Spring and summer are spectacular for photos, with lush scenery, golden light and long days.
Here are our five top tips for getting the most out of your outdoors family portraits at this time of year!
- As you know, Canberra weather can sometimes throw us a little surprise, so do check the weather forecast in the days leading up to your session and plan for an extra layer just in case. For men and boys this could be a button down shirt over a tee, or a light long sleeved tee-shirt or sweatshirt. For women and girls, this could be a cardy or a light jacket.
- If it’s a warm day, bring lots of water and wear sunscreen. We generally try and stay out of the direct sun, but on some days it’s just hot and sunny and we are going to cop it as we walk from spot to spot. And if it is particularly hot or you have heat sensitive children, we suggest keeping them cool and indoors in the lead up to the session so they enjoy the warmth while we’re outside rather than getting worn out from it because they’re already hot.
- If you have young children and have booked an evening session, make sure you leave room in your afternoon to give them dinner early before you come out for your session. Most kids are pretty cool with a once-off change to their routine (we know, we have two kids of our own!) and being outside in the evening is an unexpected, therefore fun treat! As long as they’re fed! We make sessions fun and let kids be kids, so it’s very rare that a toddler gets overtired because of the time of day.
- Spring tends to be very green, while summer tends to be more golden and neutral, so use this when you’re planning your outfits. Any bright colour in your clothing will be more intense in spring because of the green. Whereas it won’t be as obvious in summer.
- Spring and summer can sometimes be very ‘nature-y’! Meaning that there are more environmental factors on a session – bugs, long grass, prickles, etc. It’s good to consider if your kids have sensitivities to certain environmental factors, like scratchy grass, and if they do, try and be practical about clothing and footwear. For example, if you have kids who get itchy from grass – even green grass – it’s best not to have them in shorts or short dresses. We also recommend to not put little ones in sandals for the period that grass seeds are at their worst – which is late November through December. Some kids will not care or even notice, others will be very irritated by them. They stick to socks and shoelaces as well, but at least they’re not spikey when you’re wearing closed shoes.
Don’t forget, these are tips, not rules! All clients get sent a comprehensive clothing guide 3 weeks before their session, and we have a session guide full of information too. Plus, we’re always here to chat if you have any specific concerns or need advice!
