5 TIPS FOR FUN APPLE PICKING KIDS’ PHOTOS

While we may all be a bit melancholy about the passing of summer, we can at the very least look forward to some yummy fall fruits and veggies. If you haven’t before, consider taking your kids apple picking this year. Not only is it a great way for your kids to learn where their food comes from, but it also presents a terrific opportunity to take some candid  kid’s photos.

Here are some tips for getting prepared:

Call First: Find an orchard near you and find out their public hours. Some may only be open during the day, others on weekends.

Weather Check: Double (and triple) check the weather before you leave, so everyone can dress appropriately! Don’t forget gloves and hats, perhaps a blanket or two as well for younger kids in case they get cold.

Bring a Wagon (if allowed): If the orchard allows, a wagon can be quite helpful to corral younger kids and to store your picked apples.

Find a Good Spot: Try to find a relatively close place to park, so you don’t have to carry those heavy apples (and kids) too far when you’re done!

Bathroom Break: Most orchards will not have public washrooms, so everyone should go before you go (haha).

Learn How: Picking apples incorrectly can damage the tree, so learn how to correctly pick apples correctly before you start.

Bring Cash: Besides paying for apples there are often other things to buy at an orchard such as apple cider to warm up, treats, or activities like hay rides or corn mazes.

Have Fun! This is really the most important tip!

Once you arrive at the orchard, here are some tips for great photos of your kids:

Large aperture: This will keep your kids’ faces crisp but blur the background. If you still want everyone to know where they are you can choose a slightly smaller aperture and have them pose closer to an apple tree.

Action shots: Running down the aisles between the trees, taking a big bite of apple, pulling the wagon all make for fun apple orchard pictures.

Fun props: Besides the “here’s my apple” shot you can look for fun props to include in your photos, such as straw hats, rain boots and jackets, old farm machinery, maybe a donkey? Don’t forget your wagon, if you brought one.

After a long afternoon of photographing and apple picking you probably won’t be thinking much about what’s ahead (baking!) but you can turn that activity into a fun photo shoot with your kids as well. Isn’t fall fun?