OUTDOOR FAMILY PHOTOS + FAMILY PHOTO POSES + IDEAS

Family Photography + Tacoma Family Photographer

 

Some images of this adorable family from a spring shoot here in Orting on the Carbon River located in Orting.  A seahawks loving family who wanted their family photos taken outdoors and all in gear!  What a great family these three are with their adorable puppies. 

 

Tacoma Family Photographer

www.katietyreephotography.com

Katie@katietyreephotography.com

Tacoma Photographer serving the Seattle Tacoma and Puyallup area photographing families, maternity, newborn, couples and seniors in studio and on location photography. 

OUTDOOR HEADSHOTS + PHOTOGRAPHING MEN

Often times when we sit down and think about headshots or single people (one, not as in your relationship status) we assume that it needs to be inside the studio and it needs to be your nothing special head shot on a black or gray backdrop and in a suit or tie.  Not everyone needs that. If you own a construction company and want to market to your local industry and bring it to a home owner level you really don't want or frankly need an indoor headshot.  Look appealing to the customers that you're trying to reach.  Be transparent.  Be open to an outdoor headshot session and be open to incorporating something besides just yourself.  Possibly your family, your favorite pet to be in the photograph, something that will stand out and express who you are and what you're bringing to the table.
I'm a photographer, but honestly, you wont see me with a camera in my hand in every shot and I am most definitely going to be showing off my family.  I'm  a family photographer, why wouldn't I want my family to be photographed and to show you images of them right?  I mean... who best to photograph YOUR FAMILY than someone who has a family.  You probably don't want random Joe who doesn't like kids and photographs real estate or weddings to be photographing your family if your photographer doesn't have that special connection with kids. 
As a photographer I very much have been given a passion.  I love the art of the "moment".  I love to run around frantically trying to shoot children and let them be in their element of happiness.  For every image that I get, I've probably let that child run around for 3 to 5 minutes between just trying to hard to get that energy out so that when I need them, they stay connected and are ready to please mom and dad and of course me (your photographer) because they aren't constantly getting the "look here Joey, smile!".  You really have to be engaging. 
Now back to the subject of getting those headshots outdoors.  Bring multiple outfits.  Bring a casual one, bring a nice pair of dress shoes and a shirt.  Don't bring one outfit whether or not you're a girl, guy or a group of people.  You want the images to look like you so be you, but be a well dressed you. 

PREPARING FOR THAT SESSION + KATIE TYREE PHOTOGRAPHY + PART ONE

What to wear? Jeans and white shirts? When do we do this? Where do we do this? Lets find the sunniest location! My husband doesn't like photos! My kids won't sit still! I'm too embarrassed to bribe. These are all questions and concerns that nearly every customer will have when booking their session. Lets start with a little background and move forward from there. ...

As I began to hear the same thing over and over from each customer I realized that not everyone feels comfortable making every decision. Your photographer is the expert and should know these things right? Of course he or she should.

What to wear?  Phew... what a big question right?  You're staring at your closet and thinking no one has "matching" outfits.  It's ok.  You don't need MATCHING outfits.  We don't all have white shirts or black shirts?  It's a good thing you don't need that either!  Look through each of your closets.  The white shirt/jeans and black shirt/jeans idea.... I'll be honest, that's so 2000 (i'm smiling as i write this).  I would suggest if you're going to go casual wear nice jeans.  Preferably ones that don't bunch and for men that's sometimes a hard thing to do.  For girls and women wearing jeans, if you don't want to look large then you want to stay with a jean that is fitted.  Not a jean that is too tight and makes you feel like you can't bend over, but a jean that you just removed from the dryer or wherever else you do the drying at and make sure it fits you well.  If your jean is baggy, you will look about 15 pounds heavier in the thigh.  Now if you're a gal with very thin legs and you like a wide leg jean, then just make sure it's pressed and you have the tall appropriate shoes to match.

Brown vs black vs no shoes?  I suggest avoiding your running shoes and I suggest trying to stick to a dress shoe.  Some older fashion men I know don't agree with the dress shoe and jeans look.  For instance when we did our own family photos we had adults in shoes and children bare foot.  We didn't want to stress about which kid was wearing which shoe and make everyone buy the same color shoes or over coordinate.
Now!  Back to that question about "what to wear" ??? If you're able to go to each closet and look to see a semi neutral color.  That color could be blue.  that color could be gray or charcoal gray and brown.  But a color that overall looks good on all skin tones, ethincities, and hair colors.  The color orange or the color red wont look necessarily "flattering" on every skin color and on every ethnicity.  Maybe your shirt is blue and it has some teal pin stripes or flowers.  Maybe your child has that teal, but doesn't have a dark blue.  No problem!  The teal in the shirt you're wearing is going to look amazing next to that teal that your son/daughter/family member is going to wear.  This goes for every style of shoot.  Are you wanting to put everyone in shoes?  Maybe your other child is a girl and has cute teal flats, by all means put them on her!  She doesn't have blue or teal top but she maybe has a purple top that has some blue in it or charcoal color .  Lets hold that and go look in dad or other family members closet.  OH look that that, dad has a gray shirt.  Well lets put dad in that gray shirt and our other kiddo in the purple top that has the blue or charcoal in it.  Now when you're going to  get your photograph taken please.. don't wear a shirt with a graphic or iron on look.  The huge sparkly butterfly that is oh so cute or the angry bird shirt is very appropriate for almost any other occasion, but i'd strongly suggest to this one time leave it out.  If it's all you have, it's all you have and you work with it.  Maybe use it as an under shirt to a sweater or jacket if you want that look.

Lets share a little something that you can take home and use for any situation that involves a photo whether it be a photo session with a professional photographer, your iphone photo or aunt Gerdy who needs to take your photo every family reunion.  Want to know what is more important than anything!?  When you're not having a professional photographer take your photos.... AVOID THE SUN.  Run to the shade for your family photo, make aunt Gerdy come under that big maple tree or simply just wait until evening time or do it early in the morning.  When your photographer schedules your portraits you can pretty much guarantee they wont book your session at high noon unless you're doing a lifestyle portrait session inside your home.  I wont be booking your session at high noon because I don't want you to have racoon eyes and I truly want you to fall in love with your photos.  Your photos, meaning your art that you have forever to look at and admire.  The most beautiful times of day for your family photos are 9:30 am summer time / 10 am winter and 5:30 to 6pm summer time / 3:30 pm winter.

Let me just say that YOU matter.  What you love and care about matters to me as your photographer and should matter to any other photographer you hire.  If you don't want these images on your wall for a lifetime then either one, you absolutely love to update those walls and have tons of them or two I didn't do my job right.  I indend to keep your session classic, unique to you, your session, your special day and your family or friends.

Where should we do this photo session?  Well do you love the city?  Do you love the country?  I tend to attract more clientel in the range of country to lifestyle portraits, but that being said... I love the city and there is absolutely nothing more adorable than a session under the fall maples turning from green to yellow and red and brown.  There is nothing more beautiful than standing right smack dab in the middle of that street and getting an image of you or your family right down that isle of trees or on the sidewalk adjacent to them.  You don't have to get your photos taken in the country to feel more natural, naturey and beautiful.  You can still capture that right in the city walking down the city street and learning where those beautiful images really are.  I have some favorite images of my own and they are right there in the middle of the city of Tacoma where I had my engagement session when I was getting married some 8 years ago.  You often don't need to travel far to get the look you want.

FAMILY PHOTOS + FT STEILACOOM + MILITARY FAMILY

FAMILY PHOTOS + COUSIN PHOTOS + MAYFLOWER DAIRY

{FIRST BIRTHDAY PHOTOS + VINTAGE THEME PHOTO SESSION}

Here it is... One year later.  She came to the world with such loving open arms through quite the hard labor and days in the special care unit before taking this precious beautiful girl home.  Mommy had quite the long road ahead and so did miss Charlee.   Our girl who was so adored and loved to the ends of the earth had MSPI and Reflux along with a muscle disorder called Torticollis.  She was visiting doctors and therapists three times a week at the age of just three weeks old.  Mommy couldn't have dairy, soy, nuts, eggs or caffeine and poor miss Charlee couldn't be layed flat for six months.  Yes, SIX MONTHS!  Not six weeks.  Not a little here and there.  Until she was fully mobile or six months of age.  Well when you cannot lay flat for six months, you don't become mobile.  

Praise the Lord we found some solutions to all the hardship this little girls body was enduring.  With the help of therapy, mommy's diet change and the local Chiropractor we managed to get through a whole year of huge hurdles.  

Now that our miss Charlee is a year old I just had to show you her Cake Smash and first year photo shoot. I chose to go with a vintage, lace feeling and give the "princess theme" a little twist... Rustic.  I hope you enjoy all these beautiful images of our precious girl Charlotte.  

Want to know how to make the Lace Crown?  There will be a post coming to the blog on the 1st of August to walk you through all the steps of creating a lace crown and how to create the perfect vintage princess cake smash and vintage princess birthday.

Tacoma Photographer serving the Tacoma, Seattle, Puyallup areas specializing in Family, Newborn, Children and Maternity Photography.  Katie poors her heart and artsy personality into every shoot creating that perfect special never seen before shoot.

www.katietyreephotography.com