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Proud pup mom, type A creative, lover of the outdoors, Top Chef fan girl, and wedding and portrait photographer. Welcome to the blog!
HI, I'M RACHEL!
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micro WEDDINGS
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D.C. Area Special Occasions Photographer
OK everyone, let’s take a collective sigh of relief {Ahhhh…} that we are finally in the month of March and that much closer to the joy of spring and all of the warm days & stunning outdoor backdrops it brings.
I know us natural light photographers are counting down the days until we can confidently plan our sessions for outdoors & capture our clients in all the beauty Mother Nature has to offer. And I’m sure our clients are looking forward to that too! But if I know Winter, and I think I do, she’s going to throw a few more frigid, wet days our way before she lets spring take over. In order to help my fellow photographers as well as people planning their sessions in the winter months, I’m sharing some of my favorite winter photo shoot set-ups.
1. Indoors with Large Windows
One of my favorite shoots of all time was a courthouse wedding on a dreary, drizzly day in late spring. Luckily, the courthouse had this long hallway, one whole side of which was floor to ceiling pane-less windows. Add to that a cloudy sky & we were able to capture some fabulous photos with the diffused light shining through the tall windows.
Research for spots like this in your area. Find some local public buildings, apartment buildings, an indoor botanical garden, hotels – any building with large windows to let in plenty of natural light. Even if you have to attain a permit to shoot there or just be super nice to the building managers (everyone likes cupcakes… just sayin’), it’s worth it to have one of these locations in your back pocket to pull out on a rainy, freezing, or snowy winter day.
2. Combination Indoor / Outdoor
Sometimes we aren’t working with any weather events like snow or rain, and we have a sunny, clear blue sky kinda day, or an overcast day with that perfect diffused light, but it just so happens to be freezing cold! Unless you’re doing a cold weather sport, no one really likes to spend a full hour+ outside in the 15 – 30 degree weather, especially if it’s also windy, right? I know I don’t!
What I like to offer my clients is a combination shoot, where we do some of the photos indoors in a place with large windows with plenty of natural light, and then venture outside for a few shots or set-ups outside. That way we’re staying warm for the most-part indoors, but still taking advantage of the beautiful light going on outside.
3. Make the Weather Part of Your Theme
For those who are totally gung-ho & want to make the weather part of the memories we’re capturing in our photos, I say go for it! Get outdoors! As long as you’re properly prepared, a little rain, snow, or freezing cold never hurt anyone. I have seen some truly breathtaking photos of people captured outdoors while it’s snowing, or standing in the snow after it’s stopped falling.
And if it’s raining, give your clients an umbrella to stand under (and protect your camera as well!). I love clear umbrellas b/c they still allow you to see through them to capture your clients’ faces.
And last – if it’s freezing cold, play into it. I’ve done an engagement shoot in 30 degree, windy weather & the couple just cozied up to each other & it made for some really sweet, intimate shots.
4. Create an At-Home Theme
Back in November I had planned a full day of mini-sessions, six sessions in total, to be exact. I woke up that morning & it was pouring.rain. POURING rain. My first family of the day suggested we skip the outdoor shoot we had planned & head to their nearby apartment to take photos there. It turned out well & the photos were adorable, and I realized that at-home sessions can really add a sense of personalization & intimacy you may not get being in the great outdoors. If the weather is too much or too unpredictable, plan the session at home on purpose. Find the biggest window with the brightest light & set up nearby
5. Be Flexible / Be Prepared
I think my biggest suggestion for clients & photographers in the winter is to be flexible. You don’t want to force something to happen if the clients aren’t into it. If there’s a blizzard outside, move the session indoors if you can safely even get to the indoor location. If a client doesn’t want indoor photos, reschedule for another time. I like to get a feel for what my clients feel comfortable with while still being up front & honest about my time & limitations for picking another date if that’s the route they want to go. And also be prepared to go along with what your clients want to do. If it’s inconvenient but still reasonable & doable to go outside, do it. Grab some umbrellas, warm coats, gloves, waterproof camera gear & make it happen! That sense of adventure can translate to some amazing photographs.
HELLO@RACHELEHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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Rachel is a wedding and portrait photographer
Serving brilliant, elegant couples in Washington D.C. + Beyond
Copyright 2022 Rachel E.H. Photography | Website by Alex Collier Design
she / her
[…] of the weather when planning our shoots. Although I have come up with some picturesque options for winter shoot locations, I much prefer to have the opportunity to shoot outdoors. Spring photo shoot locations are kind of […]
Very informative blog post. Can you tell me which courthouse you shot in and how easy it was to get permission to do so?
Hi Allan! That was at Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville, MD. I think you can only take photos in the courthouse if you are already photographing a wedding there. Hope that was helpful!