When you want to capture the essence of your family, getting family portraits at home can be the perfect solution. This family of four lives just a few minutes from my studio. They have a beautiful home with a lot of land. I knew there would be fantastic potential for a beautiful outdoor scenic background, and sure enough I was right!
I visited their home ahead of time to scope out possible locations for their family portraits. A pleasant walk around their land led me to the perfect patch of woods. The light was shining through the trees with just the right glow. The autumn leaves were vibrant with yellow, orange, red, and green. When I found the spot, I just knew we would be capturing some magical shots!
THE RIGHT TIME FOR PORTRAITS
When mom first called me about this session, she asked if now was the right time for a session. Their second child was only a toddler. She was at the same age their first daughter was for a family portrait session. But of course, with two kids instead of one, things change! And of course, toddlers are famous for ignoring instruction and following where their own curiosity takes them.
My answer to her, however, was a resounding, “Yes! Now is absolutely the right and perfect time!” In fact, there is no wrong time for family portraits at home. Sessions are meant to capture a window in time, no matter what can be seen in that window — the chaos, the curiosity, the adventure, the happiness. The sweet innocence and purity of the toddler-age is something she’ll be so grateful she got on film, for years to come.
Photographing young children is indeed different than photographing adults. There is a delicate balance between giving gentle direction and following their lead. But with a little bit of willingness to surrender to the moment, you’ll get amazing photos you will cherish forever.
CHOOSING GOALS FOR A SESSION
There is always a goal for a photo session. When doing family portraits at home, the goal is often to capture that moment in time, document a milestone, or create a family heirloom that will be passed down through the family. For this session, they really wanted to show their family bond (especially that between their daughters) and also to update the walls of their home with new portraits.
In order to choose just the right shots to go on their walls, we previewed the images of their family portraits right there in their home. They choose a gorgeous family portrait to frame for their dining room, as well as two stunning canvases for the entryway.
Walking in to see those portraits full of joy on the walls is what turns a house into a home. Every time they come home from work or have a meal at their dining table, they will see their images, their hearts will fill with warmth, and they’ll smile at the memories they made that day.
Heather Thomas is an award-winning family and newborn photographer serving Philadelphia and Ocean City, NJ. She holds a Master Photographer Certification from NAPCP in newborn, children and family photography. Known for her organic and simple style, Heather’s work has been featured in magazines and online publications around the country.
