What if it rains on the day I booked my Seattle Family Photoshoot? Seattle Family Photography

I am a primarily outdoor family photographer. It’s true. But here is what is also true… I live in Seattle. And in Seattle, it rains. A lot.

Even if you aren’t in Seattle and you stumbled on this post, I think it will help. Because those of us who are on location photographers have to always have a plan for bad weather.

I consider the Pacific Northwest my own, vast “studio.” If you want to see how I choose my best locations in the Seattle area CLICK HERE to read an article I wrote about it. From urban to mountain we have the most beautiful area in the world to photograph families.

That being said, here are my solutions if it rains on your photoshoot date.

1. Let’s do an in home session instead! While I do photograph my families primarily outdoors, every single newborn session I ever do is in the clients home. Every single one. I have never had a home I couldn’t work with. Your home is where your heart is. It is where your kids childhoods take place. I assure you, we can make gorgeous photos in and around your home and this means we don’t have to reschedule!

2. If you have your heart set on an outdoor location, we can easily reschedule. I have been photographing Seattle families for over a decade, I always leave room in my calendar for rescheduling family sessions. Some years are trickier than others but I have never NOT been able to get every session done in time for printing holiday cards. BUT this may require a bit of flexibility on your part, like meeting on a weekday evening.

3. We may just need to change the time of your photoshoot. The weather here is kinda all over the place. I don’t cancel a photoshoot until the day scheduled. We can often just shift your session by an hour or so to avoid the rain. I don’t mind clouds, it just can’t be raining.

Please enjoy an example of an in home session I did last year. As you can see, we had lots of fun in and around their home.

Preparing For Your In Home Newborn Photography Session | Seattle Newborn Photography

So you booked your in home newborn session. Now what? You may be wondering how to prepare.

First things first. You just had a baby. if this is your first or your fourth your whole world was just rocked. You are sleep deprived and probably a little overwhelmed. Last thing I want is for you to be stressed out about your newborn session.

My tips for preparation are simple.

1. Plan to wear comfortable clothing in neutral tones. You want these images to be timeless and I find that neutral tones are best for that. Also, I don’t want you to be even the slightest bit uncomfortable. Wear what feels comfortable and true to your style.

2. If it is winter, turn your thermostat up to about 70. It is nice to have a warm house so I can take photos of the baby when the baby is unwrapped and still manage to keep baby cozy.

3. Photography time is not a time to have guests over. Grandparents or special out of town guests who are staying with you… sure. But it’s best not to have other friends and family stop by during out shoot. I want to be in out quickly so that you can get back to baby cuddles and guests tend to distract the whole fam.

4. Don’t clean the house. Shocked to hear that one? Well I stand by it. You just had a baby. Last thing you need to be doing is cleaning. I will tidy up the areas I am going to photograph you and your baby in as I go.

5. If there are siblings involved, let them know I am coming. Tell them a friend is coming to take some photos. If we had a maternity session together remind them of our time spent and maybe even show them the photos as a reminder. It’s best not to surprise them.

6. Gather any wraps, blankets, or other clothing you think baby may need before I arrive. This will help me work a bit more efficiently.

Lifestyle Newborn Photography is a laid back and beautiful way to capture this very special time for your family. I promise to make the experience fun and meaningful. I can’t wait to capture you and yours!

What's the Best Time of Day for an Outdoor Family Photoshoot? | Seattle Family Photographer

What’s the best time of day for a family photo shoot?

We are so lucky to live in a beautiful place like Seattle. The city, the mountains, the views… breathtaking! We couldn’t live in a more photogenic city.

But here’s the thing: Some times of day are much, much better than others to have your family photos taken. So, when’s the best time of day?

Golden Hour is the best time of day for photos

Golden Hour is the time of day right before sunset where the light is gorgeous and makes everyone and everything look good. We LOVE to schedule outdoor sessions at Golden Hour. For those of you with little ones, we recommend a late nap and a snack/dinner before the session so they’re in the best mood possible.

But some families can’t stay up that late with little ones, and that’s okay! Or maybe there are other scheduling conflicts that get in the way of an evening shoot. Either way, if you can’t do your session in the evening, we are happy to accommodate.

If not Golden Hour, the morning is second best

Here at Elena S Blair Photography, we are masters of light. We will be able to serve your family and deliver beautiful photos no matter the time of day. So, if you can’t make a Golden Hour shoot work, no problem! We will schedule your session for the morning, usually around 9 or 10am when the sun isn’t too far up in the sky just yet. Also, kids are usually in a great mood in the morning, which is another reason to love morning sessions!

Check out this recent morning session, shot by our amazing associate Chelsea!

Chelsea still has a few spots open for the rest of the year, so click the button below to grab a session with her!

And if you’re not quite ready to book, click here to learn more about our sessions and pricing!

Adorama Photo Walk in NYC | Urban Family Photoshoot Ideas

Urban or street photography is somewhat common. But Urban Family Photography is a bit more new to the industry.

I hear a lot of photographers ask “what do you do about the other people all over?” “How do you deal with distracting objects in the background?”

When photographing a family in an urban setting I suggest that you really embrace what makes the city so lively. Warn your clients that there will be some “strangers” in the background in some of the photos. Don’t try and wait for cars to pass, allow the traffic to be part of the story.

Take advantage of the colors and textures that are present in an urban setting.

I pose and guide EXACTLY the same as I would in a field or at a beach, I just embrace the surroundings.

That being said. I do try and find a few spots where I can grab a few portraits without too many distractions. I do this but placing my family right up against a building or by finding a little park nearby.

Don’t be afraid to think on your feet. In the shoot featured here, we walked around the Union Square area in New York City and stopped when we saw fun and beautiful areas. A fire station, an ice cream truck, a public market. We simply enjoyed ourselves.

This shoot was part of my Photo Walk that I did with Adorama last month. There were 50 students along with me. It was super fun!

Have fun and be creative with your next urban session. I know I love doing them!

Family Posing Made Easy | Course for Family Photographers by Elena S Blair

If you sign up for my Family Posing Made Easy course, I share ALL of my base poses for connected family posing. You will be given actionable steps that you will be able to implement immediately. I will share with you exactly what I say to execute each pose. You will get tips on how to maximize each pose so you can get as many images as possible from each pose. You will learn how to make each pose unique to both your artistic style and each individual family's dynamic. 

In addition, you will be added to an amazing online community of active family photographers from all over the world. We host monthly cover contests and below are this month's cover submissions. Check them out and click the button below to learn more about Family Posing Made Easy!

Cover photo by Karra Cappelli.

Karra Cappelli "The course has made me more vocal and confident with my families!"

www.karralynnphotography.com

Mary Ann Cozza "This course was exactly what I was looking for, but didn't know how to ask for. The clear instructions and visual examples helped me put my vision into action. Plus, it gave me the confidence to break some photography rules I thought I needed to follow. Thanks!"

www.maryanncozzaphotography.com | www.facebook.com/maryanncozzaphotography

Sarah Hailey "I love Elena's posing course. The way she broke everything down really resonated with me. It a wonderful guide that left me with a ton of posing ideas that I can modify to fit any family."

www.sarahhaileyphotography.com | https://www.facebook.com/sarahhaileyphotography/ | https://www.instagram.com/sarahhaileyphoto/

Shannon Garbaccio "The best thing about Elena's class is that you can take the base poses she gives you and completely make them your own. It helps you understand where to start, and then the sky's the limit!"

shannongarbaccio.com | https://www.instagram.com/shannongarbacciophoto/ | https://www.facebook.com/shannongarbacciophotography/

Cari Anne Bradley "Elena’s teachings have been such a blessing!!"

Facebook.com/cariannephotography | https://cariannephotography.com/ | Instagram.com/carianne_photography

Kellie Benich "My beautiful friend's due date is TODAY! I'm diving in with practicing what I've learned from Elena's family posing made easy guide - I love how you can just forget the "rules" and focus on capturing the family's love and personality unfold."

https://www.facebook.com/photosbykelliebenich/

Jodie Faulder "Elena is an advocate for so many, and I know she wants so much for us all. I appreciate how giving of her time and knowledge she is. Her courses and materials have given me support and power to direct, but to also to let things 'be'. I don't feel intense pressure before a shoot as I know I am equipped to handle a few scenarios or options that will allow me to deliver a great gallery."

www.jodiefaulder.co.nz

Rebecca Lueck "This course has made such a difference in my posing and helping me get more variety. I feel like I was running out of ideas and this has reenergized my brain! The poses are adaptable to your situation and I personally like to try and create games within the pose, or think of fun or sweet prompts to use with them."

Www.Beccajeanphotography.Com | Facebook.com/beccajeanphotography | Instagram.com/beccajeanphotography

Kristen Pay "This course was pivotal in me overcoming fears and stepping out of my comfort zone. It was a turning point in my career. It helped guide me on how to direct people - not just families, but couples as well. The ideas and posing directions have helped me become even more creative in my own ideas. It's so nice to have a resource that not only teaches and explains, but also provides a great reference, and "starting point" that you can build off of."

kristenpayphotography.com | https://www.instagram.com/kristen_pay_photography_/?hl=en
| https://www.facebook.com/kristenpayphotography/

Robyn Scherer

https://www.facebook.com/robynschererphotography/

Hali Resney Tomczak

https://www.facebook.com/sweetlivphotography/