UPDATED POST, February 2025.
Hi, I'm Cara, a Dublin Family Portrait Photographer.
I do lifestyle and family sessions on location, in outdoor places all around Dublin, and also in your own home and garden.
My mini family sessions are done locally, in Blackrock parks and gardens, and at Seapoint Beach, near Monkstown.
In addition, you can often find me at locations along the coast, including Sandycove and Glasthule, Dunlaoghaire, and Dalkey village. I am also covering locations in Dundrum, Stillorgan, Booterstown and Ballsbridge - but I travel for sessions all across Dublin and Wicklow.
I thought I would do a post about sessions done in the midday sun, where finding shelter can be vital to avoid less flattering glare. In those cases, trees often provide essential shade
Family session in midday? Why is it important to find shade?
Midday is when the sun is the highest point in the sky. This means it creates "hard light", often defined by stark light and shade. Shadows are short and sharp. This is often seen as "unflattering" light for family portraits. Think harsh, unforgiving highlights across the face and shadows under the eyes!
However, hard light can also create interesting drama and patterns, so sometimes it can be best to embrace the sunshine! I'll leave room in a session for some light-inspired creativity!
Seeking shade is a good idea to soften the light in the majority of photos, or at least to begin with. Trees provide ideal shade.
Below, on a bright Spring Mini Session, this family was photographed under a canopy of trees.
There are times when sessions in the middle of the day can't be avoided. For instance, Dublin Communion sessions are often done at midday between mass and family celebrations later in the afternoon. Also, May has been a hot month the last couple of years!
Below, three lovely ladies with a precious baby boy. Here it was raining as we sought shelter in a little courtyard garden and under a canopy of trees in this Blackrock park.
Below, another Spring session in May when it was unusually hot and we used the shade under the trees to soften the light. You can see patches of light and shade on the grass.
Trees that provide beautiful backdrops for family portraits: Seasonal colour.
Below, my son hosing down the garden in my Abu Dhabi family portraits. As well as providing shade from the intense afternoon sun, the blossom was a lovely frame, here in soft focus.
Autumn colour - September is the start of many Autumn family sessions, a popular time of year for Dublin outdoor family photos.
Here the pop of red from her gloves match red autumn leaves!
Here, below cute baby feet under the trees! The shapes of the leaves look pretty above his head.
Dublin Family Portrait Photographer: Embracing harsh light
Sometimes it's good to embrace hard light, and the patterns that come with it. When the camera settings are right, slightly underexposing can mean that while faces are clear, nothing is too over exposed and you still get interesting shadow patterns.
Below, little boy in light cast by leaf patterns and brilliant sunshine in the garden!
More dapped light at this communion family session. It was such a bright day.
More brilliant sunshine. I embraced the spots of light that came through the leaves above on mum's face and the dots of light on baby's face. It brings this sunny session to life!
More intense light and shade from trees over head cast on to the pavement.
Hard lighting can look even more dramatic in timeless black and white that emphasises light and shadow.
This little girl under the dappled light of trees. Under the tree there is lots of deep shade for flattering family portraits!
Patches of intense afternoon sun at midday, but under the trees there is enough shade to capture this lovely family!
What about In the trees? Trees are so fun to climb when you're a kid!
My mini family sessions run through the year in a Blackrock garden and at Seapoint Beach near Monkstown. There is a tree in the garden I use in Blackrock where I often take photos of children climbing or sitting in it.
In general, on any Dublin outdoor family session, if there is a tree, the kids can climb it!
In this case, the sunlight was so intense in the middle of the day in Donadea Forest Park, that this girl's communion dress was dappled in light. I love the patterns it created, and over time, I have learned to embrace hard light. As long as there are still photos where everyone is in shade, a few in hard light can create interesting photos, after all, it helps to remember how sunny this May Communion day was!
This little girl lying in a tree. I love a child surrounded in nature! Like a little fairy in her princess gown!
Brother and sister in the tree during my mini family portrait session in Blackrock.
This little boy wearing a bird mask in a tree!
More light on her face as she climbs the tree in full sun!
Dublin parks & wooded areas are also beautiful to photograph family sessions throughout the year. Flush with spring and autumn colours. Killiney Hill Dublin is great for wooded family photo shoots Dublin (see my Killiney Hill family photo shoot Dublin)
Swinging from the tree!
My lovely niece in the branches of a tree.
Have a look at my family session packages to see the variety of options I offer - from quick family portraits to a full day of documentary family photography, that are particularly good for events and special family occasions, such as birthday parties.
All my sessions come with a full gallery of edited photos, so there is no need to pick and choose your favourite pictures. I also offer books, albums, professional printing and framed prints.
All my outdoor sessions run through the year and are ideal for children, babies and even newborns on sunny days!
I know that often family sessions are held in the middle of the day, and I will often look to the shade of trees to make beautiful memories.
Have a wonderful week, Cara x
Simple family portraits with my nieces under the shade of trees (2016)
It was delightful to do a session with these children in a woodland with a very enchanted feel.
(You can see more photo series with my nieces HERE & HERE. For my Untamed Summer Story - a week in the garden in Glastonbury last August 2022. This photo story has a definite documentary family photography quality to it. The moments being totally unposed for the most part!)
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