1. Time of Day. Golden Hour is the hour before sunset or hour after sunrise, where the light is softer. The light flatters your skin and intensifies the natural festive colors of the fall season. It also provides that beautiful glow to your photos. The shorter days this time of year make golden hour more attainable for families, around 4-6PM, without interfering with bedtimes.
2. Wardrobe. Besides light, the other thing that adds a wow factor to your photos is what you are wearing. You don’t have to be the most stylish person; you just have to think about the environment you are being photographed in and how to stand out from it or accentuate the colors around you. I typically tell families a simple formula for outdoor fall photos is: to stick to neutrals or earth tones, avoid too much blue, and add in at least one pattern. My clients also have
the option to borrow girls’ or women’s dresses from my Client Closet that are guaranteed to photograph well.
3. Smile through the chaos. As you are preparing for family photos, remember your littles have minds of their own. We might try something for a bit and discover it’s not working. That’s okay, be flexible. Goofy or shy behavior is age-appropriate. Smile through the chaos, it’s not about perfect images but ones that you will fondly look back on that
genuinely represent this chapter in your life.
4. Keep it light. Kids feed off the parents’ moods, so try to keep this time as low stress as possible. Play! If there are leaves on the ground, we will throw them in the air. I like to play games and catch kids in their naturally curious state and get them comfortable. I promise we will get the Christmas card shot, but moms often tell me they end up liking the playful candids the best. Remember, this shoot is all about capturing your family bond and having fun, so let loose and get into the season!
5. And finally, try to think of the session as a fun fall family outing. Plan a family activity or treat after to make it even more special and motivate kids (and dads) throughout the session.
