I have the most family sessions during the fall, however, I had one summer that was filled with family sessions and I loved it. I love summer sessions because you can enjoy the outdoors without the weather being too cold and there is more light in the day to be used. Having more light means you can have a full family session after work on a Wednesday at 7:30 pm and still have more time to enjoy different activities.
What I love about summer is the ability to do so many fun activities as a family and why not have your photographer tag along and capture those fun memories together? If that sounds like something you'd like to do, I am sharing a few Summer Family Portrait Inspirations so you can see how I make your family portraits unique and showcase the joy-filled moments with your loved ones.
Summer Family Portrait Inspiration
Toes in the sand
I know this is a pretty obvious option, but when you live near a beach, take advantage of it. The sun setting over the water is a gorgeous background for family portraits. For those who may be a bit more adventurous you can choose to go completely informal and have the family in their bathing suits and build sand castles together or jump in the waves. Think of the fun everyone would have and the smiles on the littles' faces!
County Fair
The Orange County Fair is just a couple of weeks away and would be the perfect spot to have family portraits. It gives you activities to do and there is something for everyone. Hop on a ride or have everyone take a big bite out of some funnel cake. The fair at sunset is beautiful and you get the added bonus of the lights in your photos.
Trip to an ice cream shop
Do your kids or you run out to the ice cream truck or do you like to walk to an ice cream shop and sit on a bench to cool off on hot days? So many parents are concerned about everyone being happy and smiling during their session. This family activity would make the perfect family session. You could walk in a cute downtown to the local ice cream shop, pick your favorite cold treat, and capture the smiles before the ice cream faces and during the ice cream faces.
Hiking Trails
Do you and your family love to be outdoors and in nature? Having a family hike portrait session would be perfect. It doesn't need to be a long hike, just to the picturesque spots. You can look for different kinds of leaves or wildlife.
The Comfort of Your Home
This location is great for a more intimate setting. During your session at home, you can cook dinner, have a BBQ as a family, and snuggle on the couch together to read a book. If you have a backyard with grass and trees or a pool, you can have a change of background and grab some golden light. The kids could play with their favorite toys or have a family board game or puzzles (this is my kind of night).
Morning Sessions
Beat the heat with sunrise or early morning sessions. The light is so different than the warmer light at sunset. I really enjoyed a morning family session at the beach because the light was so pretty and gave a softness to the portraits that's completely different than sunset. If mornings with your kids jumping in your bed or making pancakes in the kitchen is the best part of your day, why not capture it for your family portraits? You could even keep them just for you and not share them with the world. Sometimes just for you sessions are a perfect way to make something special with your family.
Have any of these summer family portrait sessions sparked ideas for your next family activity? Let me know in the comments which option is your favorite.
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