How to make your brand shoot more personal with Kylie Wright | Boston Photographer

One of the many parts I love about personal brand shoots is the opportunity it creates for you, the client, to reflect on your brand and how you want to be seen. Kylie, CEO of a tech company, has had many “corporate” headshot sessions to show the serious professional side of her job, this time opted to go for a more personal approach with her session.

I loved this approach, as it allowed us to highlight Kylie’s life outside her Back Bay office, creating a very genuine “total package” image of her. She lives near her work, and if you haven’t been to Back Bay, it has so many photo opportunities with the brownstone buildings, Newbury street, restaurants, and green spaces. Pretty much quintessential old town Boston. In capturing her less corporate side, we focused on what she appreciates outside of the office such as her favorite walks in the neighborhood, or her favorite restaurants in the area (which I don’t know how you can pick), rides her Blue Bike to the office, and one of my favorite moments, spending some time engaging with her family and pups. 

For a more casual professional vibe, we concentrated on what she would post to a blog or LinkedIn about, such as how she can take work calls walking down Commonwealth Ave. As a leader, she loves working with her team and considers that one of her happy places.

Behind the Scenes of a Personal Brand Session in Marblehead with Kelly Duggan | Boston Photographer

This past fall, I was up in Marblehead (which is so beautiful!) every few weeks working with some incredible interior designers and architects. One of the shoots that really brought Marbleadhead to life though, was Kelly’s personal brand session. This all-inclusive, all-day lifestyle session for Kelly was really meant to show off HER. The perfect combo of her biz and life… because honestly is there really that much of a line between the two anymore?

Walking in the door at our first location Kelly chose - a beautiful home overlooking the bay in Marblehead- I gawked at the stunning clothing laid out for this session, which pretty much turned the downstairs entrance into a walk-in closet. Our mutual friend Paula was her hair and makeup artist, and really went above and beyond, taking the role of wardrobe stylist as well, adding accessories to compliment and finalize outfits. (Thank you Paula!) Kelly and Paula absolutely NAILED wardrobe, and Kelly wore her clothes with such confidence. Side-note: even if you are coming to the studio for a quick headshot, I recommend getting your hair and make-up done by Paula. She’s my HMU spirit animal and always creates the perfect camera-ready-but-still-yourself look.

Kelly had a clear vision for her shoot, bringing fun props along with her to clearly define her brand and add some personality (pro move Kelly). How fun is it to have a bunch of balloons and pop some bubbly?! There was even fake snow, which required us to get creative with our cleaning in our efforts to be as eco-friendly as possible. We had an action packed shot list for the day (I may have broken a sweat on multiple occasions), but we ended up with a TON of variety that will fill her content library for months.

And, as always, we had to be flexible in true photoshoot fashion, as one of our locations in town was closed. That just led us to a lovely flower shop right down the street, with great steps for posing, and pristine lighting. Everything worked out beautifully in the end! We ended the day in Lynn, right along the water in time to catch the sunset over Boston; casting a golden glow to the end of our session. Of course, there was a toast to celebrate!

What to Wear for Winter Photos | Boston Photographer

Wait…it was just 50 degrees yesterday now it’s 20 degrees out? Yup, winter in Boston is as unpredictable as it comes, but luckily the weather app is usually reliable for forecasting the upcoming days' conditions. 

When it comes to dressing for winter photos, here is my best advice.

1. Wear or bring extra layers. Nothing is worse than freezing! While you don’t want to look bulky like the Michelin tire logo, bring an oversized slouchy sweater or wear that thermal shirt underneath. Layering is a great way to complete a look.

2. Bring an extra coat. You can wear a more stylish coat for photos, but having an extra puffy coat to put on in between shots, or as we move from one place to the next, can be just the break you need. 

3. Gloves and cold weather accessories. Add a seasonal flare to your photos by adding those winter accessories like scarves, gloves, boots, and beanies. There are so many cute options for these items out there, have fun with it.

4. Color: Winter tends to bring some more muted colors so if you want to stand out add some splashes of color to your outfits. Layering is a great way to add color.

Most importantly choose to wear clothes you feel comfortable and confident in, no matter the season.

How Gwen made the most of her brand shoot | Boston Brand Photographer

Gwen, Homeopath, came to me when planning her website with her website designer Lulu, and her photos from this brand shoot fit her website. During our consultation, she described how she wanted an organic and neutral look to her images. We decided to do the shoot at my studio in Lawrence, starting with a complete blank slate background and adding in details and items reflective of her brand such as earth toned art and plants. A minimalist approach with beautifully simple results. One of our goals was to recreate the warmth and openness of her office environment and the general vibe of zoom calls with patients, and we were able to do just that using a few key items and colors.

And while we had the whole brand session in our studio space, we were not limited! Gwen worked with a virtual wardrobe stylist before our session, and they put together A LOT of looks. In fact we had 7 outfits which we fit into a half-day shoot! Talk about really creating versatile content. Once again, here is where planning and prep are everything. We were able to be intentional about shooting 7 looks in one half day session, and successfully giving Gwen the variety in her content that she needed. Of course I have to give a shout out to Paula, my friend and makeup artist, who was with us for the entire session to transition between looks, she makes everything look so effortless. 

I can’t say enough good things about working with the right team. With Lulu’s direction, Gwen’s clear visual inspiration, Kate’s magical wardrobe, and Paula’s always natural HMU, we were able to produce exactly what Gwen wanted.

5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Brand Shoot | Boston Photographer

1. Re-evaluate what your brand means to you and how you want that visualized. What are some of your business’s grounding principles or your own personal mantra? What do you want to be known for- approachability? Family oriented? Think about what locations are good visual representations of your brand. 

2. Image research and prep. Time to head on over to Pinterest and other social media (or scroll through my instagram) to find poses and images that give me some direction for what you want. I will guide you through posing the day of our shoot, but this is a good place for you to figure out what you like and (maybe more importantly), don’t like aesthetically. Additionally, if you already know where you want these images to end up, that’s super helpful in creating a shot list customized to your needs.

3. Keep me updated! Communication, communication, and did I mention communication? We will start with a consultation call to go over how to best showcase you and your brand during our time together. This is a great time for me to really listen to your needs, pain points, and ideas, so that I can start putting those all together into a custom shot list before our session. If any changes do happen along the way - you decide you want to change location, add a specific shot, prop, bring your dog, fill in the blank, let me know ahead of time so we can plan for it.

4. Picking your outfits. A perfect excuse to look through your wardrobe with a fresh set of eyes. It’s so important to choose clothes you feel confident in AND that are representative of you and your brand. If that means shopping to add in some key pieces, or borrowing some accessories from a friend, you’ll want to leave yourself plenty of time for searching and ordering what you need. I always suggest having a few extra options.

5. Day of shoot. Leave yourself plenty of time to prepare, and arrive at our first location punctually so we can make the most of our time together. I highly recommend bringing a few snacks and water bottle. Trust me, the time will go by fast, so take a deep breath, and relax so you can enjoy it and be your authentic self. Once we get going these sessions are so much fun!

Cooking up a successful brand image with Tyler Kinnett | Boston Photographer

A young (super) successful chef with passion, kindness and humility needs some great photos to up the ante with his brand image.

Tyler was clear in the direction he wanted to go - away from wholesome and typical, and more toward gritty, edgy, Anthony Bourdaine. He wanted to show that he was more than a restaurant chef, he encompassed the total package and had big plans to expand his career.

After learning that sourcing his food is one of his top priorities, I knew we had to make that a highlight of our shoot. Tyler focuses on using ingredients that are not only unexpected, (like pine in sauces and desserts… see above photo), but locally sourced and seasonal as often as possible.

He has a great relationship with one of his suppliers, Allendale Farms, which was clear from the way they greeted each other when we arrived to shoot there. Tyler takes the time to chat with lead farmer, Kate, and she goes through their current and upcoming seasonal crops with him.

It’s always great going into a shoot with someone who is so passionate about what they do, it makes it easy to create beautiful, genuine images for them.

Behind the Scenes of A BOSTON Summer Family Session | Boston Photographer

For those who have done a family portrait session with me, you know I only shoot early in the morning or just before sunset to avoid harsh lighting from the sun. In the middle of the summer in particular, we are not only at the mercy of the sun’s unforgiving light, but also the brutal heat! And long summer days mean EARLY mornings and LATE evenings for kiddos. For this mid-July shoot, these two were champs, getting up and out the door early, with the promise of doughnuts waiting for them on the other side of the shoot… I mean I would get up at sunrise for doughnuts, wouldn’t you?

Siblings often feed off of each other’s energy and spirit which was 100% the case for Saj and Ani. For 7am, all I can say is I wish I had Saj’s energy! Sitting still can be tough at any age, but especially for 5 year olds. This shoot had lots of interaction such as running, tickling, secret telling, hiding, and hugging…which ended up as tackling in some (most) instances. We try to follow along with whatever makes our toddlers happiest, and if that means lots of sweating and running around, we are totally cool with it.

Overall the lighting worked in our favor and we got some awesome action and family shots!

What to Wear for Fall Photos | Boston Photographer

Fall is the most popular season for family photos, and with the scenery in New England, it’s no wonder why! The weather isn’t as hot and muggy as it is in summer, nor does it feel like you need to break out a parka. The trees are putting on a beautiful color show, and overall there is a warmer tone. Here is some of my advice for wardrobe for family photos during fall: 

Decide on a color palette. Choose a few colors, a bit more earth toned, with one color that pops more. Popular color choices include sage, grey, navy, blue-grey, burnt orange, dusty rose, mustard, burgundy…to name a few, but I won’t put a limit on the MANY colors that look and photograph great in fall.

Coordinate outfits. No need to match each other. It can be easier to start with one person’s outfit, then pull from those colors or patterns to use for other members' outfits. This leaves room for individual personality to come on through.

Dress for the weather. Take note of the weather that week, and find a coat or sweater that you love and could easily throw on over your outfit. Pro tip: babies will get colder faster so bring a little blanket to wrap them up in! I ALWAYS suggest layering outfits for babies and young children.

Choosing wardrobe (especially for the whole fam) is HARD! But it doesn’t need to be stressful. Lay things out ahead of time, and I am always available to give feedback and suggestions on wardrobe options.

Updating your personal brand photos with Marty | Boston Photographer

How do you keep fresh content flowing for repeat clients? When someone comes back to update their personal brand photos once every few months or once every year, it’s important that we get it right everytime. We want it to be consistent with their brand, but not redundant from one shoot to the next. Marty Moore’s two shoots are perfect examples of how to properly execute this.

Here are my top 3 things to consider:

Consider location.

I always emphasize how important location is for a brand shoot, but the 2nd or 3rd time around, location plays an even bigger role.

Contrary to what one might think, you don’t want to choose somewhere wildly different. The goal is to choose somewhere that offers new perspectives but is still cohesive with the photos we’ve already shot and the brand story we’ve been telling. For some, that could even be the same location for more than one session. For others, that could mean hunting for the perfect new space to rent for each shoot.

Freshen up the wardrobe.

This will vary from brand to brand, but for Marty’s in particular, his look is the casual suit jacket over a white shirt with jeans or trousers. So for him, we kept it consistent but paid close attention to the smaller details - the cuff links, the watch, the tech accessories.

For other brands, half of the fun in planning the 2nd shoot could be choosing a whole new wardrobe! There are no rules here, so switching up the look or keeping it similar, it’s all good.

Dig into the purpose behind the shoot

Is it for a new product or course launch? Are you offering a new service? Celebrating a big biz milestone?

Whatever the purpose is, this will steer us in the right direction to create brand new content, even if we are shooting on the same neutral backdrop. Planning the right “action” shots is really what guides the story we want to tell.

Marty’s team chose to rent the lovely Newburyport Studio for their shoot. It was my first time shooting there, and wow was it versatile! I can’t wait to shoot there again. Marty’s team once again provided amazing creative direction, and it’s always satisfying to hear they were thrilled with the outcome.

What you can learn from Marty Moore and his brand shoot | Boston Photographer

No Bullsh!t on this brand shoot with CEO mentor, now author, Marty Moore for his book release, “No Bullsh!t Leadership”. It had to be one of the most organized shoots of 2021, which is mostly due to his daughter, and business partner, Emma.

Definitely a powerhouse father-daughter duo.

Emma was pretty much my dream client- she had a clear idea of the visual story they wanted to tell, and came up with a detailed shot list, including inspiration visuals, before our shoot.

The whole family played a part on this brand shoot:

Marty’s wife, Kathy, doubled as a personal stylist and helped get the most natural expressions out of Marty. His leadership skills, particularly his charisma and confidence truly came through in the finished photos. Overall he is a natural in front of the camera!

Determining location is such an important piece in telling your brand story.

More on how to determine the best location for your brand here. Since they needed a very minimal, clean backdrop, we opted for renting a space. After doing a bit of research, I sent Emma three options of potential sites, and let her decide which one best fit their brand and specific look for this shoot. We ended up renting the perfect studio space right in East Boston. 

Oh! And…

if you have that ever growing pile of books you mean to read but haven’t gotten to yet, I encourage you to add this one to the pile, though he also has a podcast for leaders and future leaders. It’s worth a listen on your next drive.

How to prepare for your session: The ultimate guide | Boston Photographer

Wondering how to get the most out of our time together? Do you have any specific shots in mind already? Have some questions about the shoot? Here is a comprehensive session guide to best prepare you for your Family Photos!

Step 1: Check the style guide for wardrobe.

Step 2: Feel free to send inspiration photos if you have them. If you have a pinterest board-share it!

Step 3: Answer the questionnaire I sent. It makes all the difference when I know a little about your kids and how to approach them. This is also a great opportunity to let me know if there are any specific shots you really want going into our session.

Step 4: Let the kids be kids and don’t stress if they aren’t “behaving”. Your 3 year old runs from the camera, your 5 year old has no idea how to smile naturally, and your moody 7 year old is done with us before we start. Sound familiar? We are here to make this fun and capture your kids’ true personalities, quirks, silly faces and all. If you are having fun, they will have fun.

3 of my must have shots:

Hugs and kisses

Tickles (or something similar that gets them giggling)

Active playing. Chasing our kids gets sweaty and dirty, and it’s not always glamorous. This is where the real stuff is. The stuff your kids enjoy and more importantly, open up to. All kids are different and if you know what kind of play brings out the best in yours, it is a huge help in capturing their genuine happiness.

Step 5: Go through this checklist to make sure you’re prepared:

1. Make sure everyone is fed and hydrated ahead of time (adults too). Everyone is just more happy when they’re not hangry. Tip: stay away from foods that stain clothes or faces

2. Bring easy snacks and water with you. Snack ideas: cheerios, white cheese, raisins…

3. Have outfits ready ahead of time - like wayyy ahead of time. Pack an extra if you have a young baby, messy blowouts and spit up are definite possibilities.

4. Leave yourself plenty of time. When you need to be somewhere on time, someone will have a meltdown or poop at the very moment you need to leave. Keep your sanity and leave yourself extra time, you don’t want to cut into your session time because your toddler hid his shoes.

5. Bring something your kids love. This is totally optional, but if your kid has a toy or lovey that brings them more happiness than anything else in this world, it would be a great idea to have it with you, and even get it in a few photos - it can make a really sweet memory to look back on. One of my favorite photos of my son is him holding onto his “Lovey” at the end of our family session.

Now you’re ready for your session! Just show up and have fun with your kiddos.

What to do when your kids won’t “behave” for their session | Boston Photographer

One of parents’ biggest concerns is that their family won’t cooperate for their session. You want photos of your loving, giggly, happy kid, and your sweet child won’t smile on command like an angel for family photos. Of course not! Your 3 year old runs from the camera, your 5 year old has no idea how to smile naturally, and your moody 7 year old is done with us before we start. Sound familiar? We are here to make this fun and capture your kids’ true personalities, quirks, silly faces and all. If you are having fun, they will have fun, and the giggles will follow.

Here are my top 5 tips for getting the best out of your kids:

1. Get your kids excited for the session and let them know how much fun it will be, but no need to over prepare them or add too much pressure for "best behavior”

2. Kids pick up on your stress, so stay cool, even when they don’t. Meltdowns come and go, we have plenty of time to take a break and reset, no biggie!

3. Bribes work. For older toddlers and school age kids, rewards can be our best friends. Having their favorite (non messy) snack on hand can be a lifesaver. But try not to break it out too early, or they’ll be fixated on it!

4. Go with the flow. I’ll always have an idea of how I want a shot to go, but one thing I’ve learned over the years is that young kids are unpredictable, and the better shot usually comes from allowing them some wiggle room.

5. Above all, if you are having fun with them, they will have fun with you. Be prepared to pull out all the stops with hugs, kisses, tickles, chasing, and their favorite ways to interact with you. You know what brings out the best in your kids, so come prepared to be silly if that’s what does it.

Gina’s Family Photos in Arnold Arboretum | Boston Photographer

As an early mother’s day gift, Gina spent a windy afternoon at the Arnold Arboretum with her husband Jay and two daughters. Years ago, I had the opportunity to shoot both Gina’s maternity and newborn photos for her second child. It’s always special to work with clients over the years and see their child(ren) grow, as her daughters now are in elementary school and very much their own person. 

That morning we were debating whether or not to reschedule the shoot due to the wind advisory, (which if you have long hair, you KNOW the wind can be a friend and an enemy) but ended up going with it. Thank goodness for that as we captured some great moments!

Emma and Isla had such fun energy and even as the temperature dropped, kept the fun and laughter going. The true sister spirit came through as they made each other giggle, and had reminders to be gentle with each other. My approach to this shoot, and all of my shoots, is lifestyle based, so I love capturing them in their element, letting their personalities shine through.

We ended the shoot in the rose garden, carrying that energy with us, as our last shots were of the family jumping and running around.

Fun Ways to Photograph your kids This Summer | Boston Photographer

Summer is here (and so is the heat)! Hand-in-hand with this warmer weather comes longer time spent outside, especially for kids. To capture your kids having fun in the sun, I’ve created a list of some summer photo ideas that will bring a smile not just to your kids face but to your face as well. 

Capture your kid:

1. Eating watermelon or summer fruit. Be prepared for sticky hands and chins! You can even make a day of this by transforming it into a picnic.

2. Splashing in the water. Pool, ocean, lake, it doesn’t matter. Yes, your kid(s) will love this one, and yes, you may get wet. Trust me if you miss the shot of the cannon ball splash, they will be happy to do it again.

3. Doing classic “summer things”. Fourth of July fun, lemonade stands, playing with bubbles, running through the sprinkler, bbq nights- capture a family moment you love!

Have fun trying out different summer activities with your kid and capturing the moment as is. Pro tip: remember to bring sunscreen and bug spray.

Here's (and cheers) to the Dads | Boston Family Photographer

Ok let’s be real - I often overlook the amazing dads. We are (finally) hyperfocused on mom, as we should be, let’s give moms ALL the support. But what about the dads trying to “do it all”. The dads that have to miss the moments we’ll never get back, or make the hard decisions to go back to work after a mere two weeks with their newborn because that’s what everyone does. The good ones are our support systems and they don’t often complain (until they come down with the dreaded man cold lol, can I get an amen?)

I didn’t fully appreciate what it takes for a good man to become an incredible dad until I saw Nick become just that. And I’m not talking the “Wow what a hands on father!” BS comments that we get when people witness dad taking the kids for a walk or having any general interaction with their kids (moms you feel me?) I’m talking about the dads that are IN IT. Whether it’s staying at home full time, rushing home from work to jump right into bath-time, or taking one for the team in the middle of the night.

Above image by Melissa Rabbitt Photography

Dads get a bad rap for the “are we done yet” attitude at their photoshoot. I get it; it’s not easy and sometimes even uncomfortable to create special memories on command. They aren’t flashy about their relationships, but when I get to actually capture a few moments of their genuine connection, those are the photos that make us all melt. 

YES! Your workspace is photogenic. How to easily prep your space | Boston Photographer

Ok, our workspace does not look like HGTV in day to day life, but there are some really simple things we can do to style it for photos. If you know me, you know I love shooting a portion of our brand photos in the spaces my clients actually work in. If we are talking real and authentic, this is it! We want it to look clean and “effortless,” but not perfect, so there are some really simple ways to prep your space for photos.

1. Declutter. This is the number one, number two, and number three way to prep your environment. This doesn’t mean clearing off your desk completely, we want it to look functional, but not chaotic. Remove stacks of papers, organize pens, and clean up wires. These simple things will dramatically impact the way your desk photographs.

2. Remove “heavy” or dark objects from background. Darker objects steal focus, and we want to keep distracting elements out of the background. (example here before and after?)

3. Add life! Now that we’ve removed, it’s time to add. Green plant life would be my recommendation but any sort of flowers or plant will do the trick. This can be a desk plant, bamboo stalks, or a larger standing tree-type plant. (photo example with plants in foreground and background). Plants are a styling must have for most lifestyle photoshoots, no matter what your business is.

That’s it! Just a little rearranging and your space that you didn’t think would be appropriate for photos, is now the clean, personalized space you need for your brand photos. We want it styled, not sterile.

Bonus tip: if you already have brand colors, subtly accessorize your space using those colors in your vase, plants/flowers, pen, notebook, or desk organizers. The key here is subtle, pick one or two of those items, not all of them.

Baby Portraits: six months old, cheeks, and smiles-oh my! | Boston Photographer

The first year of baby’s life goes by so fast! Each month brings a new milestone, whether it’s sitting up, holding objects or crawling. While I absolutely love newborn shoots, it’s always exciting to work with babies within their first year. Just like each month brings a new milestone in development, a 3 month old and a 9 month old react differently in front of the camera. This past spring I had the lovely opportunity to work with Theo, a six month old, at their stunning condo in downtown Boston, and oh man, did he have the best expressions. Wait till you see those cheeks!

Theo was a natural, like ready to be on the cover of magazine-worthy. As a six month old he was sitting up by himself, and loved grabbing his feet or was completely fascinated by the drawstrings on his pants. While he went through the range of emotions like most babies, Theo was quick to offer back up a smile, thanks to his cheerleaders and support team, his mom, dad, and aunt! All of whom were running around behind me chanting, singing, playing peek-a-boo, and redirecting his attention with Sophie the giraffe. 

As you can see from the photos, Theo had multiple outfits which are especially helpful to have on hand on any infant shoot, (because babies can be messy). He went through his changes like a champ, and his wardrobe went great with the overall vibe of the space. Enjoy some of Theo’s moments below!

6 months is a big milestone! But no matter the age, if you interrupt nap time, there will be some tears.

A Tribute to the Mamas | Boston Family Photographer

Moms. I see you. Organizing family photos, juggling schedules, getting outfits together, bringing supplies, making sure the kids (and partners) look happy... all you want is a few good photos since you have none.
Then I get to witness and document these amazing sweet, silly, lovey moments and it's the best.

I hope you have a beautiful Mother’s Day.

What to Expect on Kids Brand Photoshoot | Boston Photographer

I love working with kid’s brands!!! Love it, love it, love it. And even more so when the marketing coordinator doubles as the stylist and totally nails her vision. Commercial and editorial shoots with kids can be about as unpredictable as they come, but that’s part of the fun - thinking on your toes and getting spontaneous authentic images. This shoot was also special because we got to work with Todd and his two sons, so capturing the natural chemistry between them was easy.  

There was never a dull moment at the studio, as Todd’s launch for children’s eyewear brought in a mix of fun and curious personalities. Part of the joy of working with kids is the wonder and energy they bring to a photoshoot.

They remain in constant awe of the world around them and ask questions about absolutely EVERYTHING! It makes you pause for a moment to think about how exciting it must be to experience something for the first time. Some of the most common questions revolved around my camera. How does it work? Where do the images go? Can I see them? Not only were they fascinated by my camera, but also my 7 month pregnant belly! Where is the baby? Can I see it? How does he breathe in there? (Still trying to figure that one out myself actually :) 

When working with children I find it so important to speak their language and engage with them, in order to build connections. Being a bit goofy and silly can create some great expressions. 

There was one point in the shoot that I had each of them scream as loud as they could, which would immediately turn into giggles and so many fun outtakes.

While the children were absolute CHAMPS, in true kid fashion, they were all falling apart by the end of the day. I always watch for indicators that they are done when working with child models, it won’t do any good to push them past their limit!

Overall this shoot was a blast! The fact that the whole family played a role made it extra memorable. Leigh, the marketing coordinator and Todd’s wife, took control over the creative directing, styling, and casting (Leigh can you organize EVERY photo shoot for us please?). And Todd got to interact with his sons, who inspired him to create the “Still” line of tween vision wear. The images captured from this shoot were honest and genuine, I just love how children feel so comfortable with themselves. Did I mention how much I love working with kids’ brands??

My Five Favorite Unique Boston Locations For Your Family Photos | Boston Photographer

Boston Public Garden, Arnold Arboretum, Seaport–all prime photo locations and quintessential Boston gems. And it’s always a different experience, no matter how many times I shoot there (thanks to you!) All great options, but if you’re looking for some off-the-beaten-path, unique locations for your family photo session, they are not as far as you might think. While they might not look like much as a whole on the outside, there is always a spot to create great images. (BONUS: one of these locations has been teen approved- meaning they are more invested in the shoot!) 

Destination 1: Underground Ink Block. This urban graffiti park located between Boston’s South End and South Boston is fun for any age. Bright, bold colors and fun art-what more could you ask for!

Destination 2: Mill Buildings near my Lawrence Studio. Remember me mentioning the teen approved site? Well this is it. Actually, I recommend this location only for older kids due to the raw industrial nature of the space. (of course it’s safe to shoot at, but not for little wandering hands). It creates some cool (yes, this word was used by a teen), industrial looking images.

Destination 3: Unkempt Field or Hill. Those tall grass photos that capture the light–need I say more? You know what I am talking about. For this type of location, I always suggest bug spray and a blanket.

Destination 4: Your home. This location is the most overlooked option. Share your love for the space you live in. Indoor, backyard, there are more great little nooks than you’ve ever realized.

Destination 5: An interesting wall. Have you ever driven by a side of white brick wall, or brightly painted side of a building, and thought, “isn’t that interesting?” No? Just me? A simple wall can add a lot of different looks. Bright, bold, rustic, edgy, playful. Add a simple texture background to keep the focus on you and your family, while giving your photos a bit of a flare.

Looking for more ideas? Reach out, so we can find a location that’s perfect for your family photos.