Today, I’m here to help you with everything outdoor family photos. We will cover what to wear, where to go, best time of day and everything else I can think of! As a funny side note, I watched a video someone posted on Instagram the other day about the stresses of family photos and it had me laughing. So, if you need a quick comic relief from your outdoor family picture planning, check this out, I hope it makes you laugh. Ok, back to it.

Investing in Family Photos

First, let me tell you why I think investing in family photos on a regular basis is worth it. In my opinion, as a mother and wife, I find great value in documenting our family over the years. I plan for it. No excuses. I do it once a year, that’s it. And when I know it’s coming, it doesn’t stress me out anymore. I actually look forward to it. I think it also helps a ton once you find a family photographer that you love. Then you don’t have to spend any extra time searching for a family photographer near you. It also helps to stick with someone because you know how they work and the more time they spend around your family, the more comfortable any kids (and partners) will be around them. It starts to feel like hanging out with friends over time, I promise. I also really enjoy swapping out photos of the kids each year to most accurately represent them in real time. My kids often look at the photos in our home and talk about the memories we had that day. My oldest’s current favorite is looking at her photos with all her missing teeth and I love it.

What to Wear

When speaking with clients, this seems to be one of the major stresses of preparing for family photos and I always try to encourage families not to let it! It really doesn’t have to be a sore point at all. I’m always happy to FaceTime and see if we can come up with something in your closets at home so there is no need to spend money on new outfits. IF you’d like to purchase, I can share my favorite in-store and online shops. I know a couple businesses that rent really beautiful dresses both locally and those that ship. I’ve personally had great experiences with either and I can highly recommend them.

As far as color coordination goes, it depends on location and time of year. For this specific post, we’re talking outdoor family photography. I am ALWAYS going to recommend keeping it with neutral earth tones. This by no means limits you, it intentionally avoids distracting patterns and colors that can cast unflattering colors on skin tones, something I’ve very picky about! So, if you’re asking yourself what looks best for outdoor family photos, ask me! I’ll give you my advice based on where we’re shooting. As you can see in these photos, we went with blues and whites to really pop against the greens that surrounded us. These shades of blue can still photograph extremely well in “warm” photos, which is what I take. These outdoor family photos in summer gave us a little more wiggle room because we didn’t have to worry about anyone being cold and we could play around with shorts, sleeveless and so forth. A lot of people take their outdoor family pictures in the fall, which is great, but we are considering temperatures when choosing wardrobes choices. The choice is yours! Aesthetically, do you want easy, breezy sunny-summer feels, or do you prefer the cuddled, bundled-up cozy feel of fall/winter photos? If you haven’t tried one yet, change it up this year and see how you like it!

How to Make Family Photos Unique

If you’re searching for outdoor family photo ideas, I’ll give you my best tips to make your family photos unique. My greatest advice is to keep it authentic. Family lifestyle photos are my specialty. This means I let kids be kids and parents get to enjoy them. We spend very little time in held poses. I make sure that I get you that Christmas card worthy photo everyone is after, where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera. After that, I’m going to gently prompt to create candid environments where everyone can be themselves. I want you to soak up every second of this time with your family. I’m going to move around and with you as you move and capture all the love. It should be a time to laugh, smile, kiss, hug, breathe deep and connect.

Best Places for Outdoor Family Photos

This will obviously vary greatly depending on where you’re located and the time of year. I am an outdoor family photographer based in Phoenix, Arizona. Needless to say, the desert is our friend. But, we have other options: gardens of green, rivers of blue, red rocks, or personal backyards. My advice for outdoor family photoshoot locations is to ask your photographer recommendations based on the aesthetic you’re going for. Any experienced photographer will have an arsenal or locations that encompass a variety of backgrounds and vibes.

Outdoor Family Photos with Children

I often get “prepped” before a shoot about the two-year old that doesn’t like to hold still, or the baby that gets fussy around sunset. Photos with kids, no matter what age, is a total joy. I love capturing the personalities that each child brings to the table. If timing is an issue and you have strict bedtimes, find a photographer that’s willing to work around a schedule that’s best for your family. Please keep in mind, lighting is crucial for great photos. But I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as bad light. If a photographer understands exposure, you can get dreamy photos in any light. That being said, if we need to move the time up so kids aren’t melting down, I know locations that are great for earlier light. Or if your a family of early birds, sunrise locations are some of my absolute favorites. Lastly, I think the images that come along with soothing and comforting an upset child are absolutely beautiful. That’s part of life as a family, after all!

Contact

Please reach out if you have ANY questions regarding outdoor family photography. I’d love to chat and see if we’d be a good fit for your next family photoshoot. I service the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and am willing to travel. Looking forward to it. xoxoxo