As a natural light photographer, sometimes it can be tricky to take photos in the winter. Yes, I LOVE a good snow shoot, but let’s face it, not everyone wants that. Winter temperatures in Michigan can also be especially tricky with the littles. Couples, okay, but I can’t in good conscience suggest to a family with small children to stand out side for a photoshoot in the middle of February.

A good option is to ask if you are comfortable with an in-home lifestyle shoot. These sessions are some of my favorites. Everyone is comfortable, you can capture some awesome candid moments, and the background is personal to you. But again, not everyone is up for that.

Another option, for someone who mainly shoots natural light and doesn’t have a studio, is to turn an area of your own home into a studio. Which I recently did. Stay tuned for my spare bedroom studio hack session. I am so happy with the results!

However, this winter I began to think outside the box…or inside actually! I started contacting local business that I thought would offer lots of natural light and would have pretty backgrounds.

First, a local mega church. The aesthetic of the building is modern and industrial. There are floor to ceiling glass windows, ship lap walls, concrete floors, and chairs and sofas scattered through out the building. Their response was, we are here to serve the community and you are welcome anytime the building is open. I did end up using this option for an extended family session.

Second, a local brewery. Located in a historical building, it has a second floor banquet area, vaulted ceilings, brick walls and an amazing rod iron stair case. How fun would it be to do a couples shoot here. We could even finish the session with a candid toast at the bar. When I contacted this business, the response was much of the same as the church. Sure, you are welcome to come whenever. You can use the court yard and banquet room as long as there isn’t an event. Please just don’t ask any customers to move.

Third, a local nursery with a sprawling green house. Not only does the green house produce the beautiful natural light I l was looking for, it would also provide color and greenery in the middle of our drab and dead winter surroundings. This business was also welcoming. Come whenever you wish, was the managers response.

A client that book a couples session, after hearing the options, went with the greenhouse and here are results.

I have to say, these images and the gallery made me so happy. After shooting couples outside, the weeks leading up to this, I had a new playground of inspiration. You would never know that it was cold and windy this day. In fact, it kind of has a tropical vibe. Also, since we shot this on a Sunday afternoon in February, we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

A special thank you to Bordines of Brighton for being so hospitable and letting us use your amazing space for photos!

The point, there are plenty of places other than outdoors, near a beach and in a park, that are perfect for a fun and memorable session. Someone just has to be willing to ask if it is okay. What ideas can you think of for an indoor session?

Book a session with me and we can brainstorm some amazing indoor places for photos. I have even taken family photos inside a Target. Nothing is off the table for me.