Fall Photography Ideas
Photo by Gabby Orcutt on Unsplash
While it feels like this year has been about 5 years pushed into one, it really isn’t even fall yet. But, as someone who loves photographing different colors (and really just wants this year to be over), I’m getting started working on my list of fall photography ideas a little early this year.
And, it turns out I’m not the only one, since Starbucks is planning on unveiling its Pumpkin Spiced line early to fight the pandemic blues too.
If you’ve been in the photography industry for a while, then you know that it can be difficult to come up with unique fall photography ideas. Honestly, after seeing hundreds of photos of people throwing leaves up into the air, I could go without seeing another one ever again.
So, we steered clear of any cliche autumn photoshoot ideas in this list and instead opted for something just a little bit different.
Play Around With Your Colors
Photo by Max Titov on Unsplash
Since I already mentioned that shooting with different colors is one of my favorite reasons for pursuing the perfect fall picture at all, I figured I would start here.
One of my favorite fall photography ideas is to make sure your models are dressing in appropriate colors. While there is really nothing like photographing a redhead in autumnal colors, you can also pursue this idea by asking your model to dress in yellows, oranges, browns or reds and then finding areas full of complimentary colors.
These colors also just so happen to compliment a wide range of skin tones, so you’re unlikely to run into any problems with your clients when making this request.
Photo by Dmitry Pankin on Unsplash
As someone who never lived somewhere where autumn photography was simple, (i.e., I live in a pretty arid desert landscape and don’t have autumnal leaves in my city), I took to getting incredibly creative with my fall photography ideas.
Instead of using autumn leaves for my fall photography, I visited the nearest craft supply store and purchased different cans of spray paint and would actually color leaves myself (with my son, of course).
This is definitely another way you can play around with the colors in your photos, especially if you have children or if your clients have children. It’s a craft and a photoshoot rolled into one and it’s especially useful for people who may not get those gorgeous fall colors anywhere else.
Practice Photographing Children
Photo by Lydia Winters on Unsplash
If you’ve ever seen one of your friends post an adorable photo of their baby in a pumpkin then you know that autumn is one of the best seasons for family photographers.
One of my favorite fall photography ideas is to practice working with children as your models, especially if you’ve never done so before. Children love fall because it means all of their favorite holidays are right around the corner. There’s a sort of excitement in the air for them.
Children also love fall because it comes with a slew of new outdoor activities they didn’t get during the summer, like pumpkin patches, apple picking and movie nights with way too much hot chocolate.
Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash
I think this is one of the most useful fall photography ideas because children will naturally have a blast if you take them to do any one of these activities, which means you don’t need a ton of experience posing children in order to capture them in a really playful light. All you need to do is follow them around and snap away!
Use Fairy Lights
Photo by Marcelo Matarazzo on Unsplash
I don’t know exactly why this is, but most fall photography ideas use props. This isn’t true of many of the other seasons and I don’t know how we fell into the tradition as photographers, but I’m not complaining.
Photo by Gabriele Ribeiro on Unsplash
One of my favorite props to use during this time is fairy lights. Since fairy lights are typically used during nighttime shots to add warmth, you can use them the exact same way during autumn if you live in a rather drab area. I already mentioned that I live in a desert, so I don’t get a lot of the warm autumn colors that the rest of the country gets. Learn more about fall maternity shoot on our website PhotographyTalk.com.
This is a useful tip for people like me, but it’s also a great idea for people who live in parts of the world that don’t receive much light during the autumn months.
Play Up the Indoors
Photo by Dilyara Garifullina on Unsplash
Fall photography ideas don’t all need to rely on the gorgeous outdoor weather. It’s also the perfect time of year to practice photographing food.
The softer lighting that the autumn months bring means you can easily get beautiful, dark photos indoors with just the natural light.
Plus, you’re probably going to be baking a ton during the autumn months anyways, so you may as well take the time to practice photographing it all.
Photo by allison christine on Unsplash
If food photography isn’t exactly your forte, then you can also just snuggle up with your family members and start snapping photos.
Not all of your fall photography ideas need to reinvent the wheel. If you’re having a fun evening with your loved ones, why not capture it on film?
Focus On Your Landscape
Photo by Erik Witsoe on Unsplash
While most fall picture ideas focus on the changing landscapes the autumn months bring, you can change up this dynamic by using a wide-angle lens to create beautiful atmospheric shots.
By using a wide-angle lens, you can incorporate fall colors while also giving the image a nice, deep foreground. The foreground might be full of texture and fall colors like the one above, which helps set the autumnal tone for the image.
Photo by Thomas Morse on Unsplash
However, if you’re going to be traveling during the autumn months anyways, then you may as well extend this traveling by a day or two in order to stop at some scenic spots along the way.
You might find a scene like the one above, in which the fall colors lend a completely different vibe to the shot than they do in the first example.
This image is bright and cheerful, and all the layers of colors give the images great depth.
Be Prepared for Inclement Weather
Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash
No matter which of these fall photography ideas you’re thinking of pursuing, you need to be prepared for bad weather because it just comes with the territory.
The first thing you need to be preparing for is how you’re going to protect your camera from rain, sleet, or the occasional snowfall this season.
I’ve been using a Camera Canopy for a few years now and it has been a godsend. The idea behind Camera Canopy is pretty simple. Instead of using those awful plastic bags to protect your camera, you simply use a little plastic shield that fits into your camera’s hot shoe.
The Camera Canopy comes in two different sizes: one for your DSLR and one for your mirrorless camera (shown above). The DSLR Camera Canopy is $90, while the mirrorless Camera Canopy is $60.
No matter the option you choose, you can rest assured knowing that your fall photography won’t be interrupted by a technical malfunction. Your camera and lens will be well protected without obscuring your ability to reach the camera controls. Not bad, right?!
