How to Prepare for your Portland Fall Family Photos

Portland Fall Family Photos Prep Guide

I know you don’t want to believe it, but it’s already time to start planning your fall family photos here in Portland. If you’re wondering when to book, what to wear, how to have a relaxed experience, or if Portland weather is going to ruin everything, keep reading. Let’s answer the questions I hear every fall.

What month should we book our fall photo session?

Let’s talk about each month and what the good and the bad are about each one, so you can make a decision about when to book.

September

This is my favorite month for fall photos. The weather is usually mild, probably warm-ish and there’s much less chance of rain. If you like sunny weather or don’t have a lot of flexibility in your schedule, September is when you should book. I have some locations that are dry from the summer heat, so they actually look fall-ish anyway.

October

October is a great mix of fall color and cool, but usually not too cold weather. But this is when the rain starts to come more often. If you want the peak fall colors, that usually comes in the last two weeks. 

November

It starts to get colder and windier this month, but the fall colors are still looking incredible for 1-3 weeks depending on the year. Please be very flexible with time and day if you want to book in November. Sunset is around 4:30 in November so we will be starting at 3:30pm or earlier. Great for young kids’ moods, but you may have to leave work early or get the kids early from school to make it work. 

What if it rains or the weather is bad?

This is one of the most common worries that families have about booking fall photos, especially in Oregon where it rains a lot. I leave gaps in my schedule because I want to make sure there is room to move things around in case it rains. If you don’t have a lot of flexibility in your schedule, I suggest booking in September when it’s less likely to rain.

If it shows a small chance for rain, or only a drizzle and maybe sun right after, then I suggest we stick with it. I’ve gotten the most dramatic skies on nights like that! I also bring along clear umbrellas if we need them, and stomping in puddles or dancing in the rain can be a really fun memory for you all (after we get all the safe shots, of course). If you embrace it, you can end up with the most epic photos.

I usually suggest waiting until the night before or even the day of your session to decide, though. The weather report is constantly changing and you really can’t trust it to be accurate even a few days ahead of time. If it’s looking like there might be rain, I’ll monitor it and let you know if it’s best to reschedule or not.

If it looks extremely windy and cold, that might be another reason to reschedule. This usually happens more in November rather than earlier in the fall season. I leave even more gaps in my schedule in November and I ask that you only book that month if you can be flexible, too 🙂

What should we wear for photos?

It’s time to embrace all those earth tones! Orange, muted mustard, terra cotta, dusty pink, maroon, rust, olive green, and dusty blue are all amazing. Mix in some creams and browns and you’re set! My favorite shade of brown is a caramel brown because it photographs so well, so if you can work that in there, you should. Remember to layer in case the weather is cold. Chunky knit sweaters are always great, especially ones that are open in the front for the females to wear over their dresses/outfits. You can keep children warmer by layering knit or ribbed leggings or tights under their outfits, as well (preferably with texture). If it’s supposed to be really cold, make sure that babies don’t have any legs exposed. Baby pants tend to move when being held so I suggest two layers if possible, and long socks to be sure they are as warm as possible. Cold babies equal crying babies.

Some other posts about what to wear for family photos:

What colors to wear for family photos, How to choose the right patterns to wear, What NOT to wear for family photos, and What to wear for maternity photos.

What Portland locations are good for fall photos?

When you book with me, you’ll get access to my location guides, with of all my favorite spots around the Portland area and in the Gorge. Some are in Oregon City, North Portland, The Columbia River Gorge… It’s beautiful here in the fall so I will suggest some spots and you can see what you like best. I even have access to a private alpaca farm or an apple orchard! I pick locations based on the available light because I just love when you can catch that golden sun right before it sets. But if it’s cloudy, I will also let you know the best plan for that, as well.

How can we keep our family photos stress-free?

I have lots of tips on how to keep your fall session stress-free! The first one is to book your date early. You want to leave yourselves plenty of time to figure out your clothing, location, etc. and in my experience, last minute bookings are usually the most stressful. Of course, I can help take the stress out with my client closet, that way you don’t have to worry about your online order getting there in time.

Another way to keep your session stress-free is to allow yourselves to be the cool parents during your photo session. Your kids get to be as silly as they want, and I don’t expect them to be calm and “good” during their session. I actually wrote an entire blog post on why I want your kids to misbehave during their photo session. It’s a great read and my absolute best advice for the most authentic family photos!

Treat your family photo session like a fun family outing! Sing songs or play games in the car on the way there, really enjoy your family during the session and leave the hard part to your photographer, and plan to go out to dinner or dessert together afterward to keep the fun going (but try not to bribe them with that, we want the session to feel like the fun thing, not like something they need to be bribed to enjoy).

My last tip for keeping your session stress-free is to get to the location a little early. If you’re mega prepared and ahead of schedule, you will be much calmer, and in turn, so will everyone else. And being late to your family photos is never a good idea. So give yourselves way more time than you think is necessary to get ready. Trust me. Once you arrive you’ll probably need a bit of time to get everyone situated, fix hair, wipe faces, and maybe even change into your outfits if you didn’t want them getting wrinkled on the drive.

How do we find the right Portland photographer for us?

You want to find a photographer who has the right personality for you and your family. Obviously, their style has to be right for you, as well, but something a lot of people don’t think about is personality. If you are a quieter, more reserved family, then find someone who matches that. If you are silly, fun and don’t take yourselves too seriously, then book me 😉. The best way to find out more about your photographer is to check their about me page on their website, and to check their social media posts. Especially check their Instagram stories because a lot of photographers keep their feed more professional, but then share more about their personal lives in their stories. Find someone who you click with and your session will go so much more smoothly!

How can we book a fall family photo session?

If you’ve decided that I am the right fit for your family, then you’re obviously awesome and have amazing taste 😆. You can book your Portland fall family photos by booking directly online, or sending me a message. I’m so excited to plan your session!