Best Family Photography near Harrisburg

Why Fall Is a Great Time for Harrisburg PA Family Photos

It’s that time of year again, folks – get ready to see your social media feeds overflowing with adorable fall family photos! As a photographer, I love to see families coming together for portraits during this time of year, like the beautiful young family featured in this blog, but have you ever wondered fall is so popular for Harrisburg PA family photos? There are several reasons, actually.

Parents admire their baby daughter while standing on a bridge during their family photoshoot near Harrisburg OPA

Fall Aesthetics

Especially in Pennsylvania, the outdoor landscape in the fall is absolutely stunning! With beautifully colorful trees and a cozy aesthetic, mother nature creates a backdrop for us that’s perfect for family photos

Best Family Photographer near Harrisburg PA

Getting Ahead for the Holidays

When it comes time for Christmas, Hanukkah, and other winter holidays, there are so many reasons you might want to have a recent family portrait on hand. Many of my clients use photos for Christmas cards, for example, and there are so many meaningful gifts you can give that involve family photos, from framed portraits to mugs to ornaments. While the main goal for a family photo session is to create custom artwork for your home, it’s always handy to have a recent portrait during the holidays.

Mom, Dad and Baby daughter are photographed in a candid moment at their outdoor family photo session.

Comfort and Convenience for Harrisburg PA Family Photos

As beautiful as fall family photos are, the autumn also happens to be a convenient time to take family portraits. For one, it’s a wonderful middle temperature – not so hot that you get sweaty during your session but also not so cold that you’re shivering and uncomfortable. The middle temperatures of the fall can help your whole family look and feel great during the session (which means we get great smiles and great portraits!).

The other convenience in the fall is the timing. Everyone loves photos taken during what we call the “golden hour,” which is the hour before sunset when there’s a gorgeous glow in the air. During the summer, though, golden hour might not be until 8:30 or 9:00 which is tricky if you have little kids with early bedtimes, and during the winter, golden hour might be at 4:00 which is challenging for working parents. Golden hour during the fall is usually around 6:00 or 7:00 which is much more schedule-friendly.

Harrisburg PA best family Photographer

Creating Your Harrisburg PA Family Photos This Fall

Want to capitalize on the fall with your own family portrait session? Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s make it happen!

Baby girl is photographed in a patch of red fall flowers during her family photo session in Harrisburg
A mom is photographed in flowers with her baby girl by outdoor fall family photographer, Karissa Zimmer Photography

 

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Family in All Forms: Nontraditional Family Photos in Harrisburg PA

When you think of family portraits, you probably picture a conventional family, as most of us do: two parents and a few kids. While that’s what most of my family photos in Harrisburg PA look like, every so often I have the joy of photographing a nontraditional family or chosen family. Recently I had that joy in my family photo session with two wonderful best friends and their children and it reminded me of how truly special these types of nontraditional family portraits in Harrisburg PA are. 

Mom best friends share a fun moment with their kids during their non traditional family photo session near Harrisburg PA
Best Family Photographer near Harrisburg PA

What Do Nontraditional Family Portraits Look Like?

Nontraditional family portraits can look so many different ways! In this case, it was a mom and her child with her dear friend and her child. It could also be a co-parenting family – children with their parents and stepparents. Or, your photo session could be your traditional family along with someone else who plays a strong role in your family, like your kids’ nanny or an extended family member who lives with you.

Ultimately, your nontraditional family portraits can include anyone who feels like family to you (within reason of course, because a family photo shoot with 20 people is a whole different ball game!). And that’s what makes it so special: it’s the people who are your family in a truly authentic way.

Toddler best friends share a sweet moment during their outdoor photography session with Karissa Zimmer Photography
Best outdoor portrait Photography | Harrisburg PA

The Beauty of Nontraditional Family Photos in Harrisburg PA

Nontraditional family photo sessions hold a special place in my heart for so many reasons.

First, they honor the relationships in your life that go beyond the bounds of genetics and our typical ideas of family. There’s no reason that your best friends or your cousins, for example, should have the joy of a photography session together just because it’s not a societal tradition (yet).

Second, these sessions celebrate the amazing fact that as people we can form amazing bonds with each other regardless of details like genetics or marriage certificates. Sometimes the most important and meaningful relationships in our life aren’t with our birth family, and in fact, it can be even more special that you and these people found each other in the world and developed such a deep relationship.

Third, I believe that a family photo session is a joy that everyone deserves to have. There are so many people who don’t have close family members or who don’t have a relationship with their family for countless different reasons. A nontraditional family photo session opens the door for all of these people to have the same joy and memories of a family photo shoot that people with traditional families get to enjoy.

Best Harrisburg PA family photographer captures a special bond between best friends and their children.

Creating Your Own Nontraditional Family Photos in Harrisburg PA

Whoever those people are in your life who are family in your heart, even if they’re not family by blood or marriage, I’d be honored to create stunning portraits for you! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start planning.

Two moms who are best friends and their toddlers have a outdoor family photoshoot together in a creek near Harrisburg
Best friend moms and their toddlers walk together in the woods at their outdoor family photoshoot

 

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