A few weeks ago I did a post about rain on your wedding day. (If you missed it you can check it out here.) And it was a huge hit that I wanted to do a post about rain on your family session day.

On a wedding day you don’t have control with weather and just have to roll with the punches. But on other session days such as family sessions, engagements, maternity or grad sessions it can be a different story! We have a bit more control when it comes to rescheduling because of bad weather.

A few days before your session, I will start checking the weather forecasts! If I see rain in the days ahead, I will send an email to you to give a heads up that rain is possible for the day of your session and begin to prep ya’ll for plan B! (Plan B is either a new location or rescheduling the session depending on the situation.)

Here is the big thing when dealing with rain or other crazy Saskatchewan weather issues (like wind or snow)…

Reschedule

That it’s OKAY to reschedule a session because of rainy or poor weather! In fact, I would recommend it. I want to make sure that I am providing a great experience for you while being able to deliver the quality images you have come to expect from me. I ALWAYS want to make sure that I’m prioritizing the safety of you and your family, especially if there are kids involved. I want you all to have an amazing experience and not have to worry that your kids are going to get soaked and then catch a cold, or get wind burn on their sweet little faces or freeze there little fingers and toes. And who wants to have crazy wind blown hair, or super wet clothes or running mascara down their face from the rain. Not me! I’m totally ok with rescheduling!

But I know there are times we can’t reschedule or find an alternate location because of a variety of situations so I do know a few ways that we can still havr your session! So here are a few tips for the next time you see crazy weather in the forecast for the day of your session and we can’t reschedule it!

Clear Umbrellas

I always bring my clear umbrellas for my clients. I keep enough for a full family in case of WORST possible case scenario…and we have to do all photos outside in the rain. And then I have a big one for myself! Got to protect my gear! But if you want to bring your own umbrellas that match your family outfit colors, go for it! I just recommend them all matching or in the same color family and be sure to get enough for your whole family!

I’ve got these umbrellas from Amazon – they work great!

A Clear Shower Curtain

Say what? Yup, you read that right, a clear shower curtain! If it is raining or rained prior to photos I bring a clear shower curtain to put under a blanket so I can add variety by sitting! That way you don’t end up with wet bums.

Covering My Gear

I also have a stash of “rain coats” for my gear to protect it from the elements. There is rain coats for cameras (yes check it out!), but as of now I use zip lock bags and they work great!

Rubber Boots

I will be wearing my bright pink rubber boots. Haha, stylish I know! (Not really!) But I want to be able to step where I need to get the good shot! And if that means stepping in a puddle, I will!

Alternate Locations

If on your session day we can’t reschedule and it looks like it will be raining, or windy or snowy, I will try to find either a natural lit indoor location with lots of big windows, or a place outside that is sheltered by the elements. This could either be under a gazebo, or in a tree covered area or under an pretty entrance way.

Snow

Yes I know snow isn’t technically rain, but I wanted to include it in this post and give you some tips to prepare yourself for your winter photos!

• Invest in Winter Accessories (a cozy blanket, a cute winter coat, or a beautiful scarf
• Wear tights under your clothes helps for added warmth
• Consider stylish and warm winter footwear
• Keep your hands toasty with mitts or hand warmers for between shots
• Why not bring some yummy hot chocolate and a cute little mug for a few photos to help keep your hands warm
• Keep the vehicles running close by and have a few warm up times between shots

But most of all, just have fun with it! Grab some snow and have a snow fight! Your kids will love you for it! 🙂 You can check out my blog post here about having a successful session in the winter in Saskatchewan.

In the images below it had either just rained, or was threatening to rain, or was raining. So somethings we did so we could still have these sessions were: be close to vehicles in case it started to rain, had warm blankets just off to the side so some could warm up while others were getting their photos taken, we moved their session inside their home, we were under a cover location (in these cases trees or a bridge), I had a bag of clear umbrellas for them if it started to rain, and we were in a sheltered tree covered area. In winter or on cooler days I have also started to bring hand warmer which have helped both my cold fingers and my clients.

So the next time you have your photos scheduled and see rain in the forecast and are unable to reschedule, know that I will do my best to keep you safe, dry and warm. And if you are able to reschedule, I will contact you the day before and chat over other possible dates and times.