Eatonville Fall Family Portraits
For these Eatonville Fall family portraits, we headed 31 miles southeast of Tacoma to get out of the city and into the woods. Miss Lexie is a member of my 2024 Model Team and this month I finally got to take some new portraits of her and her family! If you didn’t know, one of the perks of being on the AHP senior team is getting a family portrait session during your senior year! As the saying goes, some like it hot, some like it cold, and some like their portrait season right in between. Lexie and her family chose the latter and picked Fall as their perfect time of year. Let’s dig into their session and see what great photos we were able to capture!
Fall, Flannels, and Quality Family Time
As a photographer, sometimes you’ve got to keep your best portrait locations hidden! Well, not completely hidden. I’m always too excited and spill the beans on the best spots! But for this shoot, I’ll only tell you that we went to a secret location near the city of Eatonville. We began our wonderful morning session with a foggy walk to get to our destination. It was covered with giant orange and yellow leaves from the surrounding trees. It was so perfect that it even smelled like Fall! Lexie and her family dressed the part by wearing coordinating black, white, and red flannels. The girls matching girls and guys matching guys. Always a great idea for family photos!
Why I Love Outdoor Photoshoots
While I will always have a special place in my heart for studio portraits (I own an AH-mazing studio in Downtown Tacoma after all!) there is something so magical about an outdoor photoshoot! If you’ve seen my collection of family portraits, you know I love featuring outdoor locations. One of the reasons that I love shooting outdoors is how much variety there is. Both in poses and things to explore! For families, this comes in handy. The outdoors has more space for them to spread out and helps keep things light and fun. While having an outdoor shoot is one way to make family portraits entertaining, there are a few more tips I have to share!
Tips For Making Your Family Portrait Session The Best
Sadly, family portraits can sometimes get a bad rap for being stressful, boring, and closely aligned with uncomfortable clothing. Here are 3 tips that are sure to help make you family photos the best yet!
- Select A Photographer You Like. When I hear people describe the bad experiences they have had with family portraits, it lets me know that they haven’t found the right photographer for them! Luckily, this is an easy fix. Make sure to thoroughly research your photographer beforehand. Check out their website, Instagram, and other online presence. If you like their portraits and think their work matches the style you want, reach out. Most photographers can’t wait to work with a client and help bring their dream shoot to life!
- Plan a Photoshoot that Represents Y-O-U. Too often, people spend hundreds of dollars, and 4+ hours at a session, and are disappointed when they get their photos back. Why? While there may be many reasons, one of the biggest culprits is the copycat theory. While you might like the look of your friend’s photos, if you “copycat” their look instead of embracing your own, you will end up feeling something is not quite right. You are always better off planning a shoot around your own family’s likes, interests, and style, rather than copying someone else’s! Take it from a professional!
- Wear Comfortable Clothes. The second part of planning a shoot that fits with your family is wearing outfits that match! I don’t mean literally matching (although Lexie’s family made it look so good!) but rather, making sure that your clothes represent you as well. Clothes help give us confidence and can bring out the genuine smiles that make photos so much more, well, you! Being comfortable and confident in your outfit has the power to turn an “okay” family portrait session, into “the best photoshoot ever!” Don’t believe me? Give it a try yourself!
Let’s Connect!
Did you know that I offer even more sessions than family and wedding portraits? I specialize in senior photos too! If you have an upcoming high school senior looking for a photographer in the Tacoma area, head over to the AHP Seniors Blog. Here you can see all the fun shoots I’ve captured for the Class of 2024 and more!
