Oakwood Ohio Fall Family Photography Session
Today on the blog, I can’t wait to talk to you about my top five tips for your fall family photography session. But first, let me tell you all about the adorable photoshoot that inspired this post!
The Chaulk family was looking to take photos with their newly 6-month old son. That, paired with the lovely fall colors Dayton has to offer this time of year, made for the perfect fall family photoshoot. We decided to head over to a local park that isn’t too too far from Oakwood, Ohio and take advantage of this beautiful time of year.
Fall Photography Session with Ashley Lynn Photography
I first connected with the Chaulk’s a few years back when I photographed their beautiful winter wedding. And now just a couple years later the couple was blessed with their first baby boy!
The family had a color palette and an overall vibe in mind going into the photoshoot. This isn’t a requirement, but it definitely helps ensure the photos turn out exactly how you envisioned. If you’re struggling to nail down an exact vision for your session, I am more than happy to collaborate with you and figure out exactly what look you’re aiming for. I like to take into account things like home decor and wall colors, so that we can be sure your family photographs will look great hanging on your walls at home.
Brittany decided on a wardrobe featuring muted tones for her family. The color palette of dove gray, light creams and neutral beige went together perfectly. The light colored clothing with varying textures stays perfectly in line with my elevated light and airy family photography style. Brittany had her eye on this stunning floral dress her mother had gifted to her for her birthday, making it extra special! Not to mention, the style of the dress is so timeless that it goes perfectly with my Ashley Lynn Photography wardrobe style that you often see across family photoshoots.
Five Tips For Your Fall Family Photography Session
Now that we got all of those important facts out of the way, it’s time to dive into my top five tips for your fall family photography session. But remember, these tips can be adapted to fit across a variety of seasons, it just takes a bit of creativity!
1. Time of Year: First up is picking the perfect time of year. The middle of October is the peak time of year for lovely fall colors in the Dayton, Ohio area. But don’t wait until October to book your session. Make sure you book your fall family photo session early with your photographer, since this is the busiest time of year for most photographers. I recommend booking your family photo sessions 2-3 months in advance to ensure you’ll get your session booking during peak season.
2. Location: Next on the list is location, location, location! It’s important to make sure that the location you choose for your fall photos looks great on the day of your family session. In the Dayton area, an overnight storm can often wipe out the leaves from trees and you may be left with little color. Choosing a location with a large variety of trees is good for not only a variety of color and txture, but also a heightened likelihood that leaves will still remain on the branches come session day.
3. Wardrobe: Choosing a family wardrobe is a key element to getting timeless looking fall family photographs. I never want to take photos that you will look back on with a slightly embarrassing gaze in the years to come. Just like the Chaulk family chose, in the fall I prefer to go with more muted tones. This pairs perfectly with my light and airy family photography style. But remember, light and airy doesn’t have to mean simple! I strongly suggest incorporating some layers and different textures to add some interest to the clothing. It’s also good to coordinate and not be to “matchy”.
When photographing large extended families, I suggest picking 2-3 colors and having everyone pick clothes within those colors. Mixing different hues of the same colors is great too. Also, pairing patterns and solid colored clothing is another great way to add visual interest to the images.
Planning the Perfect Fall Family Photoshoot
4. Time of Day: When planning a family fall photoshoot, you want to consider your daily routines. Especially if young children are involved! Always consider your children’s sleep and eating schedule when scheduling your session start time. The last thing you want are overtired or hungry little ones for family pictures. Also remember that the sun sets earlier this time of year and the prime session time is one to two hours before sunset. Just remember to keep daylight savings time in mind. The earlier sunset will drastically change the session start time.
5. Stay Warm: The Dayton, Ohio weather is notorious for being ever changing, especially in the fall months. Make sure to bring along children’s coats or a blanket to wrap them up in before photos. When kids and let’s be honest, adults, are cold they get grumpy. When cold your skin color changes slightly and this can be almost impossible to edit out of some photos. So bundle them, and yourself, up in between shots or shooting locations!
And there you have it, my top five tips for a fall family photography session in the Dayton, Ohio area. Do you have any tips to add? Let me know in the comments!
Xoxo, Ashley