How to Pick a Location for your Massachusetts Family Photo Session | Boston Lifestyle Photography
A family portrait in front of an old shed at the grandparents’ home in the yard where one generation grew up and the next came over to play.
Like real estate, having a beautiful and unique lifestyle portrait session is all about location. So how can you pick the right spot for your Massachusetts family portrait session?
1. Meaning: Sometimes you pick a place because it’s pretty and offers a lot of different photo opportunities, but consider selecting a location that is meaningful to you and your family. Picking a meaningful location can add more depth and storytelling to your photos. Even every day places could become special memories in 10 or 20 years when the kids are grown or you’ve moved across the country.
2. Convenience and Comfort: A portrait session is never just a portrait session. You have to get ready for it, wrangle the kids and then travel to your location. That time and effort can be taxing on younger children and parents trying to wrangle younger children, so finding a place that is comfortable and convenient will help you get more cooperative kids. This could mean something as simple as going to a favorite local park or avoiding a location with difficult parking or a need to hike for a nice view.
3. Timing: When you’re scheduling the shoot can make a big difference for where you’re going to have your Massachusetts family portrait session. Generally you want to schedule an outdoor session for either the two hours after sunrise or two hours prior to sunset for the best lighting, and ideally you’ll want to go to your spot when it’s not busy so the shoot isn’t disruptive to other visitors (and you don’t have to spend a lot of time waiting for random strangers to walk through the shot). Different locations are also going to have different characters at different times of year, so that’s good to keep in mind if you’re trying to decide between getting the portraits done in the fall or in the spring.
Of course if you can’t think of anything right away, don’t be afraid to brainstorm with your photographer to find a place that works for your family. What are some spots you’ve used for your family portraits? What are the locations that are special for your family?
Ryan Richardson is a wedding and engagement photographer serving Boston and beyond; including Cape Cod Weddings, New England Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings and Rhode Island Weddings.