I had originally worked with Cindy’s family at their local playground where they had wanted some simple, casual family portraits. When they contacted me again requesting the same location with the only difference being the children’s ages, it got me thinking. Maybe simplicity is the key and for some clients, the location or occasion doesn’t matter. The importance for them was being able to document their families’ lives in that particular moment.
The weather was forecast to be gloomy and overcast, so I had given the opportunity to reschedule. Again they proved that it wasn’t an important factor for them and chose to keep their scheduled day.
Would you have considered this simple yet effective location for your casual family portraits?
When we got to the park it was abundantly clear the pleasure Cindy and her husband got out of interacting with their children. Their goal was to capture a snapshot of their children in that particular chapter of their lives. They were well aware that in a couple of years, their needs would change, and the simple act of playing on the slides wouldn’t hold the same magic.
I started with some family shots of the four of them on the slides. The slides acted as a sightline that balanced out the image. The contrasting size of the parents at the top, highlighted just how small the children still were and offered a fun and playful element. Afterwards I splintered off the family to make sure I got a mix of individual and parent and child portraits.
Cindy’s children were so happy playing in the swings and on the climbing frame, that their smiles were genuine. This natural radiance was easy to capture and so my focus was the lighting. The tricky part of lighting outdoors is making it look natural without flooding out the details. We can see in the closeup of Cindy’s daughter, how the additional lighting was used to highlight her delicate features.
How to ditch the fancy locations with impactful yet casual family portraits
Their son quickly discovered the climbing wall and took great delight in trying to reach the top. I set up the lighting so when I caught him mid action, everything was already to go. By taking the time to prep my compositions, it means less work is involved in editing, therefore the image is in a more natural state.
Whether you choose a formal location or opt for more casual family portraits, it helps strengthen the relationships within the family. You are taking time out to show your children they are part of a team and offering beautiful memories for them to cherish. It also helps to start traditions that they will likely continue as they create their own families. Whatever your reason, taking the time to have family photos will offer a plethora of rewards.
My passion and biggest asset is taking the time to make every client comfortable and relaxed before I even pick up the camera. The result? Photos of you that actually look like you at your best! I can prove to you how much you can enjoy having your picture taken. Lifestyle photography is about the experience that happens to be served up along side of some great photos.
Specialties:
Family Photography for families that like to move around and enjoy their photo time, Wedding Photography for couples looking for a mixture of photojournalistic, contemporary and traditional images and Professional Corporate headshots that are far from cheesy and stiff.