What if you Family photos Felt less like a photoshoot and more like an adventure
What if your family photo shoot wasn’t about getting everyone to stand still and smile at the camera, but felt more like a little adventure your family got to experience together?
We all know the typical family photos, the ones that have everyone standing or sitting next to each other looking directly at the camera and smiling. You spend most of the shoot trying to get everyone to look the same direction, smile on cue, and praying no one blinks. They can feel stiff, even stressful if you trying to make sure the kids don’t get too wild or dirty. But with a good photographer these photos still come out nice. I don’t want to knock these kinds of photos because they are classic, traditional, and the thing most people expect.
You could trade your typical family photos for something a little more fun or adventurous by centering you shoot around an activity. Your photographer would shoot documentary style while you and your family explore a beach, hike a trail, or play at a campsite. This shift the focus from staying still and smiling to capturing your actual connection, the laughs, excitement, and wonder. Lake Tahoe is also the perfect backdrop this kind of session with amazing trails, beaches, and rivers to explore.
The goal is to capture you and your family as they are right now, not some perfect version that doesn’t exist. The dirty clothes, messy hair, and silly faces mean so much more than a plastered on smile.
Doing an activity together, eliminates the “we’re so awkward in photos” and “ I don’t know what to do with my hands” because the focus is on your activity not posing for the camera. An activity also helps kids (and adults) feel more comfortable in front of the camera because there is no expectation to pose and they can just be kids and explore. Movement also helps energetic kids stay engaged. And when parents get to authentically interact with their kids you’ll get genuine smiles and the connection will shine through.
Tahoe has so many cool places to explore, from trails through the woods to rocky beaches, here are a few ideas for activity based shoots:
Picnic at the beach - Kiva, Baldwin, or Nevada are all great spots
Hike a trail to a look out point - cool ones are Tahoe Mountain, Eagle Lake, Eagle Point, or Cave Rock
Walk the Taylor Creek boardwalk
Explore the historic buildings at Tallac Historic site
Run around a meadow
Walk the trails around Fallen Leaf Lake
Play in the river at Taylor Creek or the Upper Truckee River
What an Activity or Adventure Session could look like:
I think the Taylor Creek Boardwalk would be very fun for a family who loves animals and learning. The board walk meanders down Taylor Creek and through the marsh in a large loop. There are tons of informational plaques tell you about wildlife and the eco system. There is also a building called the Stream Profile Chamber that goes partially underwater giving you an underwater view of Taylor Creek and all the animals swimming around like a wild aquarium.
We’d start out at the visitors center, and get warmed up by walking down to the boardwalk. You can check out any informational plaques on the way. I’ll follow along snapping photos as things happen naturally. I may give a little direction here and there, but mostly I want you to get used to me being there and taking photos. As you relax you may even forget that I’m there.
Once at the boardwalk we’ll see if we can spot any animals. Things like ducks, frogs, or fish, and if we’re lucky maybe a beaver or a bald eagle! Now that we’ve got an activity and a goal kids (and adults) tend to loosen up since the focus is now on looking for animals and reading about the marsh rather than what I’m taking photos of. We’ll walk the boardwalk looking for animal admiring the views, and checking out any cool plants. I’ll bop around getting shots of you while you learn and explore.
At the end of the boardwalk well come to the Stream Profile Chamber and head in to see if we can catch a glimpse of the Kokanee salmon and I’ll get shots of everyone checking out the fish in the creek.
From there we’ll follow the path through the aspen grove, and snap some more photos of you wandering through the trees. This is the perfect place to grab a couple of the more traditional style photos if you choose. There are more info plaques read and benches to take a break if you need it as well. This path takes up back to the visitors center bringing the loop trail and our session to a close.
Traditional family photos can be taken anywhere, but if you are in Tahoe why not make your photos an amazing memory of something cool you did together?