Your Outdoor Studio

Posted by Tracy | 0 comments

Want to know how to find your “Outdoor Studio”? Now, just because I am a pro and am out scouting new places to shoot all the time, doesn’t mean you can’t do it for your own pictures of your own children and family. The results will amaze you, if you just look around a little bit! It only takes a SMALL area or space to get great images. For instance a nice corner of your own back yard, deck or patio. How about one side of the house…that isn’t a wreck, with toys strewn hap-hazardly and not to mention the dog house…etc. How about your neighbor’s yard or pretty front porch? It doesn’t hurt to ask! If they let you be respectful {no picking the beautiful flowers!}, so they will allow you to come back again. I want to show you HOW small a space you can use to get great shots. At the beginning of the summer I was getting ready to do a homeschool girl’s Senior Portraits. I had been scouting out locations close to home, since they were driving in from out of state for the session. I came across an empty lot filled with wild flowers. And “saw” the possibilities.

When the day arrived and the family was following me in their own vehicle to the spot, which was to be our first of 3. I pulled up and got out and began to get my equipment ready. They didn’t even get our of the vehicle, because they JUST KNEW I had made a mistake and was checking my directions or something! When I assured them we were in the right spot, they looked at me like I was crazy! This is what we had pulled up to….

Mom, Senior and I walked over to the middle of this field (directly above the copyright symbol)…I posed the senior and Mom held the reflector for me. I got on the ground and began the shoot! I had to show them a few images for the to “believe” that I could get any kind of GOOD shot in this place. They saw and trusted me and we shot many images here.
The results:

I was able to get totally different shots, just by having her stand and me laying the ground beneath her.

What do you think?

Here are a few more of my nieces and nephews on a impromptu session in a corner of Nana’s front yard!

Let me know if you find your “Outdoor Studio”!

Tracy is first and foremost a Christian, a military wife and mother. She grew up as a military brat all over the USA and is married to her Air Force, pastor husband of 15 years. They have 2 beautiful teenage children that they home school. She is photographer, and owns Shots From the Heart Photography and loves to do what she calls “Capturing the Fingerprints of God!” in her images. Tracy also created a workshop called Mommytography, where she teaches Mom’s how to take better pictures. You can visit her at her blog: Lighthouse Academy Home & School