6 Tips for Beautiful Fall and Winter Portraits - Northern Virginia Photographer

Tips for Beautiful Fall or Winter Portraits

There is a special kind of magic that comes with outdoor, winter photo sessions. The snow lightly falling and icicles hanging from the branches create a lovely backdrop for any photo session. Here are some tips to make your winter or fall photo sessions go smoothly.  

Dress warmly.
You will be surprised at how often this is overlooked. Since you’ll be standing outside for possibly two hours, short sleeves, thin fabrics, and open toe shoes will not be comfortable for very long. Shivering makes it hard to look happy and pose properly.   This can be challenging for many clients.  Our clients want to look nice, but not look so over dressed (i.e. coats).  We recommend layering and thick fabrics (i.e. wool).

Wear sunscreen.
Protecting your skin should be a priority throughout the year, not just in summer. Use a good moisturizer to protect your skin from chilly winds.  Find suncreen here.

Watch the weather.
Warmer days may seem more pleasant but melting snow can change the entire look of your backdrop. If you are looking for light snow flurries, try and keep an eye on the weather forecast to make sure that you don’t end up with melting or heavy snow.  In January 2016, the Washington D.C. metroplex received more than 29" of snow.  It was a beautiful backdrop and perfect for gorgeous winter family portrait sessions.  According to Accuweather, we may get another opportunity for huge snow amounts.

Be flexible.
If the weather isn't exactly what you had hoped for, we can reschedule to make the photo session work. If you are however scheduling this session in advance, you may just have to work with the weather on that particular day. 

Incorporate color.
Even though fall and winter have some amazing colors to work with, why not wear a splash of color to really stand out in your photos? For example, vibrant shades of blues and greens look amazing amongst crunchy brown leaves. 

Plan your day.
Taking your photos just after the sun rises or just before it sets will provide you with amazing lighting so try and plan your session around those times.  These appointment times are extremely limited.  If you would like to schedule a session during one of these times, contact the studio directly by calling (571) 250-5073 or by email [email protected].

Take some hot tea or coffee along to make your photo session even more enjoyable and get ready for some beautiful results.

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Tamieka Smith Photography is a Woodbridge, Virginia Family photographer serving Northern (NOVA) Virginia.  Specializing in custom maternity, baby, family, and event photography. Serving the entire DC Metro areas, Southern Maryland, Northern Virginia,  Woodbridge, Fairfax, Springfield, Alexandria, Oakton, Manassas, Ft. Belvoir, Fredericksburg, Warrenton, Prince William County, and Fairfax County.