8 Spring Portrait Ideas that you Need to Try (2021):
As the air starts to warm and the flowers come out to play, it is the perfect season to get beautiful portraits to brighten your social media.
With a new season comes new inspiration! And its time to get out and explore!
Here are my top portrait ideas for making the most of spring time.
1. Visit Outdoor Flower Gardens
What comes to mind when we think of Spring, is flowers! Of course! This one is a must!
Getting out and taking photos in flowers in the warm spring sun is bound to make your photos stand out! It is one of the most magical times of year for the flowers are out and active! Get your model to immerse themselves in the flowers for photos that look dreamy and beautiful, and create that gorgeous depth of field!
2. Experiment with Props
Butterfly Prop
Flower Petals as Prop
Flowers in Jean Pocket
My favourite thing to do is to experiment with props! Props add extra life to a portrait image, transforming it into something much more grand. Props like flowers to use on the models face or in the hair add to that joyful feeling of Spring and further show the immersion of the model with nature! Or in another example, I used fake butterflies on my model to create that feeling of magic! There is so many ways in which you can play with the idea of portrait and nature! The possibilities are endless!
3. Play with Depth of Field
Shallow Depth of Field
Close-up and Shallow Depth of Field
It doesn’t have to always be wide shots with flowers, part of the beauty of Spring is the flowers themselves! Getting the model to hold up the flowers creates a gorgeous depth of field and highlights the beautiful flowers of the spring time. Or you can also do a ‘looking through the flowers’ shot like the first photo. I personally love these types of photos because it immerses the viewer into the scene that much more, and truly emphasises that magical atmosphere. I use an 85mm 1.8 to achieve this look and is by far my favourite and go to lens for portrait.
4. Using the Sun to your advantage
The sun is warm and bright, making for the most dreamy images! Shooting at golden hour will make your photos that much more incredible! Perfect golden glow! That warm feeling is what Spring gives us after a long time of cold, so why not use this in your pics?
Back-lit Sunlight
Side-lit Sunlight
5. Walk in forests
Forest walks surrounded by the natural beauty of nature make for some incredible portrait shots. It doesn’t have to be all about flowers, the trees are just as beautiful, and they have their gorgeous colour back!
Spring is all about getting out, breathing in the fresh air, and what better place to do that than a forest.
Why not get out in nature and bring those Pinterest mood boards to life!
6. Make your Photos Playful
No doubt about it, when we think of Spring, it’s a time of year that brings joy, so why not make your photos exude that same feeling! Laughter is also the best medicine! Try telling your model a funny joke and capture the beautiful authentic smile created! It will really liven up your photos, and people feel more connected when they see someone being authentic.
7. Take Photos with Your Pets
(note: these are not my images). This one is a bit cute! We all adore our pets so much! So why not snap a few pics with them! Plus the result ends up being so cute, something you can hang up on your wall or in your home. I’m sure your pet would love spending some quality time with you, and then you get to keep all the beautiful memories. With everyone getting out and about to make the most of the change of seasons, it seems like the perfect time to get your little guys out for a little shoot! Just watch how happy they’ll get!
8. Self Portrait
If you’re more of the type to want to take a sick selfie, why not grab your tripod!
I love exploring the self-portrait realm, doing a semi-professional photoshoot without even having to leave my own backyard!
I prefer taking my own photos, so if you’re like me, all I used for this shoot was a tripod, Nikon D5600, and a 70-300mm lens! I loved immersing myself in these palm leaves for a tropical feel!
Although, you can get just as nice results with your own phone, and a steady place to rest your phone! The possibilities are endless!
There is so many ways to make the most of Spring, and getting out and doing it is the first step! Let me know what your thoughts are on these ideas and if it helped you!
