Family Portrait | Discover why sometimes casual family portraits are all you need | Mississauga, ON

I had originally worked with Cindy’s family at their local playground where they had wanted some simple, casual family portraits. When they contacted me again requesting the same location with the only difference being the children’s ages, it got me thinking. Maybe simplicity is the key and for some clients, the location or occasion doesn’t matter. The importance for them was being able to document their families’ lives in that particular moment.

Guelph Casual Family Portraits

Casual Family Portraits

The weather was forecast to be gloomy and overcast, so I had given the opportunity to reschedule. Again they proved that it wasn’t an important factor for them and chose to keep their scheduled day.

Casual Family Portraits in Mississauga

Would you have considered this simple yet effective location for your casual family portraits?

Children Photography in Mississauga

Children Photography in Hiawatha Park

When we got to the park it was abundantly clear the pleasure Cindy and her husband got out of interacting with their children. Their goal was to capture a snapshot of their children in that particular chapter of their lives. They were well aware that in a couple of years, their needs would change, and the simple act of playing on the slides wouldn’t hold the same magic.

Mississauga Casual Family Photography

Hiawatha Park Family Photography

Family Photography in Mississauga

Hiawatha Park Family Photos

I started with some family shots of the four of them on the slides. The slides acted as a sightline that balanced out the image. The contrasting size of the parents at the top, highlighted just how small the children still were and offered a fun and playful element. Afterwards I splintered off the family to make sure I got a mix of individual and parent and child portraits.

Casual Family Pictures at Hiawatha Park

Kids Pictures at Hiawatha Park

Cindy’s children were so happy playing in the swings and on the climbing frame, that their smiles were genuine. This natural radiance was easy to capture and so my focus was the lighting. The tricky part of lighting outdoors is making it look natural without flooding out the details. We can see in the closeup of Cindy’s daughter, how the additional lighting was used to highlight her delicate features.

Casual Family Photos at Hiawatha Park

Casual Family Portraits at Hiawatha Park

How to ditch the fancy locations with impactful yet casual family portraits

Children Portraits in Fall

Fall Kids Portraits

Their son quickly discovered the climbing wall and took great delight in trying to reach the top. I set up the lighting so when I caught him mid action, everything was already to go. By taking the time to prep my compositions, it means less work is involved in editing, therefore the image is in a more natural state.

Kids Photography at Hiawatha Park

Fall Casual Family Portraits

Whether you choose a formal location or opt for more casual family portraits, it helps strengthen the relationships within the family. You are taking time out to show your children they are part of a team and offering beautiful memories for them to cherish. It also helps to start traditions that they will likely continue as they create their own families. Whatever your reason, taking the time to have family photos will offer a plethora of rewards.

Mississauga Casual Family Portraits

Photos taken by Dragi Andovski, published ©2019 DA Photography
Photography Location:Hiawatha ParkMississauga, ON
Here you can check another family fall photos taken by the Ontario Lake waterfront.
Check more DA Photo Studio Portraits Instagram
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