As the season of spring approaches, we finally complete our series of seasonal tips for photoshoots. This seems appropriate as we prepare to launch into a time of rebirth and renewal, with choices and horizons ahead of us.

And just as spring is a time of natural and personal growth, it’s a great time to grow our photo collection and adventures. The days are warming, the flowers are blooming, and we are filled with a sense of joy and playfulness, not unlike those frolicking lambs in the green fields that are synonymous with this time of year.

So whatever your spring days are filled with and wherever they take you, we have six tips to give a picture perfect spring photoshoot you’ll remember and enjoy the rest of the year.

Dress to complement the season

Spring has got to be one of the loveliest seasons to coordinate with. The world bursts with new colors and encourages us to do the same. Take your inspiration from the world around you: the blossoms, the fields, the sky. Close your eyes and imagine a watercolor artist holding open-air painting classes, kids coloring with chalks on the sidewalks, and baskets full of dyed Easter eggs. What colors are you drawn to? Whether it’s robin egg blue or fuchsia pink, the yellow of daffodils, or the many soft greens, you’re sure to look stunning if you paint yourself in the colors of the season. And don’t forget your hair! This is a great season for flower wreaths and flowing scarves!

If there is more than one of you in the photoshoot be sure to coordinate. This doesn’t mean you should all match. Spring is a great time to celebrate individuality, but you don’t want to look so disparate that it’s distracting in the final pictures. Give it some thought, with an agreed goal (florals, pastels, breezy whites, etc.), and make sure you all take time to get your outfits ready before the shoot. In large family photoshoots, it’s a good idea to have one designated person follow-up with everyone to ensure they’re on schedule!

Photo by: Maya and Miguel in Lisbon, Portugal.

Prepare for all kinds of weather

Spring showers. They’re legendary. They come on unexpectedly, make the world sparkle and smell fresh, then end in fantastic rainbows and blue skies. We suggest you don’t fight them but embrace them. If you’re really eager to get all sunshine, definitely plan your photoshoot later in the season or maybe even wait until summer. But if you’re feeling adventurous and aren’t afraid to add some raindrop props to your photoshoot, book a spring photo experience.

Being prepared means wearing the pretty dress but also bringing along a cute rain jacket and rain boots that can make the shoot fun and quirky. It might mean investing in your dream umbrella (I’m still in love with those heart-shaped red ones) and hoping you get to use. It means remembering spring days can be windy and prepping your hair for it: hairspray, bobby pins, maybe cool fedoras, or 1950s style sunglasses and headscarves. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and rather than feeling nervous have fun with it! As we like to say, our photoshoots are weatherproof, not because we guarantee perfect weather but because our photographers know how to use every type of weather to create dream photos.

Bring a picnic basket of supplies!

We always encourage clients to come prepared. You want to look and feel your best during your photo experience and that can take some upkeep. You may arrive with hair, makeup, and outfit set, but a little refreshing (or a wardrobe change) never hurts, especially during a long shoot. All it takes is a little planning and preparation. 

For a spring photoshoot we suggest a picture perfect picnic basket filled with your supplies and snacks. It can hold plenty and also serve as a great prop for a touch of vintage-styled, romantic fun. Throw in a hairbrush, comb, bobby pins, makeup, mirror, and anything else that helped you get ready. Be sure to include snacks to keep you sustained, especially if there are children in the photoshoot. Choose what goes with the day you’ve planned. Your basket may hold carrots & hummus, M&Ms & cupcakes, or a checkered tablecloth with a bottle of wine (or Kombucha or coconut water!), whatever your heart desires and might look great in photographs!

Invite creativity

This season is all about new creations, and we hope by now you’ve picked up on the fact that your photoshoot is the chance for you to be creative: in your outfits, your location, even your props! But let’s really focus on creativity for a moment, because it’s an opportunity that we don’t want you to miss. 

Is there a type of photoshoot you’ve always wanted to try? A certain look? A daring location? This is the time!  Let your creativity flow right from the start, which is choosing your photographer. Look through their portfolios and read their bios. Choose the person whose creativity best matches your vision and goals. Don’t see what you have in mind or aren’t even sure where to start? Our Customer Service Team is always available to help. And remember that just because you don’t see something in a photographer’s portfolio doesn’t mean it's not a style they haven’t done or always wanted to try. Once you have your photographer, collaborate with them. Pool your creative thoughts and energy to come up with a photoshoot worthy of your springtime dreams.

Release your inner child

The world is waking up again this spring, and our sleepy inner selves are waking up too, specifically that inner child that wants to run through the fields, play outside, ride bikes and climb trees. The inner child is always with us in life, we just may not always let it out. But for this photoshoot, it’s time to let them run free!  

Ever done a photoshoot with a child? They’re not worried about what the photographer wants, they’re there to please themselves. There’s something freeing about that; for you and, believe it or not, your photographer. If your photographer knows you’re having fun they’re guaranteed to get amazing photographs. Don’t worry, they’ll still guide and give direction, but once the scene is set, just go for it. Feel like doing cartwheels in the grass, do it! Want to break into a sexy salsa with your partner, we want to see it! Want to stop for ice cream cones that drip all over, great photos opt!