Winter Family Photoshoot in Glasgow: Why Winter Can Be a Great Time for Family Photos
Winter probably isn’t the first season you think of when you imagine an outdoor family photoshoot in Glasgow.
I understand why. We live in Scotland. It can be cold, wet and grey, sometimes all in the same day.
But I photograph families outdoors throughout the year and winter sessions can be really beautiful.
The parks are quieter, the light is softer and the colours are completely different from summer or autumn. There are dry grasses, bare trees, muted greens and browns, and because the sun stays lower in the sky, we can often get lovely soft light much earlier in the day.
And no, we definitely don’t need snow.
Probably much less formal than you imagine.
I don’t expect children to stand in one place and smile at me, especially when it’s cold.
We walk. We play. We race. Children explore, collect sticks, climb on things, cuddle into Mum and Dad and generally do what children do.
I give you direction when you need it, but I don’t want the whole session to feel like two hours of posing.
Actually, winter works really well with the way I photograph families because everyone needs to keep moving.
And when it gets a little chilly, people naturally come closer together. I never need to ask twice for an extra cuddle.
Not at all.
Of course, if Scotland gives us snow on the day, we’ll happily take it.
But most of my winter family sessions around Glasgow have no snow whatsoever.
Winter has its own colours. Golden grasses, bare branches, dark greens, earthy browns and softer skies create a much quieter background than we often get during the warmer months.
Personally, I really like that.
It keeps the attention on the people rather than everything happening around them.
Pollok Country Park is one of the places I photograph families throughout the year, but it changes completely in winter.
It is quieter, the colours become softer and there is still plenty of variety within one location.
We have woodland, paths and open spaces, so children have room to run and explore rather than feeling as though they are standing in one spot having their photograph taken.
It is also a good option if you want to stay close to Glasgow, particularly with younger children when a long journey before the session isn’t ideal.
If you are still deciding where to have your session, you can also have a look at my guide to some of my favourite outdoor photoshoot locations in Glasgow.
Mugdock Country Park has a different feel again.
It is a little wilder and more open, with woodland, long paths, grasses and plenty of space to walk.
I particularly like Mugdock for families who want their session to feel less like going somewhere specifically to have photographs taken and more like going for a walk together.
There is enough variety that we can move around during the session and children don’t get stuck doing the same thing for too long.
And it works really well in winter. Even when the trees are bare, there is plenty of texture and colour around us.
I photograph maternity sessions here too, including during winter, so you can also see how Mugdock looks at this time of year in my winter maternity photography session.
Pollok, Mugdock and Cardowan Moss are simply examples of places where I have photographed families during winter.
They certainly aren’t the only options.
We can go to the beach, head towards the Highlands, find a quiet woodland or choose somewhere with a castle or a proper Scottish landscape behind you.
Some families want somewhere easy and close to Glasgow.
Others are happy to travel further and turn the session into part of a family day out.
I photograph families in Glasgow and other parts of Scotland, so the location really depends on your family and the kind of photographs you want.
And if there is already somewhere that means something to you, tell me about it.
It doesn’t have to be a famous photography location. Sometimes a place that has a connection to your own family makes much more sense.
One of my older winter sessions took place at Cardowan Moss with Julia and Hanna.
It was a cold January morning with beautiful low winter sun.
Neither of them particularly loves being in front of the camera, which is much more common than people probably realise.
So instead of spending the session posing, we walked.
We used the woodland paths, the tall golden grasses and the little stone bridge along the way.
There was no snow and nothing elaborate was needed.
It was simply a quiet winter walk with photographs happening along the way.
Hanna later wanted to use photographs from the session to create an album for Julia’s grandparents, which I thought was such a lovely reason for having them taken.
The first thing I would think about is warmth.
If everyone is freezing after ten minutes, nobody is going to enjoy the session.
Layers work really well. Knitwear, jackets, boots, hats and scarves can all become part of the photographs rather than something we need to hide.
I normally suggest choosing a few colours that work together rather than dressing everyone in matching outfits.
Cream, beige, brown, denim, muted greens and other soft colours usually work beautifully with Scottish winter landscapes.
But comfort comes first, particularly for children. They need to be able to run, sit down, explore and play.
I have a separate guide with much more information about choosing clothes for family photographs, so I won’t turn this whole article into another outfit guide.
I live and work in Scotland, so checking the weather is part of the job.
Cloud is absolutely not a problem. In fact, an overcast day can give us lovely soft light.
Rain is different.
Scottish weather can change incredibly quickly, so sometimes we move the session slightly earlier or later to work around a band of rain.
If the weather is genuinely awful and it is going to make the session miserable, particularly for young children, we look at the options.
I would much rather adjust our plans than drag a cold, wet four-year-old around a park because the diary says we have a photoshoot at 2pm.
There isn’t one time that works for every family or every location.
Winter days in Scotland are short and the sun stays much lower than it does in summer, so sessions generally take place earlier in the day.
I look at the location, weather, light and the age of your children before suggesting a time.
With younger children I also take their normal routine into account where possible.
Beautiful light is important, but a completely exhausted toddler isn’t going to care how lovely the light is.
Yes.
The biggest thing is not expecting young children to behave as though they are at a traditional portrait session.
They don’t need to stand still for an hour.
My outdoor family sessions involve walking, playing and plenty of movement. If your child needs to stop, explore something or do their own thing for a while, we work with that.
I have photographed hundreds of families over the years and I can promise you that children not following the plan is very normal.
Often those unscripted parts of the session give us the photographs parents like most.
If you are worried that your little ones simply won’t enjoy being in front of the camera, check out my tips on what to do if your children hate having their photo taken.
Absolutely, especially if you like photographs that feel natural and a little less polished and seasonal.
You don’t have autumn colours or summer flowers competing for attention.
Instead, you get softer colours, quiet locations, low winter light and lots of opportunities for movement and closeness.
It also means you don’t have to wait until spring just because you missed the usual autumn family photography season.
Winter looks different.
That is exactly the point.
Pollok Country Park, Mugdock Country Park and Cardowan Moss are a few possibilities, but your session doesn’t have to take place in a park. We can also consider woodland, beaches, countryside locations or travel further into Scotland depending on the type of session you want.
No. Most winter family sessions I photograph around Glasgow don’t have snow. Winter grasses, woodland, bare trees and softer natural colours photograph beautifully on their own.
Warm, comfortable layers are best. Children need to be able to run and play, so I would choose practical clothes they can move in rather than anything too formal.
I watch the weather before outdoor sessions. Sometimes moving the session earlier or later is enough to avoid the worst of the rain. If conditions really aren’t suitable, we discuss another option.
Yes. I photograph families in Glasgow and across other parts of Scotland. If you have a particular beach, countryside location, castle or Highland setting in mind, we can talk about whether it would work for your session.
Absolutely. Dogs are part of the family too. Just let me know beforehand so we can choose a location that works well for everyone.
Thinking about winter family photos in Glasgow or somewhere further into Scotland?
You really don’t need to wait until spring.
We can keep things simple with a walk in one of Glasgow’s parks, head to the beach or plan something further away with more of Scotland in the background. The session should fit your family, not the other way around.
If you’re thinking about having family photographs taken this winter, get in touch and tell me a little about your family.
We can work out the location and the rest from there.
Two relaxed sessions, one complete story. Bump to Baby photography captures your pregnancy and the first weeks with your newborn in a natural and meaningful way.
