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Got That Perfect Family Photo Tips

It’s almost fall friends! The leaves are falling, the air is crisp and clear, and best of all, the foliage will start changing color to their autumn hues of gold, red, and yellow. It’s also a perfect time to plan out your yearly family photo, there literally can’t be a better time to pack up the family and loved ones for a family photo date. There are some good steps to take before doing this to take into consideration  and plan to get a timeless, memorable photo this year. 
1)  What activity do you love doing with your family outdoors? This could be the best option for a photo everyone will enjoy.  Capturing your family doing what they love the most will get the most natural, authentic expressions and attitudes. It also will have the added bonus of letting anyone who sees it  instantly know what defines your family. The possible set-ups and props are limitless! Do you enjoy bike-riding with your children down a lazy country trail? How about window-shopping in one of the area’s urban centers, or enjoying a fancy coffee, pasty or another refreshment at a street-side cafe? A lovely afternoon picking pumpkins (a Clare family favorite), having a quaint picnic in a park, or even a quick game of Frisbee, baseball, or even mini-golf might be a wonderful opportunity  to capture your family’s interests this year.
2) What location do you go with your family most often to relax? A familiar setting lends itself to ease and comfort, making for the most natural photos. Is your family more comfortable at well-kept, neatly landscaped park, or at an isolated, weathered and overgrown farm?  Do you prefer the hustle and bustle of a popular and well-recognized urban center like Fountain Square in Cincinnati, or a quieter cobble-stoned cafe stretch like Mt. Adams, or your own hometown? If you think about it, you may find that you are actually the most comfortable right in your own backyard. 
3) What clothing look do you want to remember your family by this year? Coordinated clothing is very important to getting impact and memorable portraits. Does your family dress up, or keep it casual? Depending on what environment or activity you choose, the clothing should match the activity, but planned better than the usual outing. In general , all clothes matching, or genders matching,  parents matching etc, turn out better than everyone wearing something different. Solid colors lend themselves to clashing less with backgrounds than patterns, and colors that stand out against the background.
4) What time and day is everyone available, and what is the weather going to be like? Having your photo taken at the right time of day is crucial to getting the “look” you want. As a general rule, mid-day is about the worst time of day there is for any kind of photography, and especially portrait photography. We would like to encourage you to have them taken mid-morning or late afternoon, as the lighting is more even, and has more color to add. It goes without saying that a rainy, blustery day should be enough of a reason to reschedule a photo date, so plan with your family accordingly.

5) When will the leaves change color? Schedule your photo shoot during the right weeks, the golden window doesn't last long....




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