As this photo shoot on Wimbledon Common shows, beautiful family portraits can be created even in the depths of winter! It's early November and the nights are drawing in, but there is still lovely colour and tones around, with the autumn leaves still clinging to the trees and golden grasses. Many clients are still interested in family photoshoots in the winter months, although are curious as to how these work and how the photos look at this time of year! Here's a few thoughts and pointers...
Winter family photography
Winter family portraits can be hugely atmospheric, in a different way to ethereal portraits created in the spring and summer months. The light has a magical quality, full of cooler, but rich tones which I think suits children's photography particularly well. The sun is gentler and hangs lower in the sky throughout the day, meaning that mid-morning sessions and throughout the afternoon still have wonderful light - there's no need to start super early or have your kids stay up past bedtime! There are of course some key considerations in the winter months when planning a family portrait session. The chilly temperatures, the age of the children and the timing of the session. Sunset is currently around 4.30pm so I recommend sessions start no later than 3pm, especially if there are clouds around reducing the amount of light to play with. I would also say that winter photoshoots are best suited to children aged 18 months onwards - and families that love to be outdoors! The cold is the main factor to take into account and in some ways needs to be embraced with lovely textured clothing; knits, fur-trimmed coats and cute bobble hats. My top tip is to sneak thermal layers underneath to keep cosy!
Children's photography
This portrait session with twin siblings James and Isabella is a great example of winter children's photography. Aged 22 months, they were perfectly dressed in thick layers and Isabella in a gorgeous fur Dior coat! You can see how the texture of the fur trim photographs so well in the soft dusky light. This session started a little later than planned thanks to the traffic, but the light was absolutely magical. I would love to create some beautiful portraits for you and your family - feel free to email on heather@heatherneilson.com to chat about a session, or here.
