Autumn is, hands down, the most perfect time of the year to snap adorable photos of your little one. The rich, vibrant colors of the changing leaves provide a stunning backdrop for baby photos. The air is crisp, but not so cold that everyone is forced to dress like a marshmallow. Best of all, it’s the perfect excuse to go a little crazy on the latest newborn baby clothes, like cute baby hats and cozy leggings for fall.
Ready to take advantage of nature’s stunning backdrop? Here are some fall baby photo shoot ideas that will help you capture both the magic of the season and your baby’s unique personality.
When to Take Fall Baby Photos
When it comes to taking fall baby photos, you’re racing against multiple clocks. The first clock is, of course, your baby. While grumpy baby pictures can be both hilarious and cute, you’d probably prefer it if your baby was happy and smiling for the photo shoot. Pick a time when your baby is well-rested, fed and comfortable so you can increase your chances of taking the perfect baby photo.
The second clock you’re racing against is the sun. Generally, the best time to take fall baby photos is right before sunset. If you can line up your baby’s schedule with this golden hour, you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous baby photos.
What to Wear
Figuring out what to wear is always the hardest part of a photo shoot! One important thing to remember about fall is that it’s all about color. To make your little one pop against the fiery foliage, consider dressing them in light blue or white.
If you’re taking pictures outdoors, skip the fancy suits and cocktail dresses—they’ll look out of place in a natural setting. Instead, keep it casual with cute dresses for girls (with tights for extra warmth!) and long sleeve t-shirts and pants for boys.
7 Fall Baby Photo Shoot Ideas to Try
Start scouting for outdoor photo locations as soon as possible. If you’re taking your own baby photos, be careful not to wait too long to take your pictures. You don’t want the beautiful foliage to turn into dry, brown leaves before you can capture the beauty.
Ready for baby’s close-up? Here are a few fall baby photo shoot ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
- Playing in the Leaves
Let’s start with a classic fall backdrop: a big ol’ pile of autumn leaves! This is a favorite among families for several reasons. First, you can capture this shot practically anywhere, including your own backyard. Another reason is that kids LOVE playing with leaves. They’ll have an absolute ball tossing leaves in the air or simply staring at them with wide-eyed wonder, giving you plenty of opportunities to capture some cute fall photos.
- Pumpkin Patch Fun
Is there anything cuter than pictures of babies with pumpkins? If you’re going to a pumpkin patch this year, plan to put your baby in a cute outfit and take snaps of them surrounded by all the pumpkins. Can’t make it to a pumpkin patch this year? Pick up a few pumpkins at the grocery store and create your own DIY pumpkin patch photo shoot in the backyard.
- Embrace Natural Frames
As the leaves begin to fall, take advantage of the scraggly branches by using them to frame your shot. This is a clever photography technique that can add a beautiful depth to your shot while providing you with the perfect seasonal frame.
- Take a Wagon Ride
There’s something about seeing a baby in a red steel wagon that is just so adorable. Best of all, this is an easy fall baby photo shoot idea that you can do at home. Just get a wagon (you can buy one for less than $60), pad it with a cozy, flannel blanket and add a pumpkin. Then, have your spouse tug baby along while you take some cute snaps.
- Park Photo Shoot
A nearby park can be a convenient place to take fall photo shoots. Just walk around until you find a good spot and start snapping some pictures. If the weather is nice, you could also pack a picnic and make a family outing out of your photo shoot. The only downside is that you may not have much privacy, so keep that in mind if you don’t want any onlookers.
- Into the Woods
If you want to go somewhere more secluded, consider heading into the woods for a family photo shoot. You don’t need to go too far to get a rustic-themed shot. You could have an outdoor photographer take a few pictures of you and the family walking a secluded trail or sitting on a log bench in the woods.
- Pose in a Wheat Field
Another classic background for a fall baby photo shoot is a wheat field. Wheat field photos are especially gorgeous around sunset and are pretty easy to dress for—just have the entire family wear white or blue to pop against the tan.
A Beautiful Fall Photo Shoot for Baby
Taking baby photos in the fall is so easy that it almost feels like cheating. From pumpkin patches to backyard photo shoots in the autumn leaves, there are an endless number of ways to capture some great pictures of your baby against a stunning fall backdrop. Try one of these fall baby photo shoot ideas and preserve your memories for life.
