Those Summer Nights…
Am I the only one who stops paying attention to the temperature and only looks at the “feels like” number on forecasts in the summer? Sure, 85 is a great summer temp… but if the “feels like” is 101, you know you’re in for it. And so it was on a recent summer night as I prepped for an outdoor family photography session. (Aside: when does “night” start in the summer? 5pm feels more like afternoon when the sun is still so high in the sky.) I parked at Deep Run Park in Henrico and soaked up the last bit of AC, then turned off the car. I allowed my gear to slowly acclimate to the outside temperature before opening the door to the face slap of humidity.
I like to arrive a few minutes early to sessions, just to be sure everything is still the way I expect it to be (lesson learned), and my on-the-ball clients were right behind me. We chose Deep Run Park because of its proximity to Christina’s family and because of all the shade the park provides, even at 5pm (see above about it feeling like afternoon). Deep Run has a plethora of picturesque locations and little hideaway spots. We meandered along the paved paths and ducked into the trees with a destination in mind: the swings. The perfect motivation for a hot five-year-old is swings.
Christina had prepared perfectly for a family photo session on a hot summer evening. She let her daughter pick her favorite dress to wear, and then planned the rest of the family’s outfits around that dress. Letting her daughter be in charge of her own outfit helped her feel involved and excited about our time together. She had also brought some distractions, like a ball and bubbles, to keep her attention up and running at full speed.
And then the genius part for a hot summer evening: ice packs. We all brought lots of water, but I hadn’t thought of ice packs. I’ll admit to feeling a little jealous as we walked from one spot to another and they put gloriously cold packs of ice on their heads and necks. I love learning new tricks from my clients. Whether it’s a way to stay cool in extreme heat, a new way to keep kids interested in what we’re doing, or a new location, bring it on. I know a lot (not all) about family photography, but I love learning new ways to do what I do.
We made it to the swings and both kids relaxed and enjoyed a few minutes of no-pressure fun time. I prefer lots of no-pressure fun time during sessions, but when it’s that hot outside, sometimes the structure and direction helps. Most people defer to not moving when oppressed by such heat, and the light direction and frequent breaks help break the spell of a summer daze.
Christina and fam, thank you all for being such troopers and pushing through the humidity. Next time maybe we’ll play at home.
Wondering where the best place for your family photo session might be? Try my location quiz!
