Creative Ways to Capture Family Memories This Summer

Summer is the perfect time to capture family memories. The long days, warm weather, and relaxed atmosphere create endless opportunities for memorable photos. As a photographer, you have the chance to create lasting images for families. By incorporating Iris Works, you can streamline your workflow and focus on creating beautiful, candid moments. Let’s explore creative ways to capture family memories this summer with the help of Iris Works.

Explore Local Farms

Local farms offer a rustic and charming setting for family photos. Many farms have sunflower fields, apple orchards, and petting zoos. These locations provide a unique backdrop and fun activities for families. Capture candid shots of children feeding animals or picking apples. Iris Works helps you schedule sessions during optimal times and manage location details. This ensures you capture the best light and moments.

Plan a Beach Day

Beaches are a classic summer spot for family photos. The ocean, sand, and sun create a beautiful and dynamic setting. Capture family memories by photographing children building sandcastles or parents walking along the shore. For example, you can visit a popular beach like Malibu Beach in California or Clearwater Beach in Florida. Iris Works allows you to schedule and keep track of these sessions, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.

Visit Botanical Gardens

Botanical gardens offer a lush and vibrant backdrop for family photos. Places like the New York Botanical Garden or the Atlanta Botanical Garden have diverse plant collections and picturesque landscapes. These gardens provide a serene setting for capturing family interactions. Make sure to coordinate with garden staff and manage booking times. Utilize Iris Works Booking Calendar feature to schedule sessions. This ensures you have the space and time needed to capture beautiful images.

Go on a Picnic

Picnics are a fun and relaxed way to capture family memories. Choose a scenic park like Central Park in New York City or Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Capture candid shots of families enjoying their meals, playing games, or simply lounging on blankets. Props like picnic baskets, colorful blankets, and outdoor games add a playful touch to your photos. Use Iris Works Automated Workflows to keep the families informed on what to wear and how to prepare.

Take a Hike

Hiking offers an adventurous and active setting for family photos. National parks like Yosemite in California or Zion in Utah have breathtaking landscapes and scenic trails. Capture family moments as they hike, explore, and enjoy the great outdoors. Iris Works allows you to organize and plan these sessions, ensuring you capture the best moments and views.

Capture Backyard Fun

Backyard settings are personal and comfortable for families. Capture family memories by photographing children playing on swings, parents gardening, or families having a barbecue. For example, suggest setting up a small backyard carnival with games and decorations. A backyard carnival is just one example of how you can use familiar and comfortable settings to create unique and memorable family photos. The key is to capture the joy and interactions of the family in a setting where they feel at ease and happy.  These everyday moments create heartfelt and genuine images that families will cherish.

Attend Local Festivals

Local festivals provide a lively and colorful setting for family photos. Events like state fairs, music festivals, and food festivals offer a variety of activities and vibrant backgrounds. Capture candid shots of families enjoying rides, trying new foods, or dancing to live music. For instance, visit the Texas State Fair or the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. These bustling environments are perfect for capturing all the excitement and joy of family interactions.

Organize Themed Sessions

Themed sessions can add a creative twist to your family photos. Consider themes like a vintage picnic, superhero day, or fairy tale adventure. Choose locations and props that match the theme, creating a cohesive and imaginative setting. Iris Works helps you plan and organize these themed sessions, ensuring all details are in place for a successful shoot.

Focus on Seasonal Activities

Seasonal activities provide natural and engaging photo opportunities. Capture family memories by photographing activities like berry picking, kite flying, or camping. For example, visit a local berry farm or a popular camping site like Yellowstone National Park. These activities naturally lend themselves to candid and joyful photos. Imagine children’s faces lighting up as they pick fresh berries or the excitement of flying a colorful kite on a breezy day. Additionally, the serene moments shared around a campfire during a camping trip create perfect opportunities for capturing heartfelt interactions.

Utilize Urban Landscapes

Urban settings offer a modern and dynamic backdrop for family photos. Cities like New York, Chicago, or Seattle have iconic landmarks, vibrant street art, and bustling markets. Capture family moments against the backdrop of cityscapes, murals, or historic buildings. Iris Works helps you manage location details and schedule sessions, ensuring you capture the best urban vibes.

Loni Brook Photography

Use Iris Works’ email marketing feature to promote your sessions.

Create Engaging Campaigns: Design eye-catching email campaigns that highlight the unique aspects of your themed sessions. Use vibrant images and compelling text to showcase the fun and creativity of each theme. For example, include photos of past vintage picnic sessions or superhero day shoots to attract interest.

Email Marketing

1. Personalize Emails: Use client data to personalize your email marketing. Address clients by name and mention previous sessions they enjoyed. Personalization increases engagement and makes clients feel valued. For instance, if a family loved a beach session, suggest how a fairy tale adventure could add a new twist to their photo album.
2. Offer Exclusive Promotions: Provide special offers or discounts for themed sessions through your emails. Limited-time promotions can create a sense of urgency and encourage bookings. For example, offer a discount for clients who book a superhero day session within a week of receiving the email.
3. Highlight Benefits: Emphasize the benefits of themed sessions in your emails. Explain how these sessions create unique and memorable photos that stand out. Highlight the fun and engaging experience for the whole family. For instance, describe how a fairy tale adventure session can bring a child’s favorite stories to life.
4. Include Testimonials: Share testimonials from clients who have enjoyed themed sessions. Positive feedback and beautiful photos from past clients can inspire new bookings. Include quotes and images that showcase the joy and satisfaction of families who participated in themed sessions.
5. Call to Action: Make it easy for clients to book a session directly from the email. Include clear call-to-action buttons that link to your booking page. For example, use buttons like “Book Your Session Now” or “Schedule a Consultation” to guide clients through the process.

Using Iris Works’ email marketing feature to promote your themed sessions can significantly boost your bookings. By creating engaging and personalized campaigns, offering exclusive promotions, and highlighting the unique benefits, you can attract more clients and make each themed session a success.

Conclusion

Capturing family memories is a rewarding aspect of photography. By using creative techniques and tools like Iris Works, you can enhance your sessions and deliver exceptional results. Explore local farms, plan beach days, and visit botanical gardens. Go on picnics, take hikes, and capture backyard fun. Attend local festivals, organize themed sessions, and focus on seasonal activities. Utilize urban landscapes for a modern touch. Above all, make each session unique and memorable. This summer, help families create lasting memories with your photography skills and Iris Works.