Every season has its own unique beauty, from the golden leaves of autumn and the blossoms in spring time, to white landscapes in winter and the green grass & blue skies in summer.  Every season offers so many wonderful photo opportunities, so it helps to know how to take the best photos at any time of year.

Use the best possible lighting for your photos

Taking advantage of seasonal beauty when most of your photos will be shot outside, means you should plan your shoots around the sun if you really want the best results.

By keeping track of the sun’s schedule for the day, you can ensure that you’ll have the best natural lighting. Natural lighting will add more depth to your photos and if you take advantage of the Golden Hour you’ll automatically highlight your subject’s best features.

Spend time thinking about your outfits

To make it easier to pick outfits for your shoot, choose a color scheme instead of trying to get everyone to wear matching outfits. A color scheme makes it much easier for everyone to look coordinated without being too matchy-matchy.

Try to stay away from the latest trends. Opting to wear trendy outfits could backfire, when in a few years time, those clothing items are no longer fashionable. This could make your images look dated. Instead go with colors and items that are timeless.

It’s also best to stay away from outfits that are really busy, such as tops with large motifs on, as it will distract from the people in the photos.

Use a checklist

In order to eliminate any stress on the day of the shoot, put a helpful checklist together that includes your outfits, props, snacks & drinks, and the time & location of your shoot. If you’re working with a photographer, provide them with your ideas for poses, locations and outfit changes ahead of time so that everyone is on the same page about what needs to happen on the day.

A checklist ensures that everything runs on time and that everyone is relaxed and enjoys the experience.

Simple is better

When it comes to creating great photos, the key is not to overdo it. This goes for everything from your outfit and props to your background and your smiles. For a simple portrait to capture the beauty of the season, the more natural the better. You may find that the more simple shots make the best prints because there is less clutter in the photo, which can take away from the main focus of the photo.

Take time to choose the right background

Make a decision on the kind of background you’d like to have ahead of your shoot. You can choose to use a natural background, or an architectural structure. You can choose to incorporate props as well. Remember to check that your background won’t clash with your outfit. Your background plays an important part in the overall shot but it’s important that it doesn’t detract from the focus of the photo.

Working with the seasons will always leave you with beautiful, timeless photos that you’ll be proud to display in your home. Getting the basics right is all you need to create the best possible photos at any time of the year.

I hope you have enjoyed these photography tips. If you would like any more information about EBM Photography or would like to contact me, just drop me a message. Sign up below to receive more tips directly to your inbox.