It may be fall in Texas, but it still feels like summer! Here are 4 tips for helping your fall session actually feel like fall.


October is here and there is much hype around the cozy, warm, fun vibes that fall brings. Leaves changing, seasonal lattes filled with pumpkin and spices, chunky knit cardigans and leggings, fall festivals and it’s family photo season. But, here’s the problem. For Texans, it’s currently early October and it’s still 95 degrees outside! All those cozy, fall leaves changing autumn feels you want for your photos feel unattainable. You are thinking about booking your family session and you want to feel all those fall vibes, but the leaves on the trees are still green and there is no way you’re going outside in boots and a sweater. There is hope for us Texas! Here are some ideas to keep your photos looking festive for fall without the changing leaves and cool breeze. (Though, let’s face it, we CANNOT wait until it’s here!) 


Tip 1: Wear Fall Colors 


Never underestimate the power of wearing fall colors. You can manifest fall in your entire outfit, sending fall vibes all over your family photos. Think about all the colors you love for fall. The colors of pumpkins, the changing leaves with yellows and oranges and deep reds, the earthy, warm tones. Put together outfits that have rust and light brown and beige or wear a mustard yellow dress while dressing your little ones in beautiful maroons and creams. Your color schemes can make a huge difference when you are trying to create that fall vibe in your photos. When you book a session with me, I will send you a very comprehensive style guide with lots of links to fall colors schemes and outfits. 


Tip 2: The Fall-Like Details


Details are always important when styling outfits for your photos, and you can use that to your advantage to help give your photos that autumn look. While you may not want to put on lots of warm layers, you use a few items that will help make your outfits fall ready. For example, you could wear a short sleeved dress with tall brown boots or wear your leather Chelsea boots with a short light weight dress in a fall color scheme. Wearing a darker brimmed hat could help give off fall vibes. A sweater may be too hot, but you could layer on a light weight short sleeved cardigan in fall colors. All of these things can help bring together the impression that it is a beautiful crisp, cool fall day in your photos. In my sessions, I like to bring little micro dried flower bouquets. For fall, these could specifically include some orangey colors or long wheat that might glow in the sun, giving off an impression of fall. 


Tip 3: Location 


In Texas, we never know when the leaves are going to change into those beautiful orange and yellow hues. Because of that, we need to find locations that are more fall-inspired than actually looking like fall. For example, fields with tall grass and hearty white flowers make for a beautiful backdrop in the sunlight with all the fall colored outfits. Avoid places on the sand or very green grass so that you can keep from looking too spring or summer-like in your photos. Find good dark green trees, even pine or fir, and fields with hearty neutral plants to mix nicely with the fall colors of your clothes.


Tip 4: Fall Decor


Fall Decor goes with location, and may seem obvious, but it’s definitely worth noting! If you want your photos to look fall-like, find a location that has decorated their space with fall foliage. For example, The Little Sunflower is a venue that I’ll be bringing clients to this year and their whole greenhouse is decorated beautifully with pumpkins, dried fall colored flowers and beautiful decor that will leave no doubt that this is a fall session. So, even if it IS 90 degrees, no one will even be able to tell! There are plenty of beautiful spaces that do the same. The Dallas Arboretum has a great pumpkin display, as well as Stem and Light which is another beautiful greenhouse venue in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. Even a local pumpkin patch would be a great space for this! If you’re interested in pumpkin patches around the Denton area, check out my freebie with 70 things to do around Denton with your family. There are several great places to check out there.