TAYNEE MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY

Utah Wedding and Family Photographer

family photos

Alejandra maternity session | Salt Lake City

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I might be biased, but this maternity session was absolutely perfect.

It was their first baby, first time together as they enter into these roles of parenthood. I was so happy I as able ot capture these last moments with each other before their whole lives changed! It truly was total perfection.

This gorgeous mama was such a joy to work with. She trusted me with making sure we got beautiful images for her keepsake and they both were such good sports at the maternity session.

I truly am so glad I was able to photograph these two as they entered into parenthood for their maternity session!

What is the best season for family photos?

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Moving from California to Utah, having four seasons has absolutely been a change for me! This last year I have really started to gain some perspective on what seasons I love to shoot in and would be best for family photos. At the end of the day, any season will work, it’s more about the pros and cons to each season and what you prefer.

Living in Utah we get four full seasons. I love that we do because it truly offers a lot of variety. The first thing you need ot decide is what scenery would you like. My favorite is spring time with all of the flowers in bloom. Anytime from April to October are prime months for photos in Utah. This makes it easy because really you could have spring, summer, or fall photos.

PROS FOR SPRING FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY- This is my FAVORITE!

  1. Warm weather
    -the kids will be happy it’s not to hot or to cold
  2. Blooming Flowers
    -This is my favorite time of year for pictures because the flowers truly can make for a stunning backdrop.
  3. Light colors and pastels are so beautiful in images.

CONS OF SPRING FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Bad Weather – It rains quite a bit from March-May sometimes even snows, so you need to stay flexible and ready to reschedule.
  2. Busy Photographers – this is when our season begins so we are focusing on engagements, bridals, families, it can get really busy.
  3. Hard to dress for- Bringing kids to this type of shoot, you want to be sure you plan for layers because if it is a breezy day the kids for sure will get cold.

PROS OF SUMMER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. You can start later and have the most BEAUTIFUL sunsets at the end of your session during the summer season
  2. Weather is hot, but that means you can dress in sundresses and linens
  3. Beautiful locations! The hills will be so green and that makes for some beautiful shots.

CONS OF SPRING FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. HOT- Now I also called this a pro but it can be a con if it is way to hot! This is important to keep in mind what time you book at and where. If you book in the mountains it will be a little easier because the temps are a little lower.
  2. Scheduling issues.  
    – People travel a lot so it can be hard to find a time for a photographer to book you and have it work for everyone
fall family photography

PROS OF FALL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Awesome temperatures – This is the best time to get some images while keeping everyone cool
  2. Beautiful fall foliage – Utah has the most amazing leaves, trees, and fall season. It’s also a great chance to get some more themed photos like at a pumpkin patch.

CONS OF FALL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Turn around time -This is the BUSIEST time of the year as people are getting photos for Christmas cards and with these great temps. You should expect a longer wait time.
  2. Locations Crowded- A few of the main spots I love I know get so busy in the fall so you should plan to have multiple families and photographers at most locations .
  3. Busy timing – This is when school starts back up, holidays are coming, so things are crazy in scheduling world. This is important to notate if you also have kids in sports because your photographer might not be able to be super flexible.

PROS OF WINTER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. Open Schedules –This is probably the easiest time to book! Things are super mellow for most photographers this season and slow so it makes it easy for you to get in on your time frame.
  2. Chance of snow- I can’t even tell you how many shoots have had it start to snow during the shoot! It makes for some magical photos!
  3. Beautiful color tones – Majority of outdoor spots will be dead and be more neutral which can be great for images you will be putting in your home so that they work anywhere.

CONS OF WINTER FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

  1. It’s COLD! – I have been at shoots before that have been so freezing and that can be incredibly hard. You sometimes will have red hands, noses, other body parts from being so cold. It also typically goes a lot faster because of that.
  2. Limited on looks- you can go without coats but you will for sure be cold! This is something to keep in mind as you plan outfits and if you have kids in your shoot.

I hope this helps you! Which is your favorite season for family photos? Have you done each season? Would you want to try each season??

Ready to schedule your family photo session? Don’t wait! Send me a message here!

Allyson + Sydnee | Mona Lavender Fields

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Moving back to Utah has been such a delight to have all four seasons. I have loved having so much variety for shoots to meet each person’s needs and wants. I am excited to show you some images from Mona Lavender Fields.

Of the seasons, summer might be my favorite here in Utah. You have so many different options for wildflowers, including the Mona Lavender Fields. It is one of the most beautiful locations, but it only blooms for about two weeks a year before they harvest it, giving limited opportunities for shoots. 

This year, I will be doing mini sessions at the Lavender Fields to give more people the chance to have such a stunning backdrop.

Last year, I shot two beautiful sisters and immediately after starting, I knew it would be one of my absolute favorite shoots. I was so excited to go home and edit them and they did not disappoint. If this is a location or a bucket list spot for you, keep a look out for when I announce my mini sessions at the Mona Lavender Fields. My instagram link is provided here and I will be posting on stories when I open up dates.

Williams Family | Utah Family Photographer

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Winter is flying by which means we will be in spring and summer soon and that’s the perfect time for family photos! This session was done in the late fall early winter, but if you want something a little warmer, the next 6 months coming up will be for you!

Planning ahead of time not only takes some stress of you for the rest of the year but allows you to prepare for your shoot also. I love when a client has a vision just as much as I do for their session but allows me to create the magic!

The Williams family is my husband’s best friend from high school and it was so fun to reconnect with them and get some fun lifestyle images! We really focused on being fun and energetic so that the boys personalities would be reflected.

We did the William’s family session in Daybreak and it was such a fun setting. They have some great backgrounds, cute field areas, and even some water areas that really give you a diverse look for the session. Her boys were so lovely and well behaved and I hope I get to keep continuing to capture their friendship as it grows over the years!

Orvin Family | Utah Family Session

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The Orvin Family wanted a clean white open look for her shoot so we chose Saltair. This is a great easy to get to location and beautiful most times of the year.

This family was so fun and the kids were so attentive and well behaved. In her questionnaire I asked her something about her kids, and she told me that the boys love soccer. At the end of the session, I surprised them and pulled out a soccer ball, and we had them play soccer for some images.
This family is also a great example of what to wear for your family shoot. They had such a great choice in colors, styles for the kids and mom and dad. I would absolutely recommend using them as inspiration for your own photos.

I left this session truly loving my job even more. Not only were they beautiful but the the boys were so sweet and I love how sassy the girls were!

Extended Family Session | Utah Photographer | Taynee Miller

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One of my favorite parts of being a photographer is capturing families and this family an extra boost than a normal shoot I typically do!

Kelsey and Kyle had both of their families come together for this photo shoot. Kelsey‘s mom lives in California and contacted me from there, and invited along Kyle’s studded of the family also so that they could get everyone captured.

Kelsey & Kyle met at work 8.5 years ago, in San Jose, CA. They shared a passion for mountains/the outdoors and quickly hit it off. Family is important to each, so meeting the families quickly followed.

Kyle’s sister, Erin and family, live close by to Kelsey’s parents on the Peninsula, so both families met each other soon after. Kelsey was able to watch Lydia & Colson grow from the time they were both infants. Some of their favorite memories with everyone includes Christmas time, where the Phillips/Gisler families were able to rent a cabin a few years in a row, in the same Donner Summit (CA) neighborhood as the Rogind Cabin. The families were able to enjoy several holidays together, walk/ice skate on the frozen lake, sled, ski, etc.! I love how beautiful their relationship is and how they have been able to join both of their families and make such beautiful memories.

For the photo shoot we did half of it in a studio because we wanted to make sure we got photos of the baby in an environment where she was warm and could be happy. Then we headed to the base of the canyon to get photos with the Utah mountains. It was absolutely beautiful and such a great change of pace for them from their California home!

The studio is Photopia Studio in Cottonwood Heights, which is a beautiful natural light studio, I would highly recommend.