Tips for Taking Outdoor Pictures This Summer

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Kane recently celebrated his third birthday. I don’t know where all the years go, but they sure do pass by quickly. He’s at the age where he loves to play outside and get dirty. So we met up with our favorite local photographer to take his third year pictures at the park.

Whether you’re taking the pictures yourself or taking them with a photographer, here are some tips for taking outdoor pictures this summer:

– Try to schedule pictures either early in the morning or in the evening, when the sunlight isn’t so harsh.

– If it’s really sunny out, stand in large, shaded areas to also help with the lighting.

– Don’t be afraid to shoot photos on an overcast day–lighting can actually be great then!

– Look for locations that have trees or water for a pretty but neutral background.

– Don’t face directly into the sunlight–if you do, you’ll be squinting your eyes in your pictures

– If kids are in the pictures, pick a place that they have a little room to roam, like a park. It’s much less stressful than trying to take pictures in a busy downtown area.

– Wear either bright or light-colored clothing.

– When multiple people are going to be taking pictures together, don’t get too matchy-matchy when it comes to what everyone is wearing. A great idea is to pick a shade range–here, we did blue–and put everyone in slightly different shades of it. Chauncey’s wearing a light blue shirt with gray shorts. I’m wearing a slightly deeper shade of light blue dress. Kane is wearing bright blue and light blue on his shirt and shorts in one outfit. In the other, he’s wearing dark blue shorts with some light blue in them, and a white shirt to break everything up. This adds depth to your pictures and they look less awkward.

– Take a variety of shots. Take some sitting down and some standing up. Take some that are more posed and some that are more natural, like horsing around.

– When it comes to props, don’t go overboard. Here, we let Kane bring two toys to play with to keep him occupied and to let his personality show through.

– After you get home, wash your clothes to get all the dirt and allergens* out. I like to use all® free clear products.

My entire family all have outdoor allergies to some extent, and Kane has very sensitive skin, so playing outside can be tricky at times. I like to combat that by washing our clothes in all® free clear detergent after we’ve been outside. We used it ever since right before Kane was born because we wanted something gentle enough for a baby. The best part is its great for the whole family to use, and we’re free to play outdoors and have fun.

I find all® free clear detergent is great to use after spending a day at the park/being outside because it helps to remove 99% of everyday and seasonal allergens, including cat and dog dander, dust mite matter, ragweed, grass, and tree pollen.* It’s actually the #1 detergent recommended by dermatologists, allergists, and pediatricians for sensitive skin. *Note: all® free clear is not intended to treat or prevent allergies. All statistics and product information provided by all®.

Another reason we’ve used all® free clear products for the last three years is that Kane has dealt with eczema since he was a baby. Both the all® free clear detergent and all® free clear softener have been awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Association. I don’t have to worry about their products aggravating Kane’s eczema since they’re free of dyes, perfumes, chemicals, and irritating residues.

After we get home from playing outdoors, I like to wash our clothes then to get the allergens out. We have a high-efficiency washing machine, which the all® free clear detergent is already formulated for. Since I have a toddler, I especially love that it helps get out tough stains that happen when you’re having fun outside. It whitens whites and brightens colors too. I also add in the all® free clear fabric softener in the washing machine to make sure our clothes come out soft and fresh. Be sure to follow all directions for use on the packaging exactly.

While I shopped at Target, all® free clear products are available at many retailers, so you can pick some up on your next trip to the store. You can also connect with other parents by joining the all® free clear community, where you can find out about their latest products first.

Kane’s 3rd birthday pictures were taken by fellow Lexington blogger Whitney Scheibel of Fabulous in Fayette. You can visit her photography site here.

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