Photography, Pensacola, Families Steven Gray Photography, Pensacola, Families Steven Gray

Together in Pensacola, FL: The Edwards Family

Cooler weather in Pensacola means family portrait season. And one of my favorite families to capture is the Edwards/Tipton/(soon to be) Coker clan. When discussing what they might want to do for their family portraits this year, Annie threw out the idea of a paint fight. With a slight alteration to colored chalk, we stuck with that idea and ended up with some incredibly fun shots.

Cooler weather in Pensacola means family portrait season. And one of my favorite families to capture is the Edwards/Tipton/(soon to be) Coker clan. Long-term followers of my progress will recognize Karena as a multi-trip compatriot in trips to India, and her daughter and son-in-law Brittney and Brandon from their beautiful beach wedding that I photographed two years ago, as well as their daughter Piper, whom I photographed last Christmas.

When discussing what they might want to do for their family portraits this year, Annie threw out the idea of a paint fight. With a slight alteration to colored chalk, we stuck with that idea and ended up with some incredibly fun shots. This is how you do it, folks. Matching outfits on the beach will get the job done, but if you plan to block out an afternoon to get the whole family together for photos, do something unique!

AND

Courtesy of my lovely wife, a behind the scenes video of the shoot in progress.


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Pensacola Family Portraits - Steven Gray Photography

Pensacola Family Portraits

pensacola family portraits / steven gray photography / pensacola family portrait photographerBeaches, matching white shirts and jeans, the fountain downtown...these are all trademarks of Pensacola family portraits.  With our proximity to the beach and the ready availability of spectacular sunsets, families in this area tend to default to the beach without considering all the other options nearby.  However, when I am consulted on a good location for family portraits, I try to steer clients away from the areas where everyone else goes.  Part of this is my professional responsibility--to give people something different than the Joneses down the street--but part of it is also selfish on my part, because the last thing I want to do to is go back to the beach and take the same images as every other photographer in town.

This is especially true when fall rolls around.  I love this time of year.  With the changing colors on the ground and in the trees (even Florida's green landscape experiences a little bit of change) the sunsets are warmer and richer.  The season almost removes the divide between landscapes and portraiture; outdoor scenes look amazing and people look amazing standing in them.  My job becomes very easy.

When my dear friend Karena, with whom I have worked in India for several years, asked me to take portraits of her family.  The crew included Karena, her husband John, their daughters Brittney and Jordan, and Britney's boyfriend Brandon and his little girl, Kendall. When the subject of location came up, I suggested that we skip the beach and honor the season and visit a location that looks great this time of year.  I used to wander all over the area to find unique places for family portraits, landscapes and even music videos and short films, and I found a location north of town several years ago that swiftly became one of my favorites.  It seemed like the perfect place to shoot family portraits in November.

And, you know what?

It was!

 

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