Along with fall family photo sessions comes the stress of planning the session- the outfits, the location, getting the kids to cooperate… it can be so so so overwhelming. But what if I told you it didn’t have to be?
Here are 5 tips to help you plan your fall family photo sessions without the stress.
Tip #1: Scheduling. I know it’s only June, but it’s that time of year to start thinking about fall family photo sessions! My fall dates (particularly weekends!) book MONTHS in advance. In fact, I only have 4 fall weekend dates left, so if you want one of those, now is the time to snag it!
Tip #2: Timing. Â Fall is pretty unpredictable, especially here in the midwest, but generally, peak fall color happens the last week of October and the first week of November. The past few years have seen oddly warm Novembers, which meant that even mid to late November still had green and some trees with color. But if you’re looking for that phenomenal display of fall color, then you’ll want to make sure you book your session NOW and not later. As I said before, the weekends during the peak fall leaf time book months, sometimes even a year in advance.
As for the time of day for your session, it depends on the week, but you can generally expect to start your family session around 4:30 – 5:00 pm. This is when light is the best for shooting.
Tip #3: Choosing a Location. Â I always ask my clients if they have a specific location in mind for photos, or if they have a specific type of background they’d like, such as wooded, urban, architectural, park-like, or something with tall grasses (like in this session). That’ll help your photographer narrow down some suggestions for you. Trust your photographer’s opinion on the best places to shoot. It’s our job to know light!
Tip #4: What to Wear. This is the part that gets most people in a tizzy. You don’t have to match. You don’t have to have a color scheme. You just have to be you. I love jewel tones and bold color with a little bit of print. Don’t be afraid to layer. One of the perks to booking fall family photo sessions with me is that I have tons of resources to send you on where to shop and how to choose clothing. You can also send me photos of what you’re thinking. And if you’re at a total loss or don’t have the energy to put into it, I have an amazing stylist that I work with who will take you shopping! (I mean, isn’t that the dream? For me it is, anyway. I just want someone to tell me what to wear and be done with it!)
Tip #5: How to Prep the Family. Here’s the easiest way. Just don’t. I mean, give them a heads up, obviously, but please for the love of everything, don’t nag them about it. Don’t threaten them over it. Don’t bribe them either. The bigger a deal you make over it, and the more stressed out you get about it, the worse it’s going to be. Kids sense your stress, and they’ll feed off of it. Everyone knows their kids will behave better for others than they will for their parents. Use that to your advantage! Let me give the instruction. You just relax and be you. Don’t tell them to smile. Don’t threaten them to smile. If you let it go, they’ll cooperate better. Don’t focus on the photographer, focus on your family. That’s what you’re there for after all, photos of you and your family looking all happy and cozy. But guess what? You gotta really try to be happy and cozy. Instead of freaking out that your hair looks flat/frizzy/messy/whatever, take every bit of negative energy and turn it into something positive. Enjoy having your family together. Think about how much these people mean to you, and how you can’t imagine your life without them. Do you think that 30 years from now when your kids look back at these photos they’ll care if you had flyaways or their dad wore black socks instead of navy ones? No. So stop it already! I promise you, it’s ok if your kids play and be kids. It’s ok if they get dirty. IT IS OK. It’s life. And life isn’t about perfection.
