Tips for Fall Photo Shoots

Fall Photo Shoots in 5 Easy Steps:

1. Find the light

a. Contrast to popular belief, not all things need to be or should be, photographed in the bright sun. An overcast fall day is a success because it gives you an opportunity to shoot all day long! The light is often soft and even. Better yet, autumn colors are saturated colors and contrast nicely with a gray day. Make sure to also take note that the sun sets earlier, its angles change, and its light illuminates the earth differently. What does that mean? It means to take advantage of the earlier golden hour and the warm glow!

2. Try reflections

a. Reflections are a great way to double the rich autumn palette. Find a high vantage point to shoot down to a lake to reflect as much of the scene as possible. Try and go on a calm windless day, so the surface is as still as possible. To shoot a mirror-like reflection, shoot with your back to the sun in order to maximize the reflected color. A long exposure will smooth out any ripples.

Pro tip: Putting your camera on a tripod will keep in perfectly still over a long exposure.

3. Take a captivating candid portrait

a. Even though straightforward, intentional portraits with colorful leaves and foliage in the background can make for spectacular photos, get creative with fun candid portraits this fall! Capturing a spur of the moment photo of friends and loved ones playing with the leaves, trick-or-treating, or pumpkin carving makes for a fun and memorable picture. Change the autofocus mode so you can control whether you want to zoom into certain aspects of the picture.

4. Change your perspective

a. Why take a picture straight on when you can bend down and shoot scenery from the ground? Capture the great fall colors by shooting upward.

Not only can you get all the colors the trees have to offer, but a blue sky (with possible white clouds) can yield a beautiful colorful abstract photograph as well. Shooting from behind, or from a distance also offers a fresh perspective on a simple picture.

5. Fall isn’t just about the leaves

a. Because not taking pictures of the beautiful autumn leaves is just not an option, AFTER doing so, make sure to take advantage of all the other beautiful colors this season has to offer. Pumpkins, apples, berries, pies are other objects to signal the season’s arrival. Go to your local farmers market and find seasonal fruits or a pumpkin patch to capture the vast array of pumpkin sizes and gourds.

What Amazing Pictures Have you Come Up With This Fall?

We’d love to hear your go-to photo tricks and tips when you take pictures, so please share them in the comments below to inspire your fellow photographers. Or, if you’ve created a great Mixbook photo book with your latest photoshoot pictures, share a link in the comments so we can enjoy it too!