Sometimes, the best creative inspiration comes from simply stepping outside and experiencing something new…or in this case something old. Over the weekend, I visited an art museum with a friend and her daughter—partly to get out of the house, partly to soak in creativity, and mostly to have fun with my camera during the slow season.
Wandering through the museum, I captured candid moments of them admiring paintings, getting lost in the details of sculptures, and sharing quiet, curious conversations about the art around them. I also took time to photograph the various pieces of art—oil paintings, statues, and details of artifacts.
I always enjoyed walking through museums and looking at pieces that have withstood the test of time, imaginging all the people who created, touched, or viewed the art over the centuries.
It was a refreshing, inspiring day, and I’m excited to share some of my favorite photos from our visit.
Mommy & Me at the San Antonio Museum of Art
I got the idea to explore the museum on a day off from a social media post I saw posted by the Met. The way sculptures and articfacts were photographed using the available light made me want to spend a day doing the same with my camera. So I reached out to a fellow photographer and friend and suggested we go together and that her daughter was more than welcome to join.
Even though this was not a photo session, here are some takeaways from this series.
1) You do not need to be dressed in coorindating outfits or new clothes to take family photos that you’ll cherish. Do coordinated outfits in an appealing color pallete without words and logos elevate your photos? 100% I will always recommend this for family photo sessions because it keeps your photos timeless. When you plan on displaying your family photos in your home for years to come, you don’t want to focus on what you were wearing, but what you were feeling. However, if you’re wanting your photos to feel like a day-in-the-life, time capsule, then wear whatever you want.
2) Family photos do not need to take place in a specific location like a beautiful field, in a studio, or even in your home. There is no one correct place for family photos. As long as the location allows for photography and you understand its affects of your images, it can be a backdrop for your photos.
So how can a location affect your photos? Lighting, posing/prompts, color casting, and editing style are the four main things that will be affected by locations.
3) Family Photos do not need to include everyone in your family. It can be one parent with kids. It can be one parent with one kid. It can be mom and daughters. Dad and son. Grandma and grandkids. Sometimes you want to spend one on one time with one child, and a photo session can be the thing you do together.
Photo Walk within the San Antonio Museum of Art
When I wasn’t capturing candid moments of my friend, I photographing the artwork.
You’ll notice the photos I took of the statue of a mother holding her baby are similar to the types of photos I’d take of a real mother during a photo session.
What do you do to spark your creativity during the winter months when its cold and gloomy outside?
