With all the leaves and fantastic colors of fall, it’s no wonder that this season is a favorite for family and child photographers. So what should you do when planning to take kid’s photos in the fall? We have a few ideas for you to test.
Fall colors are a terrific starting place to develop a gorgeous photo of your child. Simply find a place with great colors, setup, and shoot. Try experimenting with different angles as well as paying attention to where the sun is – you can get some interesting effects if you let the sun come towards or across the camera.
Extra Tips: Late-afternoon sun will give your photos a warmer hue, also watch your exposure as you might need to manually adjust your settings if the light is coming into the camera.
For close-up portraits, try increasing the aperture to blur the background – it will keep some of the texture of the fall colors, without distracting from the subject. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll need to ensure that your focus is perfect. If unsure, try a few different apertures to get a crisp photo.
Extra Tip: The closer you are to your child, the less room you’ll have for error!
We get so used to taking kid’s portraits at eye level that we forget about other viewpoints. In a pile of leaves, you can create a stunning child portrait by taking a few steps up. For maximum effect, ensure your child is dressed in an outfit that contrasts with their surroundings.
Switch to a faster shutter speed to “freeze” action while your child throws leaves: up, to the side, and towards the camera. It can help to focus on your child first, hold the shutter halfway, and then get them to throw while you take photos.
Extra Tip: Put your camera in continuous shooting mode, you can hold the shutter down and increase your chances of capturing the “perfect” image.
Find somewhere for siblings to sit, having them tell each other a story (or make faces, whatever works), and capture a lovely moment between your kids. Look for rocks, logs, benches, hills, and find interesting backgrounds to create memorable photos.
Keep trying, if at first, you don’t succeed! Enjoy fall, enjoy your photos, and above all, enjoy your beautiful kids!