Quick Guide to Gorgeous Fall Photos
It is probably unfair to use this photo as an introduction to this guide.
We are obviously way past the “golden autumn” stage now.
Yet I feel this image captures perfectly free spirit of fall and free spirit of childhood. So it stays!
I can’t promise you that this guide will not turn you into a pro overnight, but…
…hopefully it’ll give you some insight into how I create my images.
I will be very happy if it helps you to capture some beautiful images of people you care about most.
Because PHOTOS ARE IMPORTANT (whether people around you agree with it or not)!
little pockets of colour
Even though our great Saskatchewan outdoors seems to be mostly into greys and browns these days…
…you can still find little pockets of beautiful reds, greens and yellows here and there.
As long as the weather is right… get out and get creative!
2. a diamond, a triangle & a heart
Try (gently) arranging your family in a diamond, triangle or a heart shape.
I know… most of the time it’s easier said than done!
Yet a mere attempt will likely result in a much more interesting image than any of traditional ‘line-ups’ and ‘sort of togethers’.
3. UP close with the leaves
Shoot through the leaves and branches to give your photos a sense of depth.
Just make sure you focus on the eyes of your subject.
4. Do Things that are fun
Leaves and bubbles are the first two things that pop up in my mind when I plan a session.
You are never too old to play in the leaves! And bubbles… I’m sure bubbles are materialized spheres of pure joy.
Warning: Almost (almost!!!) all children love playing in the leaves, but not all…
Fortunately there are plenty of other fun things in the world and children are the biggest Earth’s experts on finding them.
5. CApture the moment
Simple moments are full of beauty and sincerity. Capture them!
6. Use sunset as your backdrop
We leave in Saskatchewan. We have spectacular sunsets!
Take advantage of it!
Just make sure your flash is on and people you are photographing are within of flash’s reach.
Getting the right exposure may take a bit of experimentation, but images you are going to get will be worth it!
7. Your Presence in your children’s photos is important
Of course most people would agree with it…
…in theory..
Yet most of my sessions start with “I hate my photo being taken” statement, promptly followed by “We just want some beautiful photos of our children”.
Well… I can fully relate to the sentiment.
Like a lot of other people I feel supremely uncomfortable in front of the camera. My parents dragged me through a series of “average” photographers popular among their friends at the time. The experience was anything but fabulous. And photos… No, they weren’t horrible… They were ‘average’ (which is a polite description of ‘mediocre’). They chiseled at my self esteem while I was a child and were one of the contributing factors in my very dramatic self-esteem drop in my teens.
All that being said… You have to be present in your children’s photos (I’m don’t think you need an example of that, I’m sure you know what it looks like). But if you absolutely can’t… here are some examples of a nice way around it.
Children absolute LOVE their photos with parents. I have many-many-many stories to support that.
I know this guide is very brief and is hardly complete.
Yet I hope it inspires you to experiment with your photos and gives you some ideas to start with.
I’d love to see some of your images in our upcoming Fall Photos Contest!
Svetlana