Outdoor vs Indoor Sessions
What are my options? What factors should I consider? How do I choose?!
Let me start off by saying you will have beautiful photos with either choice! There are a number of outdoor location and indoor studios I am able to recommend based off of your inspiration and vision. Regardless of you session type, I recommend you start the decision making process by considering the time of year, looking for inspiration photos, and describing your vision to your photographer (me!). I'll touch on the factors to consider and benefits of each option in the sections below.
Outdoor
Outdoor locations offer a variety of options and allow for that dreamy, golden hour lighting. Here in Minnesota, you can choose from cityscapes, prairies with tall grass and wildflowers, lakes, pines, rolling hills, and walking paths. To determine whether an outdoor session is the best option for you, consider the season, weather, and golden hour timing.
Pro Tip: Keep your location choice in mind when planning your outfits to ensure they coordinate!
Spring
March-May can be a little muddy and usually surprises us all with one last snow fall in April. The prairie grass and wildflowers are growing so I recommend wearing white, khaki, blush, navy, or gray. Consider wearing a floral patterned dress that incorporates these colors and style the others in solids.
Summer
June-August are some of our longer days so consider golden hour timing when deciding on your preferred month. The sun typically sets between 7:30-9:00pm, which could overlap with nighttime routines for the littles. If you're a morning person/family, you may prefer a sunrise session as an alternative option!
Fall
September-November is "busy season" due to the beautiful fall colors so book your session in advance! The temperature can fluctuate but is typically remains in the 50's-60's. This is the perfect time to get everyone together for updated photos to display in your home or for holiday cards. For a fall vibe, I recommend wearing terracotta, mustard, olive, or khaki colors; while for the holidays, wear navy, cream, green, or maroon. The weather is comfortable and the days are shortening so this is my favorite season for family photos.
Winter
December-February are ch-ch-chilly and snowy so consider the temperature tolerance of everyone involved in the session. If you have littles, bring blankets and coats so we can incorporate warm-up breaks. There will likely be snow on the ground so I recommend wearing neutral colors or jewel tones like black, olive, camel, navy, burgundy, etc.
Outdoor Winter Session
Indoor
Indoor locations are a great option for family lifestyle, newborn, and boudoir sessions. I like to book indoor sessions in the late morning/early afternoon hours so we can take advantage of the midday light. Depending on the season, you may prefer an indoor session for dependable lighting and temperatures.
Studio
There are plenty of studios within the Minneapolis/St. Paul area with a few hidden gems sprinkled throughout the suburbs. Studios offer a variety of seating and backdrop options, but require the renter to bring their own props unless they are offering a special holiday setup. We will work together to pick a studio that best fits your session type and vision.
In-home
I am happy to travel to your home or invite you to my in-home studio for lifestyle or posed photos. Most of my newborn sessions take place in their nursery and I bring additional props and wraps for posed options. The in-home option is a favorite because you get to stay in the comfort of your own home and can look back on how your baby's room once looked, before the big kid bed and teenage mess.
In-home newborn session
