Family Portraits by Tim Sutherland

The loving connections made by this fun, affectionate family are what make these portraits so special.

A beautiful family portrait isn’t only about being posed well under proper lighting. What separates a great family photo from an average one is the visible love and emotion shared by family members. Whether it is happiness and wonder in a child’s eyes, the tenderness of a loving couple, or the connection between every member of an extended family – the emotion of the image is what draws us in. The viewer becomes a part of that precious moment in time, regardless of whether or not they know that particular family. A great family portrait coveys a timeless message, like the comfort of a parent’s love and the simple joy that is had by being together.

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This is a beautiful location, and I have photographed my fair share of families and senior portraits here. Prior to this family portrait session, we had a lot of rain. In fact, this was about two weeks after the Colorado floods – so all of the colors were bold and saturated. The grass was lush and green, and the sky was super blue and partially concealed by the broken, abstract cloud cover that gave it so much drama.So, why black and white family portraits instead of color in such a beautiful outdoor setting? (more…)

What to wear for our family portrait session?

What to wear for our family portrait session is the question that is most frequently asked by my clients, and there is no one right answer. There are a few rules, but hey, sometimes rules are made to be broken.

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose what to wear on the day of your shoot. The number one thing is to just be yourself. If your family loves to get all dressed up from time to time, then show that off by having the ladies in beautiful dresses and the men looking sharp in suits and ties. Portraits such as this have a timeless and classic look, that make for beautiful Canvas Wraps. Do you like the thought of it, but you aren’t really sure? You can always bring your casual clothes as well.

Dress for the location where we will be holding the photo session. Outdoor sessions will obviously have a more natural look, so casual clothing usually works best. We recommend medium to dark jewel tones of black, green, brown, rust, wine or blue. Another thing to consider is that darker shades tend to be more slimming, while lighter colors or flesh tones can drain color from the face. The general rule of thumb is that wearing white will add 10 pounds and wearing dark or medium tones will subtract 10 pounds. (more…)