Things photographers want you to know about fall.
Okay this one is VERY fall, but it is an amazing session because I drove almost an hour to spend time with Aly and Blake in their home town where they knew the landscape. It made it so special to them.
Every year like clock work, photographers lie in wait for the slightest hint of chill in the air. Likely by that time we are tired of shooting with sweat in our eyes, we can see the end of the year in the distance, our computers are full of June Bug weddings, and we know that we are about to enter the danger zone. I am talking about Fall. This season is one of my favorite ones, mostly because I am a sweaty person, but also because I really like what fall means. It means that winter is just around the corner, it means cuddling on the couch with my fiancé watching football, it means home cooked soups and farmers markets. It means being close with my family when we have most likely have spent the summer doing individual activities. This time however, is also SUPER stressful for photographers. You likely see tons of your facebook friends start posting about mini sessions, wanting to get some of those fall leaves and coordinated family outfits for Christmas cards, you see the first sign of the leaves changing and think about updating your family photos, or you see a beautiful early fall engagement and it gets ya to thinking. We joke about it in our realm of the internet, posting memes of skeletons insinuating that we have died, or a small woman standing in front of a large wave labeled “the amount of photos I have to edit.” As I write this fall has just passed. Trev and I picked up all the pumpkins we spent an hour picking out at the grocery store, we swept the snow away from my “Fall” sign and we crunched all of my corn stalks into the trash. Fall has safely passed and winter has settled in and its given me some time to reflect on this past “busy season.” Like most things I post about its not something that most photographers talk about it, and its probably wrong for me to do it, but when have I ever cared about that anyway? So here are some tips, straight from a photographer to potential clients, with regards to fall photos. There may be humor in here but the advice is super real.
1.) FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY IF YOU WANT PHOTOS GET ON THE SCHEDULE EARLY. I could literally just type that over and over like Jack from The Shining but I will instead elaborate. At all of my bridal consultations I come with a questionnaire but more importantly I come with my schedule book and my brides get first dibs on dates. That means they have likely had a fall date on the books for five months. So I am sorry Barbara, I can’t move my brides appointment for your family mini session in the peak of fall. I just won’t do it. So if you want fall photos get on the schedule five to six months early. That means you can be the one I mention to other people when I tell them tough turtles I am already booked that day.
2.) Remember, we can’t control the leaves. I probably needed medication this fall with all the anxiety I had trying to mentally keep the leaves on the trees but when it gets right down to it, we can’t do a damn thing to make sure the leaves are still there when we get your session. So remember to be kind to your photographer. If all of our normal spots have shed their leaves take a look around your stomping grounds, if you find a good spot with leaves still there, give us a shout! More than likely the good places, like Loose Park and the Nelson are PACKED with photographers, which means the personal experience is gone when we are fighting to stand in front of one small tree. Please please PLEASE let us know if you have a private spot with good leaves because we are likely all about it.
3.) You can make ANYTHING look fall if the temps are right. Fall to photographers looks like cooler toned sunsets and lots of sweaters. Quite honestly, most of my photos you can’t see the fall anyway. It is supposed to be about the couple or the subjects, so keep that in mind when you are thinking you will absolutely DIE if you can’t get in during peak leaf season. If you get in a bit later, look for a field that is ready for harvest or in the stages of dying. Those gold tones paired with a nice fall outfit are just as fall-y. Abby and Jeff got in to see me a bit late and they had just received 5 inches of snow in their town but this golden sunset and the wild field are still so complimentary of their fall outfits. Also this is an optimal time to try out urban landscapes.
SEE NO LEAVES IN SIGHT AND STILL FALL AF
A really good example of an urban landscape in lieu of trees in the fall.
4.) You can likely find a photographer doing sessions at all prices around this time and thats fantastic. However, this is a really good time to remind you that you get what you pay for. So for example, mini sessions are great if they match your price and are the right amount of time for your young kiddos or dogs, however, most photographers don’t like doing them. It means we sacrifice our time getting to know our clients, which I firmly believe makes it easier to get stunning photos. Mini sessions often last all day as well, meaning there are two times to get REALLY good light like you probably want. So if you are trying to sign up for one, go for the first or last when the sun is the lowest in the sky, and if you don’t get either of those positions please note that the sun is going to be high in the sky. Make sure your photographer is ready to accommodate that type of lighting and you should be Gucci. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, don’t be afraid to pay for your photographers full priced session. I think my clients are happier with their full priced sessions, they see it as an investment and are proud of what they paid for. You also get all my time and attention when we go out on a full priced adventure which you totally deserve, and it means we can visit multiple spots!
Okay also another example of no leaves but TONS of fall. Buy yourself some amazing mums and invite me over to your house and it will look SO fall.
5.) Be kind to your photographer. I know this will sound stupid because a lot of people will see us as lush creatives that get to make out own schedule and work for our selves and charge what we want and BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH I GET IT BARBARA. But fall is a rough time for us as professionals. Its like being a snow cone shop in the summer, or a ski resort in the winter. This fall, for example, my eyeball literally swelled shut from an allergic reaction to something at one of my sessions, but I had so much anxiety about missing anything on my jam packed schedule, I only missed one thing. I still went to every shoot and meeting with my eye ball looking like a straight pingpong ball. This is also a good time to note that we charge what we do because it means taking us away from our families during one of our favorite times of the year. It has to be worth it for us to leave just like it has to be worth it for you to leave you family for work. If you are a kind person and say nice things to your photographer during the fall like “Take your time” and “No rush” Just know that when photographers talk with each other after hours, we send screen shots of that stuff and brag about you. You are the MVP of our worlds and we love you.
I hope this helps and if it doesn’t feel free to tell me so you can crush my dreams. Stay tuned for my next piece about my Christmas shopping list and our family traditions.
Until next time,
Mer.