When and Where to have a Fall session.

​Hello Sunshine!

Last blog I gave you 4 reasons to book a fall session. I hope it was helpful.
 
Now that you know it is a great idea to book a Fall session, let’s talk about when and where to have a Fall session.
 
We’ll talk about when to schedule a Fall session first. In Indiana, there are about 4 to 5 weeks when the color is best. This usually happens the last 2 weeks of October and the first 2 weeks of November. Your photographer will most likely schedule you for a session during those weeks or close to them.
 
You now know the best weeks to schedule a Fall session, what about time of day should it be? The best time of day is one hour before sunset; we call it golden hour. Can you guess why? It may be the fantastic golden tone that the sun going down creates. It looks amazing on any portrait session. It has a fantastic effect on a Fall portraits; the golden tone brings everything together like magic.
 
Daytime fall sessions are great too. However, shade is your best friend on a sunny day.
 
Now you know when to schedule a Fall session, but where should you have your fall session? Your photographer should have a few location suggestions if you are not sure where.
 
So, what should you look for in a fall session location? The first thing is pretty obvious, but I gotta say it. Trees, you have to have trees in the background. Without trees there are no leaves, leaves are what create the beautiful fall colors. What happens to the leaves after they fall? They go to the ground. This is a great opportunity to use color splashes from the ground. If you are having a hard time getting far enough from the trees to see the leaves, the ones on the ground can help a lot. My suggestion however, is to find a location that allows you to be far enough from the trees to see the leaves.
 
Another thing to look for in a location is a range in scenery. You should be able to walk a little bit or turn around to get a change in background. A bonus is finding a location that has props built in. Things like a tree branch that stretches out, a hay bale or a bridge are great additions to a portrait session.
 
You know what to look for now but where can you find these things?
 
 My first and favorite suggestion is country roads. You can do so much with a country road. A road that is covered by trees is a great find; it frames the portraits perfectly.
 
A farm is also a great location. Hay bales are a great addition to a farm fall portrait. Farms can provide a great range of color and textures that add a lot to the portrait.
 
Another suggestion is a park. Parks always have trees and provide many useful spots to photograph.
 
I have told you when and where to have a portrait session. Now I have a couple suggestions on where not to have your session.
 
Flat land with nothing but the horizon is not a great location. It can be great for 1 or 2 simple portraits but it is boring and you don’t get any fall colors. Find a place that has lots of different textures, colors and scenery.
 
Another thing to think about is choosing a location that does not take the focus off of you. If the background is so visually overpowering that you are not the focus, it may as well be a landscape photograph. This can happen with props; they are great but if you use too many or do not use them correctly they can ruin a portrait.  It can also happen when other things are in the background, like cars or things that do not go with the portrait.
 
I hope this has helped you know when and where to schedule your Fall session. 
 
Please contact me for any questions you have. I would love to help you. Call (812)249-7549 or email hillarypair@peacefulmomentsphotograpphy.com
 
Check in for the next blog about the new and improved rewards program.