How To Choose The Best Location For Your Portland Family Photo Session
You may be wondering how to select a location for your next Portland area family photo session, when we have so many great options. And frankly, who wants to make one more family decision…when as parents we make so many decisions every day.
Choosing the Perfect Location for Your Photo Session
I have some great tips to help you choose the best location for your photo session and your family right now. There is no ‘Perfect’ or Ideal choice, because we have tons of options for the current age and stage of your kids and family right now, and we’ll be able to narrow it down to a few great options every year.
When I’m talking to families about planning their photo session, it’s very common for them to be unsure about where to have their photo session. And, this is one thing that I love to help solidify and that should never prevent you from planning your next family photo session.
There are some things to consider when making this decision that I’ll further expand on below, but they include:
Table of Contents
Things to keep in mind when selecting a location for your next family photo session
Safety
When selecting a location for your family photos, it is important to consider safety. This is particularly important depending on the ages of your children, to ensure that the location we select is age appropriate and safe for them and their abilities. I also always consider the safety of urban neighborhoods and off the beaten path locations as well.
Accessibility
Some locations are close to parking lots and easy to navigate, while others may include some short hiking and walking on uneven ground. This is always of utmost importance to consider when we select the location for your session. If your family is able to hike for a short time to their session location, versus needing paved pathways and benches, are important considerations to be aware of when selecting your location. Another important aspect is ease of access to restrooms and other facilities. When we have young children, pregnant mama’s and grandparents, it’s always important to know how easily we can access a restroom or refreshment if needed.
Travel Distance / Proximity To Your Home
Do you have toddlers who hate being in the car? Or grandparents who can’t sit for an extended period of time? These are things to consider when selecting the location for your family photo session. If going on a long car ride is an adventure and your family is into it, then that is also something to think about. These are important considerations to make when selecting your location and it’s closeness to your home.
Comfort Level With Photography
Some family members may be really uncomfortable with the thought of being seen during their photo session. I know my teens would not really want to run into classmates if we were doing family photos, but I have other friends whose kids would have no problem with this. So, this is just one thing to keep in mind when selecting your location. If you have shy toddlers who will not like to be observed vs those who are open to exploring and seeing new people, this can impact where we plan to have your family photos so that the session is fun and successful.
Including Pets
Are you hoping to photograph your pets at your next family photo session? Dogs are the easiest pets to take on location, but we do need to consider if they are allowed at the selected location, and how they may interact or react to a location as well. Sometimes I recommend keeping pets at home and doing the photo session there based on a dogs temperament or age. If you have other pets you’d like included such as cats, bunnies, birds, etc…they would need to be included with an at home photo session as it’s typically not feasible to bring them to a location photo session.
Understanding The Vision And Goals Of Your Session
Every family photo session is unique, and often there is a milestone or goal of the session. Is it to capture the connection between the young siblings? Document your elementary aged child’s misisng teeth, or capture your family relaxing at your new home?
It’s important to think about your goals when selecting your location. This is something that I’m happy to review with you to determine the best location.
Also, the colors and feel in your home can also be a good consideration when selecting a location. If you are looking for a bright and fun photo to display in your family room we would consider a fun colorful urban location, but if you are hoping to incorporate more blue into your decor, then perhaps a photo session at the coast or river is a good choice to bring that look to fruition.
Embracing Nature
If your family loves to explore, hike, and spend time outdoors, then embracing nature may be the best choice for your session. We can access many nature filled locations in close proximity to Portland as well as further afield such as at the Oregon Coast. This type of session is perfect for a mix of family portraits including grand natural vistas, as well as detailed and candid images. It can be a challenge to have outdoor images during the cold winter or rainy season, but many months here in Portland are often quite mild allowing for year round outdoor photos.
Urban Adventures
Are you a family who loves to explore the city, pop into local shops, enjoy coffee and ice cream as you enjoy the energy and vibe of the city? If so having your family photo session in an urban locaion is a great idea. Within the city of Portland we have a great mix of architecture, color, streetscapes, and colorful wall art that can be incorporated into a photo session…honestly the options are quite endless for having your session in one of Portland’s many urban neighborhoods.
Indoor Options
Do you feel like having your photo session indoors would be the best option? This is definitely something to consider depending on the mobility of your family, the shyness level of various members, and the weather. One great indoor option is your home, as it is where your story is told each and every day. Other great indoor options can include an indoor botanical garden, library, book store, or city building or studio. With your goals in mind (see above) this can help to determine if an indoor location would be best for your next session.
Consider A Special Place
When thinking through the various indoor, nature filled, or urban photo locations, one thing that you can do to help select a location is to think about places special to your family. Do you have an ice cream shop from your first date? A bookstore that you visit every Sunday? A trail that you hike every season? This is one way to add another layer of sentimentality and connection with the location that you choose.
Flexibility & Backup Location Options
When we plan your location it can be important to be flexible, and have a backup option in mind. This is because sometimes there are city events or construction going on at a location that we didn’t anticipate, such as a marathon, popup market, or huge construction project. When we learn that the location we selected may not work out I can help to come up with another great location for your family photos.
Annual Family Photos Yield Multiple Location Options
When you have your photos done annually or bi-annually then we have the options to visit many different locations. One year can be at the coast, one at your neighborhood park, and another at your home. This is a great way to tell your family’s story over the years and the adventures as your children grow. (I offer an annual photography membership program to returning families, which helps to build this beautiful library of family adventures and daily stories through your family photos.)
Is It Still Hard To Choose?
Is it still hard for you to choose your family photo session location? Well, I have a really fun quiz that I’ve developed to help you determine where to have your next photo session. I’d love for you to check it out as it may be just the ticket to help you finalize your location choice. I never want the difficulty of selecting the location to prevent you from booking your session. So, I’m here for you to help find the best spot, through our 1:1 call, the quiz, and the above details.
Check out these various blog posts that feature locations in the Portland metro area.
