How to Plan the Perfect Family Fall Photoshoot

With the fall season nearly upon up we will soon have stunning fall colours, and crisp air. In this post, I’m sharing some photos of our fall family photoshoot from October 2022. There’s nothing I love more than making memories with my family and sometimes, for us at least, it’s as simple as getting dressed up to go nowhere. We make our own fun and take photos that will last a lifetime. When we took these photos we were visiting High Park on a beautiful weekend afternoon. We were close to the Zoo and the large Children’s playground. Georgia was still too little to play there at that time, but this year if we go back I know she’ll love it. The park was filled with visitors, families, and lots of happy dogs. Georgia and Dalton were happy to be out exploring and enjoying what I remember to be an absolute beautiful day weather wise. If you’re wondering how to recreate this fun on your own, it’s simple. I’m outlining the 3 steps below to plan your very own family photoshoot. 

Day, Time, Location

Pick a day that works well for you and your family. For most of us, that usually means a weekend. Unfortunately no matter where you head there may be a crowd, but don’t let that get you down. Be creative with your locations and camera angles. All of the photos here were taken on busy walkways with other people milling around! Something else to consider is your timing. If you have a little one it’s best to work around their schedules. When we take Georgia out I usually like to make sure it’s either well before her nap or afterwards. It also doesn’t hurt to make sure she has a full tummy. A well rested and fed baby makes for the happiest photos and memories. 

When thinking about locations for your family photoshoot, think of options that will be fun for all and also incorporate the season. Some ideas could be a beautiful park, by a lake, local coffee shop or a pumpkin patch. If the weather isn’t in your favour, you can make you own fun at home. Check out this post for Easy Ways to Decorate Ways to Decorate Your Home with Fall Decor.  

Outfits

The outfits that you choose don’t need to match perfectly for your photoshoot, but if your planning on posting or printing these photos it’s nice to coordinate. This might seem overwhelming to some, but it’s as easy as asking everyone to wear similar colour palettes.  Think: creams, nude, brown, or red, orange, brown, or navy, grey, and black. Our outfits here are from J Crew which were purchased a few weekends before these photos were taken while Alex and I were on a weekend getaway to Vermont. If you’re planning on using these for your Christmas or Holiday Cards, or just want to treat yourselves to new outfits, one of my favourite places to shop for the entire family is J Crew. You can get something for everyone, their pieces are timeless and can be worn for years to come.

Camera

You don’t need to have a $5000 camera to take good photos. As my good friend always says, the best camera is the one you have on you. No matter which camera you plan to take with you, remember this one tidbit of advice — charge it. The last thing anyone wants is to have the camera die amidst the fun. If you like to take photos with everyone included, you may also want to consider bringing a tripod with you. I bought this one from Amazon and I find it reliable and easy to pack up. It also doubles as a selfie stick and comes with a little remote that has bluetooth to connect to your phone to help snap pictures.

No matter where you end up, I hope you have fun exploring enjoying the colours of the changing leaves and making memories with your family. With that, I hope you have a wonderful season this fall.