Does the fall season make you think of the colors gold, yellow, orange, and red? It does for me! Now that I’ve experienced a true fall in Mississippi, I can see why. In the desert, the landscape pretty much stays the same year round. Here, the colors really are vibrant. I thought I loved capturing fall family pictures before – but I have a feeling I’ll enjoy it even more here.
As I wait on some new business to roll in, I thought I’d share a throwback mini session from the season. Despite their toddler being a tad rambunctious, it was a lot of fun to photographing this adorable family of 3.
The Autumn Family Capture.
Brian, Meaka, and Zachary (2) were looking to get some pictures taken of their young family before it got any bigger. I enjoyed getting to know them and how they go about managing their household. Maeka and I had a lot in common and she absolutely loves being Zachary’s mom. He was so much fun by the way! He kept me on my toes and made sure there was never a dull moment throughout the half hour session.
Family sessions that involve younger children normally require a lot of patience and a few adjustments. This photo shoot was no different. During the first few moments, Zachary experienced a bloody nose that needed to be tended to – oh boys. Shortly after, he was was back in exploration mode with some of the props. Long story short, he found a major ant mound! I was definitely an entertaining time.
Handling Toddlers During Fall Family Pictures.
Some photographers find it intimidating to work with little spitfires – but I embrace it. It can be hard to get them to warm up to the camera but I have 6 kids of my own. So I’ve kind of been in training for a while now. Getting the first smirk or genuine interaction from a hesitant child is the best. These types of moments create the best photographs. They key is making sure they’re comfortable and trust you.
No toddler is going to cooperate during fall family pictures when they’re bored and being forced against their will. You have to be able to engage them and get on their level. If I have to chase them around or lay on the ground and get a little dirty – then that’s exactly what I will do! At the same time, I was a little off my game during this session. I forgot my motivational gummies at home. 😉
Taking Advantage of Natural Lighting.
No matter where you’re capturing fall family pictures, the time of day is definitely important. I usually try to schedule my sessions mid morning or about an hour and a half before sundown (golden hour). This is really pretty in the autumn months when all of the colors blend together. You don’t want to shoot in the middle of the day because the light is too bright.
If you capture the golden hue just right, the images can be stunning. To enhance your fall session, you can even manipulate your edits to make them look even more festive and vibrant. During this session, I really loved the way the maroon on Maeka turned out with her boy’s shirts. Even though the sky was a little hazy, the time of day made it work.
Color Coordinate Your Fall Family Pictures.
Matching with your spouse and children is a great way to improve the aesthetics of your portraits; but doing so also promotes unity and togetherness. During the fall, I usually encourage my clients to choose patterns and blends that contrast with the colors of the season. But suggestions also depend on your style, skin tone and the overall setting.
The attire in these fall family pictures was perfect because of the grass field and minimal leaves. If you’re not exactly sure what will work, feel free to ask your photographer for advice. I know I am always more than happy to help!
Using Props During Fall Family Pictures.
No matter how you go about setting up your family session, the objects that you include need to have purpose or meaning. In most cases, simple is better. For this shoot, we added a neutral-colored pumpkin that didn’t take away from the matching attire. I had an orange one along, but it didn’t go with the burgundy, blue, grey and green.
Without this simple prop, it would have been difficult to even know it was just weeks before halloween. The scene didn’t exactly scream, “autumn!” So the pumpkin was perfect – and it didn’t distract us from those big, beautiful blue eyes.
Thank you to Meaka, for allowing me to show off your fun and beautiful family 🙂
