Fresno Ca,|What to expect from your fall family photos 2024
What to expect from your fall family photos 2024
The fall 2024 photography season is approaching. Not only is the fall season my favorite time of year, but It is also the busiest and most exciting for family photography for a few reasons. One reason is that the weather is finally cooling down. People are comfortable stepping outside their homes and outside here in Central Valley. We have high Temperatures from 100 to 115° this summer. Many clients tell me they want to book this year but are waiting for the temperature to drop. This is a huge indicator that it will be a hectic season this year; another reason is that locations are just getting more and more beautiful with the leaves changing colors. The fields are getting taller and golden. The Central Valley has beautiful fall picture colors, but everyone wants to exploit them. A recent client mentioned that they prefer to book during the fall because they find that the wardrobe choice and locations being more colorful tie together and better fit in with their living room decor, which was interesting to hear. If you're here reading this blog, you're probably interested in booking a fall photography experience with me or curious about how I conduct my family photography experiences. Here in this blog, you will find that I have described what to expect from the beginning to the end.
Book early
As I mentioned briefly, the fall season is very well known in the photography business to be extremely busy. The kids are going back to school. The weather has been cooling down. The scenery is changing into beautiful colors. The crisp air inspires everyone to book a family session. This is why I urge you to begin the booking process to snack on your ideal timeslots even as early as August. You do not want to be someone who procrastinates booking their experience to the last minute only to miss out and have to wait till the winter season to book—something else to consider when booking is the time change that will take effect during the fall.
Currently, during summer, We experience sunset around 8:15 to 8:30 PM. During the fall, We start to experience sunset earlier; therefore, consider this when booking a time spot. If you're unsure, contact me, and I will 100% help guide you in the right direction—another thing to consider when booking is the length of the session you book, usually for families. I suggest you book a session for up to an hour. I like to structure my photography experiences by using different session durations. For example, I provide a 30-minute session and a one-hour session. If you have a smaller family with professional photography experience, then the 30-minute session should work perfectly.
Suppose this is your first photo taking, or you have a more prominent family. In that case, I suggest the one-hour session just because beginners tend to take some time to adjust to the camera, so the first couple of shots are what I like to call the warm-up shots. Of course, with a more prominent family, it'll take more time to run through every person and take the shots needed. I suggest that families with younger children who are still on a nap schedule try to book the family photos around the child's nap schedule. Something you want to avoid is having the child sleep in the car while driving to the location, waking them up, and expecting them to be happy During the Photoshoot. I cannot encourage my clients enough to prepare for the sessions. It will make their experience 1000 times better. I mean, you are investing your hard-earned money in this. You wanted to get the most out of it. If, for whatever reason, you do need to reschedule, you can do so one time with no extra charge. If you have to reschedule for the second time, I will charge a rescheduling fee of $40.
Deciding on location
In the center of the valley, tons of outdoor locations are so beautiful and perfect for any family photo shoot. Still, everything gets more magical and colorful, especially during the fall. I help clients select their location and give them recommendations based on their interests or mood. I also have some clients who already have locations where they want their photos to take place. I like to say that some locations require a little driving, but I think it is worth it for the beautiful backdrops. If you have no idea which location to choose, I will give you a list with some photos from that list. You can decide what location fits. Your family is best. Here are some things to consider. Do I care about the drive? If so, focus on that as your priority when choosing the location; another thing to consider would be colors. Locations that are surroundedby trees tend to be more diverse in color versus an open golden field. Both these locations represent fall but in a different way, so consider what mood you're in. Consider your wardrobe as well. I like to tell my clients that they don't want to ignore the location where their photos will take place when selecting their wardrobe. You do not want to blend in with your surroundings. You want to enhance your surroundings or stand out. As mentioned before, you want to maximize your investment, and as a photographer, I can create the best photos for you, but your preparation will elevate your photos.
Session experience
By the day of your photo shoot, you will have already communicated with me and received the location's address along with all the details needed. Your questions should have been answered, and hopefully, you will feel prepared for our session together. Part of the pre-session prep I sent out to my clients is a short guide reminder where I list some of the following things: Expecting to arrive a few minutes early to avoid cutting on session time. This is super important because you want to maximize your time with me. Often, I schedule sessions back to back and need help reviewing our booked time. I suggest mapping out the location in advance to avoid potential traffic delays. I also recommend bringing comfortable shoes. Walking is expected (no more than 5-10 minutes at most. If the walk is longer, I'll be sure to disclose.
I want to remind clients that you can bring a sentimental item to include in the session. The most important thing is to be ready to enjoy the experience of just being with your family, with no pressure, and just be present in the moment. If possible, don't worry or stress about the situation. Bring water and snacks if needed (kids get hungry). Full payment is due the day of the session. You can pay then or anything before. I am super laid back when I work. I don't like to stress about everything being perfect. I instead focus on capturing the connection and people. I find this type of photography genuine and beautiful. I will show you pictures as we accompany the session (not every shot). I will also not pose you in any way that is not comfortable for you. To my clients, if you feel uncomfortable, it will appear the same way on camera, so let's find a way to make sure you're comfortable with the way I guide you.
After session experience
Once your session ends, I will work on the editing process. I don't do any body-altering work. This means I won't make any post-editing changes to your body in any way. I won't make anything smaller or bigger or remove anything. I remove any background objects that are not supposed to be in the frame. As for bodies, I don't feel comfortable doing anything like this. I retouch clients' faces by slightly smoothing out skin to even out texture and skin tones and removing blemishes and fly-away hair. Once I'm done editing, I will upload your photos to your online gallery, where you can share them with your family directly or on social media. My turnaround time is two weeks from your session date.
In conclusion
Fall is the perfect time to update your family portraits for many reasons. I hope that by working with me, I'm able to create an environment where you feel comfortable enough to have your family post pictures for me. This short guide will give you an insight into how I work and what to expect when you book my fall family session. If you are good to go with anything from this blog, prepare before your session—any session. We only bring the mouse out of your Photography investment.
