By the time July rolls around on the North Shore, most families have a camera roll full of phone snaps from the beach, the backyard, and Ravinia picnics, and still nothing printed on the wall. That gap between "we take pictures all the time" and "we have a real family portrait" is where outdoor family portraits come in. If you’ve been meaning to book something for years and keep putting it off because the kids won’t sit still or you don’t feel camera-ready, you’re in the right place.

Why Summer Is the Sweet Spot for Outdoor Family Portraits

Summer in Highwood, Lake Forest, Winnetka, and the surrounding towns gives us something you can’t manufacture in a studio: soft evening light filtering through mature oaks, open meadows at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the quiet stretches of Lake Michigan shoreline that feel private even in July. The green is lush, the kids are out of school rhythm, and families are usually together in a way they aren’t the rest of the year.

The other advantage is emotional. Kids relax outside. Dogs relax outside. Dads who "don’t do photos" relax outside. When nobody feels trapped under studio lights, you get real expressions and the kind of body language that makes a portrait feel like your family instead of a stiff holiday card.

I usually start shooting around 6:00 or 6:30 in the evening. That gives us time to work through a few setups and still land in that softer, warmer light as we head toward sunset. If you have little ones whose bedtime makes even that tricky, we’ll talk through it, there’s always a workaround.

Choosing a Location That Actually Fits Your Family

Clients often ask me where we should shoot, and my honest answer is: it depends on who you are. A family with two energetic boys and a golden retriever belongs somewhere with room to run, maybe Fort Sheridan or the open lawns near the Lake Bluff bluffs. A family with a newborn and a preschooler in her favorite dress might be happier in a garden setting with shade, a few blooms, and a place to sit.

Your own backyard is also on the table, and more often than you’d think, it’s the best choice. If you have a beautiful property in Glencoe or Kenilworth with a garden you’ve spent years tending, that’s part of your story. Photographing there gives your kids a record of the home they grew up in, which becomes priceless about fifteen years down the road.

Want to talk through locations before you commit? Give me a call →

What to Wear (Without Overthinking It)

The coordinated-but-not-matchy rule still holds, but I’ll gently guide you through the specifics before your session. Generally: pick a palette of three or four colors that live comfortably together, lean into natural fabrics that move in the breeze, and avoid logos or tight patterns that pull the eye away from faces.

For summer, I’m a fan of soft whites, cream, sage, dusty blue, and warm neutrals. Dresses for moms and daughters photograph beautifully because they catch the wind and add motion. Dads tend to look their best in linen or a lightweight button-down with the sleeves rolled. Barefoot on the grass or sand is almost always better than formal shoes.

If you’re staring into your closet feeling stuck, I offer wardrobe consultations in person or over Zoom. We’ll go through what you already own, pull together outfits that work for everyone, and take the guesswork out completely before your session day.

How I Keep Kids (and Nervous Parents) Comfortable

Here’s the part people don’t always believe until they experience it: the session itself is the easy part. Most parents walk in bracing for a wrestling match with their kids and themselves, and leave a little surprised at how much fun they had.

I don’t ask families to pose like mannequins. I give you something to do, a place to stand, a direction to walk, a question to ask your kid, and then I photograph what naturally unfolds. If your four-year-old needs ten minutes of running around before she’ll look at me, we build that in. If your teenager is convinced she hates being photographed, I’ll work with her one-on-one first so she sees what she actually looks like through my lens. Usually that’s the moment she softens.

The thing parents tell me most often, both during the session and when they see the gallery, is how patient I am and how much humor I bring to it. I’d rather make your four-year-old laugh until she forgets I’m there than bark "everyone smile" at her. When kids feel relaxed, parents feel relaxed, and that’s when the portraits actually come alive.

Parents who tell me "I’m not photogenic" almost always are. What they mean is they’ve had bad experiences with photographers who didn’t direct them. I’ll show you where to put your hands, how to tilt your chin, how to hold your partner so your shoulders look relaxed instead of stiff. You don’t have to know any of this walking in.

From Session to Heirloom: What You’ll Actually Have

A portrait session that ends with a gallery link and nothing on your wall is a missed opportunity, and honestly, it’s where most families get stuck. Files sit on hard drives. Hard drives die. Ten years later you have nothing to show for a beautiful afternoon.

After your session, we sit down together and choose your favorites. I’ll walk you through wall art, albums, and framed pieces that suit your home, and help you figure out what belongs over the mantel versus on the stairwell versus in a small album your kids can actually hold. The goal is artwork your children will fight over someday. That’s the whole point.

Ready to put something real on your walls this year? Let’s find a date →

Making Room for the Whole Family, Pets Included

Dogs are family on the North Shore, and they belong in your family portraits. I photograph a lot of goldens, labs, doodles, and the occasional French bulldog, and I know how to keep them engaged without losing the kids’ attention in the process. If you have a pet who’s anxious or reactive, we’ll plan around that. Sometimes that means starting with just the dog, sometimes it means a quieter location, sometimes it means bringing a second handler.

And if you have older kids or teenagers who are about to leave for college, this is the summer to do it. The window closes faster than anyone expects.

FAQ

How long does a typical outdoor family session last?
Plan on about 90 minutes on location. That gives us time to settle in, move through a few setups, and capture different groupings, including individual portraits of the kids and a few of just the parents. We’re never rushing.

What happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate?
North Shore summers are unpredictable. If the forecast turns on us, I’ll reach out a day ahead and we’ll reschedule to the next workable evening. Overcast days, by the way, often produce the most beautiful light, so I don’t cancel for clouds.

We have a newborn and a toddler. Is that too much to handle?
Not at all. Families with very young children are some of my favorite sessions. We plan around nap schedules, keep the pace relaxed, and I’ll never ask you to force a smile out of a cranky toddler. We work with what the day gives us.

Let’s Make Something Your Family Will Keep

If you’ve been thinking about outdoor family portraits for this summer, I’d love to hear about your family, your home, and what you picture hanging on the wall a year from now. I serve Highwood, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Glencoe, Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Evanston, Northfield, Glenview, Northbrook, Deerfield, and Skokie, and I’d be glad to help you figure out what kind of session fits.

I can’t wait to meet you and your people. Call or text to start the conversation →