Fall is a great season for taking outdoor family photos. As the colors of the leaves begin to change and the weather gets a little cooler, consider bundling up for a family photoshoot that celebrates the natural beauty of autumn. Fall photos can be just for fun, or can serve as your annual photograph for holiday cards and gifts. 

Just like any other type of photoshoot, it’s important to prepare ahead of time to achieve the best results. Here we’ve shared seven of our best tips for achieving great fall family photos.

Find a great tree.

There’s nothing that screams fall more than a tree covered with beautiful red, orange, or yellow leaves. During your outdoor fall photo shoot, take advantage of these natural colors by using the trees and leaves as your backdrop. If the trees have already lost their leaves, that’s okay too. You can still use the leaves that have fallen in your photos as props. 

Choose a time that works for every family member.

A lot of professional photographers try to shoot during the hour before sunset, also known as the golden hour. However, if your kids are not typically at their best during that time, your photos will not be ideal (no matter how perfect the light is). Instead of focusing on one particular time, think about when your kids (and other family members) are happiest. Choose a time that is beneficial for everyone so that you won’t end up with cranky kids (or adults) ruining your fall photoshoot.

Get personal with your location choice.

There are lots of great location choices other than pumpkin patches for fall family photos. Your local park, apple orchard/cider mill, sunflower field, or football stadium can all serve as great locations for a fun fall photoshoot. Instead of picking a spot that every other family is using for photos, choose a location that is meaningful to your family to make your photoshoot even more memorable. 

Coordinate your clothing.

You don’t have to match everyone’s outfit perfectly to get a coordinated look for your family photos. In fact, overly matchy clothing can look dated. Instead of trying to make everyone wear the same outfit or match perfectly, try choosing a color palette for outfit inspiration. You can try using different tones of the same color, or choose complementary or analogous colors to build your photoshoot outfits.

Layer up your outfits.

Fall weather can be unpredictable. When thinking about outfits for your photoshoot, consider adding a number of different layers that can easily be added or removed if the temperature shifts. If members of your family are too hot or too cold during your photoshoot, it could negatively affect the quality of your photos. The key is to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy during your shoot.

Book early.

Fall is a very busy time for professional photographers. Not only does peak wedding season typically fall in early autumn, a lot of families take their annual photos around the same time so that they can use them for holiday cards and gifts. If you want to get your photos professionally taken in early or mid-fall, make sure you book your family photo session early! 

Enjoy the moment.

There is a lot of pressure during family photo sessions to get the perfect group shot. But, even more important than capturing the ideal photo is enjoying the quality time with your family. Instead of forcing everyone to shift from one awkward or uncomfortable pose to the next, build in time for having real fun. The best photos often come from these candid moments when true joy and happiness are able to shine through.