What does an outdoor session look like?

Every photographer has a unique way of conducting their outdoor family photography sessions to achieve their desired result. The galleries I deliver to my clients might look totally different than the next photographer’s galleries. Potential clients might not fully understand what their family gallery will look like from looking at an online portfolio of highlights.

My goal for my family sessions is to take a lifestyle photography approach. This means I am focusing on capturing the true spirit and emotion of a family. I will provide some lightly posed images but the majority of the gallery will aim to document your family’s true self. I am not striving for perfect images. What can you expect instead? Let’s talk about it!

10 Images You Can Expect From an Outdoor Family Photography Session With Me

Before I get into the 10 images you can expect to receive from me, I have one caveat. Sessions with kids 5 and under are very unpredictable. Sometimes some of these items are unachievable and that’s OK. Sometimes a 2 year old will NOT look at the camera for one posed picture. It’s a fairly common occurrence! Don’t stress Mamas. When you look back at that family photo, you will laugh and remember how challenging (and adorable) that age was.

Without further ado, let’s go through the 10 images you can *typically* expect:

I. Some posed images with everyone looking.

Expect images with everyone looking to be a small percentage of your gallery. These are images I take mostly for grandparents, who expect this type of traditional image from a family photo session. While I never mind capturing these moments, I prefer to spend most of my time aiming to capture genuine emotion.

II. Photos of each parent with each child.

I always love getting individual images of each parent with each child. As a parent of multiple children, it’s always amazing to me the different relationships you can have with each.

III. Photos of siblings together.

I will attempt to get many photos of your children together. Most of these will be candid. I want to capture their true sibling relationship!

III. Photos of your family on the ground.

Please come to my sessions prepared to sit. Sometimes I might even ask you to lay down! For kiddos, something about getting on a blanket with their parents brings out their snuggly sides.

IV. Close up individual portraits of your kids.

At the top of my “shot list” is individual portraits of your child(ren). Some kiddos love their moment in the limelight and others are more reserved. Sometimes that close-up portrait might have mama’s hand or daddy’s legs in it and that’s OK!

V. Serious Pictures

Family life is not cheery all the time. Kids are not perpetually smiling. Sometimes they are sad, lost in thought, serious, or mad. You’ll most likely find images that reflect these other emotions in your gallery too!

VI. Prompted candids

Prospective clients might think that the beautiful “candids” in a lifestyle photographer’s portfolio are taken in a totally hands-off documentary fashion. I’ll let you in on a little secret: *most of the time* they are 100% prompted. That doesn’t at all mean that the emotions are not genuine! It just means that candid expressions come from specific things I am telling each family to do! You’ll see a large majority of this style image in your gallery.

VII. Playful/Active Images

For kids 5 and under, games are essential for keeping their interest. We will likely play running, swinging, tickling, and throwing games.

VIII. Environmental Focused Images

I am a major outdoor enthusiast. That love translates to what inspires me behind the camera as well. I am what you’d call a “wide shooter” so instead of a lot of closer-up portraits, you’ll see a lot of wider images that incorporate the surroundings. These are the types of images I like to put on my own walls at home and what I want to provide to my clients.

IX. Images with sun flares.

Part of the inspiration I find from the environment involves sunlight. I will forever be experimenting with the feel the sunlight gives to an image. My outdoor family photography sessions don’t always have sunshine but when they do, you’ll see sun flares incorporated!

X. Closeness

An overwhelming feel in all of my galleries is closeness. Expect to find images with: snuggling, hand holding, hugging, kisses, nuzzling. I will likely tell you to get closer many times throughout our hour together! When my clients look at their galleries, I want them to feel the love they have for their families.

XOXO- Lyndsay