The coziness of your own home.
The beauty of a natural outdoor setting.
That classy oldtown walking mall feel.
The majestic view of a mountaintop session.
They're all uniquely beautiful! Read on for the pros and cons of in-home vs. outdoor sessions.
I get the struggle. As you can see from the photos above, each session type or location holds its own unique appeal, and there are a lot of factors to consider:
What time of year is it?
If there will be children, how do they handle being outdoors in the current season?
What outfits are you planning? Formal? Casual?
A couple can bundle up and nail a winter session. But a newborn session is probably going to be more ideally indoors during certain times of the year (at least in our local climate). They’re tiny and new, and mama needs to rest and recover also—so my general recommendation is to plan a newborn lifestyle shoot indoors unless your little one happens to be due at a time of year when the weather is lovely.
But what about other sessions? Most of the time my clients are pretty adaptable, so assuming there are no other factors (like limited mobility) to consider, I've made a list of some of the pros and cons of both:
Outdoor Pros:
• Lots of variety in posing and location
• More space for kids to adventure + easily capture candid photos without concern for distractions in the background
• Scenic/fun location options
• Lots of available light
• No need to prep your living space in addition to other preparations
Outdoor Cons:
• Need to travel
• Dependent on weather
• Less cozy
• Weather may impact outfit choices
• More difficult to change
• More limited with props (due to having to be carried/hauled)
Indoor Pros
• Climate controlled
• Not dependent on weather
• More intimate setting
• Can incorporate nursery/home for a more personalized feel
• Easy access to everything you might need
• No travel to and from session
• Easy to change outfits (or feed/change/potty littles!)
• More props on hand
• Comfort of your own home
Indoor Cons:
• Sometimes less available light
• Less variety in posing/location
• May need to declutter some areas to eliminate distractions/keep the focus on you
• May incur a travel fee if distant from photographer's location
• More difficult to achieve certain aesthetics
• Sometimes more difficult to capture candid photos of children (this depends on the child)
You could be one of those families that has outdoor options with optimal lighting near their own home/on their property. If you are, I may envy you a bit, haha. This is a dream of mine as a photographer. In this case you have the best of both worlds literally on your doorstep!
Each family’s needs and dynamics are unique, which is why I offer both indoor and outdoor sessions. I’d be happy to answer any of your questions regarding either indoor or outdoor sessions! Contact me here or call/text/email me at:
Victoria Christine Photography
victoriacphotography@gmail.com
540-533-1180
Your session will be beautiful whatever you choose! I hope this list helps you to decide what works best for you. The good news? This doesn't have to be and likely won't be the last session you'll ever have! There's no reason you can't switch it up next time. I've done this in my personal family photos depending on the stage we're in.
What other pros and cons can you think of?
