Fall is a fantastic season for photography, with its vibrant colors and cozy atmosphere. As a photographer, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate autumn’s beauty and opportunities. I’ve put together some fall photoshoot ideas to help you capture stunning images and create lasting memories for your clients, friends or family.

7 Fall Photoshoot Ideas

Golden Hour Magic

Light is the most crucial factor in photography, especially when shooting for fall photoshoot ideas. Leverage the warm, soft light during the golden hours just before sunrise and sunset.

The sun’s low angle creates a beautiful, flattering glow that enhances the fall colors, the warmth of the light and surroundings, and the contrast. Encourage your clients to schedule their sessions during these times for breathtaking results. I suggest you shoot during the golden hour when the light is warm and magical. 

Foliage-Framed Portraits

Look for locations with vibrant foliage, such as parks, forests, or tree-lined paths. Use the colorful leaves as a natural frame around your subjects. Experiment with composition by placing your subjects slightly off-center, allowing the foliage to create a visually pleasing border for the image.

Find a forest path full of color, and, just like you used the leaves on the road to direct the eye to your subject, you can use a tree-lined forest path to achieve the same effect. Don’t have a subject? No worries, use the light to capture the beautiful colors, shadows and highlights in the forest. Arrive early and catch the fall, mist or fog rising from the forest floor, or capture a green field with the trees as the backdrop.

Pumpkin Patch Delight

A pumpkin patch is a playful and festive location for fall photoshoots. Capture candid moments of families or individuals selecting pumpkins, interacting with the surroundings, or even sharing a laugh.

Incorporate wide shots to showcase the patch’s atmosphere and close-ups to capture the intricate details of pumpkins. Try to go early in the season, so you have a large number of pumpkins and that they are in good condition. 

Cozy Outdoor Lifestyle

Embracing the coziness of fall by staging lifestyle sessions outdoors is one of my favorite fall photoshoot ideas. Provide warm blankets, thermoses with hot beverages, and comfortable seating to create a relaxed environment. Use the blankets to wrap around your subjects while they are walking in the leaves.

Have your subjects sit on the blankets or have a family cuddle under one. Choose blankets in hues of fall colors, or have the family bring a blanket to coordinate with the outfits they are wearing. Bring the scarves and cute jackets, and don’t forget the hats to make those fall photos fun! Have your subjects toss the hats in the air or pull slightly on the scarves.

The layers of fall clothes add extra warmth to your photos. Capture your clients enjoying the outdoors while wrapped in warmth, engaging in activities like reading, chatting, or cuddling.

Harvest Time

Visiting local farms or orchards offers rustic charm and a variety of fall photoshoot ideas. Capture families exploring apple orchards, navigating corn mazes, or picking produce. A top tip for photographing in a corn maze is to bring a zoom lens. It’s perfect for capturing the kids running around, and remember to use a fast shutter speed and get down low. Have the children grab a cob of corn and run towards you.

Have them stop and peel back the leaves of the corn. Use the leading lines of the maze to photograph your subject. Corn stocks add cool neutral colors to the photo and a fun textural element. The rustic setting of a farm, orchard or maze and the active engagement of clients make for dynamic and authentic shots.

Candid Moments

Encourage natural interactions among your clients. Capture candid shots of families playing in piles of leaves, couples sharing a genuine laugh, or friends enjoying each other’s company. Line up the kids on the same focal plane and capture them throwing the leaves into the air or diving into a pile. Find a river or lake surrounded by autumn colors.

Let your subjects play around the water, skipping stones, throwing leaves at each other, and sit back and capture them. Candid moments evoke authenticity and emotion, creating photographs that resonate with viewers.

Macro Magic

Don’t forget to explore the smaller details of fall. Macro photography involves capturing subjects up close, revealing details often overlooked by the naked eye. Use a macro lens to capture close-ups of dewdrops on leaves, spiderwebs, fallen leaves with intricate patterns, or acorns scattered on the ground.

These shots reveal the hidden beauty in the details and textures of the season, and don’t forget to apply compositional techniques to your macro shots to create visually engaging images. Consider the rule of thirds, leading lines, and negative space to guide the viewer’s eye to the image’s focal point.

I hope these fall photoshoot ideas are inspiring, and I’ve given you some ideas for your seasonal photo sessions!

By tailoring your approach to these fall photoshoot ideas and leveraging your experience as a natural light lifestyle photographer, you’ll be able to create a diverse and captivating portfolio that truly captures the essence of autumn.

Get out there, have fun and take advantage of the beautiful colors!