Outdoor Fall Family Photography Harrisburg PA

Top Tips: What to Wear for Fall Family Photos in Mechanicsburg PA

A lot of parents worry that planning a photo shoot for fall family photos in Mechanicsburg PA will be too much work, but it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think! In fact, as a full-service photographer, I can help you with all the details. The beautiful family featured in this blog chose their own location but I can help you with that, and I can even help you with choosing your family’s wardrobe. These tips can get you started, though.

Best Fall family Photographer near Mechanicsburg PA captures a candid moment between parents, their toddler and their family dog at their outdoor family photo session.
Best Fall Family Photography near Mechanicsburg PA

Take Advantage of Layers

For fall portraits, layers are your best friend! For one, they photograph well and they have a great fall look. For two, they’re comfortable and versatile. You never quite know what the weather will do, and it will depend on the shooting location too – it might be breezier there than it was at your home when you got dressed. Layers let you adjust to anything,

Little boy walks through a patch of orange marigolds at his family photo session with Karissa Zimmer Photography
Outdoor child photography

Choose Deep Colors and Jewel Tones for Fall Family Photos in Mechanicsburg PA

Generally, deep, rich colors work well for fall portraits. They go great with the colors of fall foliage, complementing the background while making sure your family stands out. Fall is a great time for jewel tones like ruby red, emerald green, or deep purple, along with neutrals and earth tones like shades of brown, sage green, and cream.

Little boy sits on his dads shoulders and laughs with delight at his outdoor fall family photo session with Karissa Zimmer Photography

Dress Mom First

In most families, especially if your kids are younger, Mom is the most difficult person to dress. We have curves and we want to wear something that makes us look and feel our best. That’s why it helps to find an outfit you love for yourself first. This gives you a starting point and you can then create the rest of the family’s outfits to complement it.

Mother and toddler son share a special moment at their outdoor fall family portait session near Mechanicsburg

Complement, Don’t Match

You’ll notice that I said that your family’s outfits should “complement” yours, and that’s a key word here. The trend is no longer for the family to match perfectly but instead to have a color palette of around four colors that look great together. This way, your family looks put-together but also natural. Plus, frankly it’s incredibly hard to find outfits when you’re trying to match exact shades, so broad palettes and color families are much easier.

Best Outdoor Family Photographer near Mechanicsburg PA

Balance Comfort and Style for Your Footwear

Footwear is easy to overlook but it’s such an important part of everyone’s outfit, and it should align with your overall style. I’m mostly looking at you, moms! Heels can flatter your body shape wonderfully in photos, but choose the right ones for the location. For outdoor photos where you’ll be standing on a grassy or dirt surface, choose block heels or wedges rather than stiletto heels that can sink in.

Karissa Zimmer Photography captures a fun moment where parents show their toddler something they found at their outdoor family photoshoot

Planning Your Wardrobe for Fall Family Photos in Mechanicsburg PA? I’ve Got You!

As a full-service photographer, I’m here to make your photo shoot experience a breeze and that includes advising you on your wardrobe. To start planning, contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s chat!

Outdoor Fall Family photos in Mechanicsburg PA by Karissa Zimmer Photography
Father holds toddler son on his shoulders at their outdoor family photoshoot this fall season
Little boy picks flowers in a field at his family's portrait session with Karissa ZImmer Photography

 

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Family in All Forms: Nontraditional Family Photos in Harrisburg PA

When you think of family portraits, you probably picture a conventional family, as most of us do: two parents and a few kids. While that’s what most of my family photos in Harrisburg PA look like, every so often I have the joy of photographing a nontraditional family or chosen family. Recently I had that joy in my family photo session with two wonderful best friends and their children and it reminded me of how truly special these types of nontraditional family portraits in Harrisburg PA are. 

Mom best friends share a fun moment with their kids during their non traditional family photo session near Harrisburg PA
Best Family Photographer near Harrisburg PA

What Do Nontraditional Family Portraits Look Like?

Nontraditional family portraits can look so many different ways! In this case, it was a mom and her child with her dear friend and her child. It could also be a co-parenting family – children with their parents and stepparents. Or, your photo session could be your traditional family along with someone else who plays a strong role in your family, like your kids’ nanny or an extended family member who lives with you.

Ultimately, your nontraditional family portraits can include anyone who feels like family to you (within reason of course, because a family photo shoot with 20 people is a whole different ball game!). And that’s what makes it so special: it’s the people who are your family in a truly authentic way.

Toddler best friends share a sweet moment during their outdoor photography session with Karissa Zimmer Photography
Best outdoor portrait Photography | Harrisburg PA

The Beauty of Nontraditional Family Photos in Harrisburg PA

Nontraditional family photo sessions hold a special place in my heart for so many reasons.

First, they honor the relationships in your life that go beyond the bounds of genetics and our typical ideas of family. There’s no reason that your best friends or your cousins, for example, should have the joy of a photography session together just because it’s not a societal tradition (yet).

Second, these sessions celebrate the amazing fact that as people we can form amazing bonds with each other regardless of details like genetics or marriage certificates. Sometimes the most important and meaningful relationships in our life aren’t with our birth family, and in fact, it can be even more special that you and these people found each other in the world and developed such a deep relationship.

Third, I believe that a family photo session is a joy that everyone deserves to have. There are so many people who don’t have close family members or who don’t have a relationship with their family for countless different reasons. A nontraditional family photo session opens the door for all of these people to have the same joy and memories of a family photo shoot that people with traditional families get to enjoy.

Best Harrisburg PA family photographer captures a special bond between best friends and their children.

Creating Your Own Nontraditional Family Photos in Harrisburg PA

Whoever those people are in your life who are family in your heart, even if they’re not family by blood or marriage, I’d be honored to create stunning portraits for you! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start planning.

Two moms who are best friends and their toddlers have a outdoor family photoshoot together in a creek near Harrisburg
Best friend moms and their toddlers walk together in the woods at their outdoor family photoshoot

 

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