Maryland Spring Family Photography

 

Spring is a fantastic time for family photography. Here at Bayline Studios, it is our favorite time of year for family portraits.The sun is lower in the mornings and afternoons, which helps diffuse and soften the light, the colors pop off the trees, and the light of mid day is not as harsh as it is in the Summer.

Also, if you are lucky, the cool crisp mornings can sometimes add a little ground fog, which for rural or farm settings, can add a touch of drama to the image. We also love the Fall because of the demand for Holiday family portraiture and Santa sessions. What we would like to do in this installment, is give you some tips to greatly improve your photos of people, landscapes, pets, etc., while shooting outside.

The first thing, is the time of day.

It is always better to shoot early in the morning, or later in the day. The light is softer and more flattering. If it is sunny, it will also help diminish the harsh shadows that direct overhead sunshine can produce. We have all seen the photos on a sunny day, when the sky is washed out white and your subject has dark shadows or worse. Try to avoid shooting between 11AM and 2PM, this is when the light is the harshest.

By shooting later in the day, the colors tend to come alive. The sky is bluer, the grass is greener and the light is more favorable. Also by shooting later in the day, lights from businesses, homes, street lights come up, and can lend a nice compliment too your composition. Mid to late afternoon afternoon is a great time, as the light continues to change much more rapidly then during the Summer.

Learn to shoot during the Golden Hours. This is about 45 minutes before and after sunset. You will be amazed at the difference in your photos.

Also if you are photographing people, the use of a reflector is recommended. You do not need anything fancy. A nice piece of white foam board will do the trick nicely. Place it close to your subject to fill in the shadows. Just play with it by adjusting how the light falls on it and reflects on your subject. Get creative and have a friend hold it while you direct where to place it. You will fell like a pro in no time!

The last tip for this segment is learn how to shoot in the shade. During the Fall there is plenty of natural shade to take advantage of. This will soften the light falling on your subject and give a much more pleasing effect, than shooting in direct sun.

Happy shooting!

Robbie McLean is the Creative Director of Bayline Studios, LLC.
Located at 625 Frederick Road in Catonsville.
The studio provides professional wedding, family and commercial photography services.