Over Christmas break I was able to photograph the Nay family! They traveled from Hawaii to Utah to spend Christmas in the snow! They stayed at a resort in Utah and learned how to snowboard, spent time as a family and went sledding. While they were on their snowy vacation, they scheduled family pictures in the snow to document their time in the cold snowy weather. I love that they got family photos while they were on their vacation. It is a great way to document your trip and have even more memories from your vacation.

Taking pictures in the snow can be challenging, especially if you are not used to the snow. This family had to prepare by buying or renting completely different wardrobes, and preparing their rental car.

I am going to share some tips for taking pictures in the snow that’ll make your session more comfortable and efficient.

1. Dress for the weather. Your first instinct when planning family picture outfits might not be to layer up or wear snow gear. Layering and wearing cute winter hats or coats fits right in to the setting of the photograph. You will stay warm and be able to tolerate the weather conditions if you are dressed appropriately for the weather. Avoid high heels or open shoes and wear your winter boots or warm shoes.

2. Plan to get in and out of the car for warm up breaks. If there are young kids or people who aren’t used to cold weather, You will for sure need to plan for time to warm up in the car. This is no trouble for your photographer and we like to get warm too! Warming up can help you be more comfortable at your shoot and also help prevent some of the red noses. It is also a great time to switch out your hat, wipe noses or visit with your family and photographer.

3. Be sure to plan the location with your photographer. Snowy conditions can be tricky. A lot of locations you would normally have your family pictures taken are not maintained in the winter. It is important to know a head of time if your location is accessible. The photographer is a professional location scouter and will know this information about the locations they use. If you are choosing the location, be sure to check it out before hand to make sure it is maintained and accessible.

Winter photos can be so nice for the dads who don’t like getting pictures taken and the kids who don’t last long anyway. The scenery is so fresh and bright and it makes for a fun change in pictures! If your family particularly loves snow activities, I highly recommend taking family pictures in the snow! That will be exactly your speed! And winter outfits are so cute and fun, too!

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