Yes, it’s getting cold but that doesn’t mean you need to hold off until it gets warmer for that family portrait. Some of my absolute favorite sessions happen in the cooler months. Yes even here in Melbourne where the weather is totally changeable there is a heap of good things about winter family portraits sessions
Here are five reasons why photographing in winter is great.
The Light
The soft light through the winter makes everyone look great and it opens up much more of the day to have sessions. Typically the middle of the day is a no go time for portraits but with the sun low in the sky it creates some great opportunities for portraits in spots and locations you normally wouldn’t be able to use in the warmer months.
The light is generally softer and much more flattering (bye bye wrinkles!)
The Locations
So many families love going to the beach and guess what… when it’s not summer you get the whole beach to yourself! The normally crowded beaches are pretty empty giving uninterrupted backgrounds which you rarely get in the summer.
With parks and garden areas, the combination of the light and the tones in the gardens make the colours pop giving a rally lush look and feel.
Plus urban locations are fantastic options for winter sessions. There are so many spots that you can get some great colour from unexpected locations urban and city sessions are also brilliant this time of year.
At home portraits are also very popular in winter. Including one of the biggest parts of your family life (your house) is always very cool to look back on in years to come. Plus you never know, we may even be able to get the cats in some photos!
Sunsets
Sunset is one of the best times to photograph, again the light has an amazing quality and the skies are just brilliant.
it’s also great for kids as the day is shorter which means that the early sunset time (5pm ish) means the kids are a bit more energised than the summer sunset times (8/9pm) So much more practical for families with little kids
Having sunset at 5.30 means we also can get those just after sunset shots where the light is super soft.
Bonus 1 - What if it's cold?
The biggest reason people want to put off sessions until it’s warmer is just because it’s cold. Sometimes it is, but remember this isn’t a standard sitting about kind of portrait session. If we are sitting about it’s for the briefest of times, most of the time we are moving about, exploring locations and the light. Kids tend to start rugged up but then get rid go layers as they get warm during the shoot!
Plus, It means you snuggle in higher showing a much stronger bond as a family… even those older kids who don’t think it’s cool anymore!
If the weather is particularly average we will discuss and rearrange times, but that is also dependant on the family. My coldest portrait session started at -1 degree and by the end it had warmed up to 2 degrees and we got so many happy and fun photos!
Bonus 2 - What about Spring?
It rains more in spring! Spring is the time of the year where we typically have the most amount of rescheduled sessions, which is kind of annoying for all involved.. plus the weather is totally unpredictable.
