Few things can be as precious as having photos of your family to look back on in different seasons of life. While all family photos are special, there’s something extra magical about taking them amidst the crisp backdrop of autumn. The rich, vibrant colors and textures naturally present in most areas this season make fall family photos the perfect thing for holiday cards or photo gifts for the coming winter celebrations. How better to display your perfect family than by capturing this moment in the harvest season?

Family Photo Ideas

Staged photography can get a bad rap, that’s for sure. Some hold disdain for this tradition due to cost, while others don’t like having to pose and have their pictures not accurately represent your family. I’m here to tell you this: find a great photographer who you can use for years to come, and they will encourage your family to be themselves for the duration of the photoshoot.

The best photographers can make your family photos look like a candid dream on film. Have some fun in your pictures! These people are your people, after all. If this fall is the one where your daughter decided to cut her own hair or your son is taking his shoes off the entire time—embrace it. You’ll have these professional fall family photos to look back on and love. Because the perfect family photo is simply the one where your family is genuinely in it.

What to Wear

One of the best things about fall family photos is the color schemes you can work with. Just because you’re encouraging authenticity doesn’t mean everyone can’t look amazing! Jewel tones like ruby red, topaz, and jade will really pop against the crispness of the autumn season. Playing with patterns and solids is an excellent option as well. Mom and Dad can match littles in color or pattern but try to avoid everyone wearing the exact same color or style.

If it’s not something you would wear on a nice afternoon out as a family, try to steer clear of it for your family photos. This means limited use of ball gowns, tuxedos, leggings, pajamas, and tennis shoes. There are always exceptions, of course: if you’re going for a punk rock fall photoshoot, rock that gown with some combat boots or sneakers for a very Princess Diaries vibe.

Where to Take Photos

For your fall-themed family photoshoot, the sky’s the limit regarding where to take your pictures. Depending on your region in the country or world, autumn is not synonymous with brisk and comfortable outdoor weather. Be sure to gauge the temperature and weather for your family’s needs to get the best picture outcome. And so that mom and dad don’t have to have a drink when the whole thing is said and done! Nothing ruins a fun family day more than overheated children in sweaters they didn’t want to wear.

That said, you can remind your adorable children they can survive anything long enough for a few photos and that it will build character. Here are some fun locales and setups for you to consider locally and in your home!

• Pumpkin patch
• Local park
• Downtown near historic sites in your town or city
• In a wheat field
• In your home with a neat, neutral background (lifestyle photos can be super fun!)
• On a hayride
• In front of a body of water
• A place important to your family (first date site, where you found out you were pregnant, etc.)

If you’re taking them at home, props for fall photos can vary depending on the theme. If your family is full of football fanatics, that could be a great way to incorporate your personality by having team logo items with you. Or, if you’re looking to go more subtly fall, vases with various fall flowers, wheat, or even fall wreaths would be lovely. As with all things, the best part about arranging this kind of organized fun is adding that spark that is uniquely your family into it.

When to Take Family Photos

One of the most critical things about choosing to do fall family photos with a photographer is to take proper advantage of golden hours when possible. There are two in a day, and while I applaud you and your family if you wake up for the first one in the wee hours of the morning, it might be a bit difficult to find a photographer willing to do so.

Dusk is a beautiful time to take advantage of nature’s beauty for your family photos. Try to schedule the day in a fun and meaningful way that allows for pictures at this time and is followed by a fun family dinner—be it a night out or frozen pizza and cookies at home.

The main thing is that you’re creating memories that you’ll have to look back on for years to come. Your family will eventually thank you for having them don those sweaters they once griped over.