Taking family photos on your farm can be a beautiful way to capture some family memories, but it is also personal and can be a great way to incorporate your family story and history into your photo session!
I love capturing farm families and the special moments that are created when photos are taken in front of a barn with grandpas brand, on a piece of land that has been in the family for years, or in front of the cow herd you have been building with your family. These just make photos that more special.
If you are wanting to do photos on your farm, here are a few tips for choosing the perfect location. We will shoot in multiple places so having a few ideas in mind can help the session run smoothly.
Follow the sun:
Lighting is so important for capturing beautiful images so we will try to capture that beautiful golden hour light which shows up about an hour before sunset. We will also shoot with the sun setting in the background (for the most part), so keep west facing places in mind when choosing your locations!
Something tall:
When we first start photos, because we are at the beginning of our session, the sun tends to be very bright, so we want to choose a location that blocks the sun a bit; think about shooting in front of trees, a barn, grain bins etc.
Wide open spaces:
I love the beauty of a Saskatchewan prairie sunset, and one of the most beautiful things about capturing families on a farm is that we can get a great sunset over the wide open prairie. As the sun starts to set, we have the ability to move out from the shade of trees or buildings and capture some stunning sunset images in the wide open!
Avoid clutter:
I get it, a farm yard is a working yard and it isn't always pristine, but if you have a location you really want to use, making sure there isn't a lot of clutter in the background can help. Neon tarps or wind fences are something that can quickly draw your attention away from your family in photos.
Include your animals:
One of the most special things about on-farm sessions is being able to include your animals. Herds of horses or cattle make great backgrounds. It's just important to recognize that animals will be animals and although we will try our best, they may run to the back of a pasture or come at their own speed; that being said, I love nothing more than a family session with cows featured way in the background.
Farm family sessions are some of my favourites to do! As you plan out your location, feel free to send me pictures or ask questions. I am here to help!
Check out this farm family session. These guys did a great job of choosing locations that were both meaningful and perfect for a photo session!