Snow Sessions | Behind the Scenes

Snow Sessions

Snow Sessions are always magical! With a snow session, a photographer can bring a special aspect of Christmastime that sometimes nature doesn’t allow. While these sessions are nothing short of amazing, they require a lot of work that others never get to see. Today’s blog is all about what it takes to make a winter wonderland possible here in Alabama!

Snow Session
Snow Sessions

The Days Leading Up to Snow Sessions

Two days before the sessions begin, I have to purchase trees. The location I use has two trees already planted in the area. However, two isn’t nearly enough! I typically buy six Christmas trees to set up in the background. The night before the shoot, I take the trees to the location, cut the bottoms and place them in a stand. I water them to keep them looking lively for as long as possible! Finally, I lay out the tarp before calling it a night!

Magical Winter Session
Snow Sessions

The Morning Of

Although my Snow Sessions usually begin around noon, I start well before then to complete the set up! Early the morning of my first session, I set the trees up on the tarp. The snow has to be mixed. This requires a good bit of time as I need enough for about a 300 square foot area. Once the snow is mixed, I spread it over the tarp and make sure to cover the bases of each tree well. Lights are hung behind the trees to add a little more magic to the scene. I like to provide a special treat for my clients the day of the session, so I prepare a lot of hot chocolate, forty cups to be exact, and set up a hot chocolate/cookie table. Before my first clients arrive, I mix a snow machine mixture and test it out!

Christmas Session
Snow Sessions

The Snow Session

The snow pictures I take, edit and send my clients are always beautiful, but they never show the true effort that goes into the session. I am typically shooting for 3-4 hours straight. My clients are booked back-to-back to allow as many session openings as possible. I always have extra hands on deck. This kind of session can’t be done alone! There are five people, plus myself, working the set. Finally, when it’s time to take down everything, I am looking at no less than 3 hours of work.

The magical photos you see my clients post aren’t brought together quickly and easily. It takes a lot of preparation and time to achieve such beautiful shots. Here at Jackie Murray Photography, I take pride in my work, and I don’t cut corners. This is so that I am able to offer my clients the best of the best! Photo sessions are fun, and I do everything possible to make mine enjoyable and easy for my clients and their families.

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