Give me alllll the cozy, rainy, windy, first 60 degree Mondays of September, am I right?! Windows are open, cheeseburger soup is in the crockpot, a pumpkin Anthropologie candle is burning, and “Remember the Titans” is playing while I get some work done…it’s a good day!! :)

The change in weather has me thinking about fall family sessions! Thirty families will be in front of my camera over the next five weeks, and I can’t wait for all the joy and laughter we’re going to capture. I know family photos with young kids can often bring a lot of pre-session stress…but it’s always my goal to make our session as carefree + fun as possible! A lot of that is on my end as your photographer, but there are some things you can do on your end to make our time together a win, too!

My top five tips for a successful fall family session with young kids:

1. Talk about the photo session beforehand! Tell your people (and spouse!) that it will be so fun to be outside, have lots of fun together, and take some pictures with Sami! :) Make sure to avoid discussing our time together in a strict/boring light…it’s absolutely fine to encourage them to listen to me, but the more you hype up the time together + prepare all family members to enjoy the session, the better!
2. Speaking of having fun outside, be ready to do just that! I will give you plenty of direction, but the more you and your spouse come ready to play and interact with your kiddos, the better our time together will go! For some families, this will look like lots of tickles and giggles and tag…for others, it might be sweet to snuggle up and share something you love about each other, or how proud you are of them.
3. Be mindful of all that above ^^ when you’re choosing your outfit! You’ll want to be able to lift your arms, so think about that with whatever top or dress you choose. For your kiddos, make sure they’re in something they can move in, too!
4. Make sure your people are fed! Most of my minis are in the evening this year, which means they might run into normal dinner time hours. If you can, eat an early dinner. If not, have a heavy snack beforehand, and bring something for the car after we are done! Minis run fifteen minutes, so you won’t want to break for snacks *during* the session…but before and after? Absolutely! If we’re doing a full session, I highly recommend bringing a mess-free snack as an option for during the session (and a water bottle!).
5. Have something to look forward to after the session! Whether it’s getting ice cream or a slushee, having a movie night, or just a special snack in the car — everyone deserves a fun treat for making it through the time :) :) You’ve got this!!!

In the meantime, enjoy some of my favorites from a family session last fall at Holliday Park! I looooved everything about this session – we played and laughed and explored, and it was THE BEST. I also really love the outfits Drew picked for her family – a mix of different textures and earthy colors and patterns/solids that worked perfectly!

Fall Family Session Tips // Lifestyle Family Photography at Holliday Park

Other fall sessions I love?

• Fall Mini Session Outfit Inspiration
• A Lifestyle Family Session at Home
• Fall Family Session at the Park