Layer, layer up!

This may sound obvious, but trust me, I have to put it in this list! Layering up is crucial for winter sessions. I suggest wearing undershirts, double socks, you name it. Especially for young children, layering them up for photos will make the cold more bearable and less painful!

Manage your expectations

Understand that winter sessions will be colder than a usual spring or fall session. Therefore, I try to work a bit faster to make sure we can get the most out of our session. If you are looking to book a winter session for your family and have children, especially younger kids, I recommend booking a smaller package with less time since less time = less time outside, and kids typically have a low attention span to begin with.

Chatting about location

When it comes to planning a session, we chat with one another and go over all of the important details such as location. A factor you may want to consider is location and how far the actual photo spots are to the parking lot where we may be meeting for our session. You may want to opt for a session at a location where we will be working close to parking or where less walking is required so when we start, we can jump right into photos before freezing!

Some great spots which is close parking include Sayen Gardens, the John Abbott II House, and Weeden Park. Feel free to look at more locations here and we can chat about what may work best: https://www.jennakphotos.com/blog/locations-i-recommend-for-your-next-session-with-jennakphotos-mercer-county-nj-photographer/

Flexibility is KEY

For winter sessions, it’s expected that it may be cold. Just like any other session, rain may be a reason we may need to reschedule as it may interrupt our session. And now with winter, we always have a possibility of snow in such cold temps! While snow is a great prop and backdrop for sessions, sometimes we may need to reschedule if there is active snowfall which may greatly impact our session. 

Be prepared to have FUN

During all sessions, I encourage families to get close and have fun with one another. This is especially true for Winter sessions where it’s most fitting to snuggle with one another and warm each other up! I guide you and your family through various prompts and posing that capture everyone best. Whether it’s posed shots of everyone sitting/standing, running shots of the kids, snuggles between mom and dad, I have a bunch of fun shots up my sleeves!