Tips For A Successful Cold Weather Session from a South Shore MA Photographer
Aside from a few rainy weekends, we've generally had a pretty decent fall season weather-wise this year which I'm so grateful for. Cold weather is quickly approaching, though, and I still have outdoor sessions on my calendar through mid-November, so here are a few tips if your session falls on a day where the temperature is not going to be ideal.
Be Super Realistic About the Forecast - I hate to say it, and I'm not calling anyone out, but I've had people dress for summer when the forecast is showing windy with temps in the 40s as a high. I get it. You have a vision of what you want your family to wear and have been hoping for at least a seasonably warm day, if not slightly warmer than usual. However, you will not get beautiful photos of your family if they are frozen solid and complaining about it. Shoulders will be at everyone's ears, there will probably be tears and someone will be burrowing their way into your arms or lap trying to stay warm. So, when you book your family photos, take a look at the average temps for that time of year and plan outfits accordingly. Watch the forecast in the week leading up to your session and make adjustments to outfits as needed.
LAYER UP - When planning your outfits for realistic temperatures in late fall and early winter, plan for lots of layers. Layers make for better photos anyway. They give visual interest and oftentimes texture to your images. Think tights or leggings plus socks under dresses for girls, in addition to an undershirt and a sweater or thick cardigan. Think onesies under a flannel and a sweater, plus pants and tall socks for babies and toddlers. Long underwear for older kids. Bare skin is the enemy here, so try to get extra layers on everything possible. Forecast calling for extra cold? There are super adorable dressy coats for all ages, plus cute hats and mittens and boots (think Ugg style boots for little ones that have that nice fuzzy warm layer) that will look cute in photos. I cannot stress this enough: Many layers for everyone! I'd rather kids complain that they are too hot and have to remove a layer than have them complain that they are too cold.
Bring a source of heat - Hand warmers, foot warmers, coats and blankets or even a thermos of hot chocolate or hot cider. On really cold days, these things can help keep the cold at bay and provide a respite from the cold during breaks in photos. Having foot warmers in shoes or boots, hand warmers in pockets, a bag full of extra blankets to wrap up in when it's not your turn in front of the camera, and a hot drink to warm your insides can go a long way towards making it through a cold weather session. You can even do a few photos of a little blanket picnic with hot chocolate and marshmallows, which would be so adorable!! We will keep coats on til we need to shoot, then we'll put coats back on to stay warm while we move to the next spot or shoot the next grouping of people. And then repeat throughout the session!
Be Flexible - If your photographer has suggested moving your session to a different location due to forecasted cold or wind, or even to a different time of day than originally scheduled, remember that they have a lot of experience doing this and are trying to give you the best shot at beautiful family photos. Sometimes the beach or a wide open field is not going to be the best option when the forecast is calling for cold and wind. A more sheltered spot will hopefully help keep the wind from tanking temperatures even further and from destroying everyone's hair! Have an early morning session scheduled? Sometimes it's worth it to shift a bit later to let the sun get higher in the sky in order to warm things up some.
Smile Through It All - Sometimes you'll have done all the right prep and someone will still be cold. Smile through the complaints and stay positive to encourage your kids that they can do this!
I will do my best to keep things moving and to communicate when it's not someone's turn so that they can bundle up for a few minutes, as well as try to keep kids moving during their time in front of the camera, as running and jumping are the best ways to stay warm and toasty! Just remember that while I am great with kids and have a pretty good track record at getting them to smile and engage with me for photos, there is unfortunately nothing I can do to turn a session around once a child has crossed the line into freezing cold. Trust me, I've tried, haha! They just don't rebound once they hit their threshold of being cold.
But hopefully these tips will help you to have a successful family photo session in the colder weather months!
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