How to Have Glowy Family Photos

Glowy family photos is the most technical term I can come up with to describe the warm, sun-filled images that I love so much. Evoking all the cozy feelings of a summer’s sunset and ice cream on the front porch and the promise of fireflies by twilight, these are the bomb. Glowy may not even be a word, but glowy family photos is the phrase I use to describe all the warm fuzzies of family and togetherness with a healthy dose of God’s gift of sunshine.

If you’re wondering how to have glowy family photos, there are two main considerations you must factor. One is self-controlled and the other is weather-depending.

Emotionally glowy family photos requires letting go of the inevitable stress surrounding photo day and focusing on the purpose of the shoot. What’s that? Documenting for posterity the now that is our family together in this moment.
I write more on this mental preparation in “How to Prepare for your Photo Shoot” and “How to Look Amazing in Photos.”
Physically glowy family photos is when the sun shines just right and the conditions are primed for success. The photos you hang on the wall can literally glow. While you ultimately have no control over the weather, there are things you can do to maximize the possibility of glowing family photos.

How to have glowy family photos

Be able and willing to shoot at sunset. For most of us, this means sacrificing comfort. You’ll either need to shoot when the sun sets earlier but the days are cooler OR you’ll need to schedule your shoot for later in the summer’s evening. Shooting later will mean you get the kids to bed later than is usually ideal. Admittedly, this is the hardest obstacle to glowy family photos: your kids probably are grumpier at night or in the cold. It’s perfectly acceptable that you’d prefer to schedule your Fraser Valley family photo session in the middle of a summer day. But a little sacrifice will go a long way toward glowing success.(In the case of this shoot: we were moderately chilly and put on jackets in between photos, and played lots of running/moving/jumping games to stay warm. The kiddos got to bed at a moderately reasonable time, or if they didn’t it wasn’t my fault. :-P)
Have some visually appealing backgrounds to block some of the light and allow for glowing sunshine before sunset. I love this both for the aesthetic quality and to make sure there’s enough contrast between you and the sunshine. Mountains, forest, and historic alleyways are perfect for this.
Know there are different levels of glowy — even in this shoot, you see how at least one of the sunny glows makes the faces a little less defined. Personally, I love that…but that’s a non-traditional way to approach the family photo and may be a bit more artistic than some prefer. Ultimately, your photographer will make sure you have a wide range of options so that everyone’s preferences wins.