Memorable Jaunts Facebook page.
