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Question from Melanie: “For those of you that do family/children shoots, how do you schedule outdoor shoots far in advance if you don’t know what the weather is going to be?
Do you schedule for late in the day, closer to sunset?
Do you not care what time of day you shoot?
Do you prefer cloudy days to sunny days?
What if it rains? Thanks. :)”
Felicia: I’m having kind of the same issues. I have family sessions booked through Thanksgiving. I prefer closer to sunset and somewhat cloudy days (natural diffuser). Everyone’s been saying we’re going to have a really hard winter here, and I’m not sure how that’s going to effect my outdoor shooting abilities. Following to see ideas. =]
Katie: Cloudy days have better lighting usually opposed to sunny days with more sun exposure.
Calina: Whenever I schedule far in advance, if someone wants an outdoor shoot, I make them aware that I also have a studio in case the weather doesn’t permit. It won’t be the same look, but if they want to keep that date, I always have a backup plan!
Amy: i schedule 1 1/2 hours before sunset. If it rains, we reschedule. no big deal. That’s another reason why it’s important to not overbook yourself. If you are shooting 5 or 6 days a week when will you ever be able to reschedule someone? Time of day DOES matter. Sunrise or sunset will yield much nicer results in light than mid-day sun that is directly overhead and harsh.
Vanessa: I live at the beach so when I schedule it is usually some time in advance because folks are planning for their vacation and they expect every day to be bright and sunny! Well, its not! The weather here can change on a dime! I try to be as flexible as I can with my clients. They only have a 7 day grace period so scheduling early in the week to allow for reschedules works well for me. Also I do early day and evening so I won’t get squinty eyes
Ryley: I book the shoot and deal with the weather when it comes closer to date. You can always reschedule if the weather is too aweful.
Ryley: I schedule late in the day. Never in the middle… TERRIBLE LIGHT! Unless its cloudy… I prefer a cloudy day or a clear evening. If it rains you might get a fiun family that wants to buy colred umbrellas and have fun in the rain… if not… Its easy just reschedule.
Tracy: I watch 10 day weather forecast online, telling them it’s weather dependent, & they need to be ready when the weather is right.
Brandon: Cloudy or clear evenings for sure. Clouds are a natural diffuser. Mid day is the worst… harsh lighting is uuuugly… unless that’s the look they’re going for?
If it rains, it depends on the family. If they enjoy that kind of thing, then sure! If not, reschedule.
Diana: “But shouldn’t it be bright and sunny for pics?” I’m not sure how to deal with clients that insist on booking their outdoor session at noon! Its hard for them to understand that the most beautiful light is right around the time the kids should be getting ready for bed and not mid day !!
Katrina: l As the others have said, I aim for the “golden hour”, but if I have to shoot midday with direct sun I pick a location with lots of open shade.
Christy: I schedule sessions 2 hours before sunset. I have a favorite shoreline state park, and we start in the wooded area and finish on the beach during the golden hour. I prefer about 75% clouds for beach photos, 50% or less for woods. If you shoot in the same location, you will learn the light after a while. Two years ago I noticed a difference in lighting quality from August sessions compared to October. I learned through doing what the best light was for the look I wanted.
Michelle: I recently watched a Workshop on CreativeLive with a Pro Photographer who mainly focused on learning how to shoot in any type of lighting situation, which I think is more realistic then trying to book sessions and coax people into a comfort zone that you as the photographer are comfortable with. Since then, I’ve been challenging myself and doing the midday high noon sun, forcing myself to look outside of the box and find the light. And if it’s not there, then practicing with my external flash/ reflectors has been an amazing exercise.
Mandy: Michelle, what was the name of the lighting workshop on creative live that you watched. I would love to watch
Morgan: Also interested Michelle B
Michelle: Hi Mandy and Morgan… the photographer for the workshop was Roberto Valenzuela> The way that CreativeLive works, is that you’re allowed to watch the LIVE taping for Free and they offer the course at a discounted price during the taping. When it’s done, it’s then offered at full price. What I really enjoyed about his workshop, was the way he taught how to work with horrible lighting situations. He took several photographers out in the field and demonstrated some amazing stuff. I have gained so much insight from the different workshops and photographers and love hearing them speak of when they first started and they keep it real. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m a less is more kind of person and I don’t want to lug tons of equipment with me, so I am determined to learn how to work with what I’ve got.
Mandy: Thanks Michelle, will definitely be purchasing that one
Michelle: your Welcome
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