Playful + Colorful Backyard Pool Session | Minneapolis Family Photographer

I went running to my husband when I got the mood board for this shoot.
“ERIC! Look at this! This is my DREAM shoot!”

Turns out I was completely right, it was my dream shoot. I just had several months to wait till I could photograph this gorgeous family for their backyard poolside session. As you can imagine, I was READY despite the heat when that July day came.

The specificity of the vision is what stood out to me, and how much it aligned with my own preferences.
Brittany was embracing color and patterns in their wardrobe choices!
It was a fun yet elevated look, with a nudge towards a more minimal photo aesthetic!
Having activities planned that help the candids come more naturally for the extra playful vibe!
It all felt like ME and what I love shooting the most.

From a technical standpoint, it was also a fun challenge shooting in daytime sun. Most of my sessions happen at golden hour to utilize the softest, glowiest light, but for this vibe: brighter was better. It made the colors pop and added an extra sense of fun.

Want to incporate this vibe into your own backyard family session?

Here are a few tips:
Aim for 2+ patterns across your family to add visual interest
Stick to just a few different colors to keep it chic
Add props like popsicles, watermelon, bubble blowing, pool floaties—all of which we had for this shoot!
Keep the mood light to allow your kids some actual fun
Embrace a little chaos—it’s where all the interesting stuff lives
And most importantly: call me, baby! I want to be there to document it! I have the most fun on sessions like this and I’d love to create a version of it for you + yours.