What's in your background?

 Whether you love taking photos of your family yourself or you’ve finally booked that remote family photo session, taking clutter into consideration is a part of the process.
​The last thing you want is to have the perfect shot of the people you love only for a pile of laundry or scattered toys or worse to be lingering in the background.
Naturally, remote portrait shoots are meant to capture moments in your day-to-day environment, but there is a limit to how many distractions you should allow.
Here are some tips to help you better prepare for your remote photo shoot.

1. Play around with lighting

If you don’t have time to get rid of all the clutter you want to, or you live in a busy space, use lighting to your advantage. If you plan to take the photos yourself, use natural light to place the focus on your subject. The brighter areas of a photo will always be the center of attention. For example, if you want to capture a photo of your toddler, get them to play in a block of light. Basically, aim to shoot in the brightest area of the room and don't be afraid to get in closer.

1. Change the perspective

Instead of taking a photo from an angle that includes distractions, opt for an angle that cuts them out. Shooting someone from above or from a very low angle are two examples of how to achieve this. Feel free to play around with "cropping" your image in camera vs waiting to do it in editing. 

1. Decide what’s worth your attention

When you are planning out your photos, consider which areas you really want to use. These are the areas you should declutter. You may find that you only need several minutes to clear up a small space to get the shot you are hoping for. If you happen to be shooting outside in a busy area such as a street, you are going to need to practice patience and wait for the background of your shot to be clear.

1. Communicate with your photographer

If you are planning a remote portrait shoot at your home, ask your photographer about the dos and don’ts you should be aware of. They know how to work with distractions and can guide you on how to prepare for your session.
Overall, don’t overthink clutter or distractions in your home. Rather start by focusing on anything that is glaringly obvious and work around that. Keep in mind that your photographer also has the ability to edit photos if you happen to miss anything. Don't be afraid to utilize a nearby closet as needed lol its only for a short time frame and doesn't need to be overwhelming. 
If you found these tips helpful, please like/share/comment!