Autumn is the ideal time to go for a drive and see the beautiful changing colours
There’s no better time than the present to go road-tripping and witness the vibrant colours of the season. I am a self-professed summer gal, but even I can appreciate the varying tones of mustard yellow, deep burnt orange and burgundy red leaves. Read on for a list of the top 5 fall photography outfit ideas, complete with props to bring with you that will provide photography ideas for beautiful photos.
If you’re going to take a road trip to see some fall colours, be sure to check out my earlier post on How to plan an epic road trip. I covered the basics of planning a road trip in this post, as well as some of the essential items to bring with you.
This time, I’m giving you my list of must-haves to bring with you to help you achieve amazing photos. Whether it’s a same-day drive or a weekend road trip, bring these accessories with you for top-notch pics.
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Props and Fall Photography Outfit Ideas for Beautiful Photos
One last thing before I divulge my tips. I feel that I must tell you that I am not a professional photographer by any means. I simply love to take pictures, and I always have. These are not tips on how to use your camera or anything technical, but rather photography ideas and props to have on hand to capture beautiful pictures. All of the images below were taken on my iPhone 11 Pro and edited with Lightroom.
1. A Hat
There’s something about fall that calls for long flowy dresses, boots, sweaters, and hats. I love the versatility a hat can provide to an outfit, whether it’s worn or carried by one’s side, or even thrown in the air for a fun picture. They also help cover up those days when our hair isn’t cooperating – a definite bonus!
All three of these hat images were taken at a local farm during their annual Sunflower Festival. I shared lots of images of this farm in my article Stroll Through Acres of Beautiful Flowers.
Local farms make excellent locations for photoshoots. Since the flowers and produce they grow change seasonally, you can often visit the same farm several times a year. It’s a great way to support a small, local business while capturing beautiful photos. A definite win-win!
2. Large Blanket Scarf
This item can serve multiple purposes, making it the ideal prop to bring with you to capture multiple looks. I like to use my blanket scarf as a large wrap around my body that helps to create both movement and texture in a photo.
If your action shots tend to turn out blurry, try taking a screenshot from a video, or try using burst mode. These tricks can help you capture the movement clearly. If you have an iPhone or smartphone with Live mode, this is the best way to capture movement as you can select the best photo from the series.
Having a scarf also enables you to get several different looks in an instant. One with the scarf wrapped around you, shown in the images above. Another look is to have it bundled up around your neck, as shown below. You could also shoot one more picture with it laid on the ground like a blanket.
Pro tip: bring a blanket scarf with you if you plan to go canoeing. I wish I had thought of this when I went canoeing at Lake Louise! It would have been the perfect cover-up to hide the life jacket I was wearing. Covering the lifejacket with a gorgeous blanket scarf would have greatly improved the pictures I ended up with. I won’t make that mistake again.
3. Fur Vest
This might be my favourite fall photography outfit idea because nothing says fall like fur. My faux fur vest has accompanied me on numerous outings and it never fails to add a touch of glamour to any outfit. It even dresses up this outfit worn to a pumpkin patch.
Oh, and remember that local farm I was just telling you about? Yup, this is the same one! You can see some of the sunflowers in the background, but this time the pumpkins took centre stage.
4. Umbrella
The weather this time of year can be unpredictable, especially in Vancouver. It is always best to be prepared for rain. Having an umbrella with you, will add to your photo, rather than take away from it.
I purchased a bright red umbrella for this exact reason. Rain can ruin a photo shoot – don’t let it! This accessory will ensure that you still get beautiful photos, rain or shine. It has been unseasonably beautiful for this time of year so I haven’t yet had the opportunity to use my umbrella, but trust me, I’m not complaining!
I came across the image below and had to share it. While I don’t have a clear umbrella I am now inspired to get one. I absolutely love the look of this clear umbrella with a single yellow leaf stuck to it. When selecting your fall photography outfit, one idea is to make sure that your clothing matches your umbrella. Or at least coordinates with it so the umbrella isn’t a distraction.
5. Plaid Pants
I saved the best for last. Again, nothing says fall like plaid. I have always loved plaid pants, and maybe that’s because of my British roots. I love pairing my plaid pants with a long sweater dress and leather jacket. I am a summer-loving gal, but I do love fall for my ability to wear leather and cashmere.
In the photo below, I love how my bright plaid pants highlight the colours in the trees behind me. The pants help pick up the subtle hues of yellow and red as these trees are just beginning to change their colours.
Bonus Prop: Picnic Backpack
I was going to provide just five fall photography outfit ideas, but I love this prop so I’m including a bonus one. This is my favourite photography idea for a beautiful photo. Since we are aiming for stunning autumn photos, not just any old backpack will do for this photoshoot. I absolutely love my picnic backpack and used it several times during my Rocky Mountains road trip.
I must admit that this isn’t strictly a fall photography outfit idea since I use this picnic backpack on every trip I go on, but it’s definitely a great prop to have any time of year.
I also chose this particular backpack because it contains service for two people. The majority of them have service for four people. The front flap holds the plates, cups and cutlery and the centre part is insulated with ample room for your snacks. On the outside, one side holds a blanket while the other is an insulated sleeve for a bottle of wine.
I ordered this picnic backpack from Amazon. The blanket is both super cute and backed with a waterproof lining. We were caught in a rainstorm mid-picnic at Moraine Lake so this feature came in very handy!
Bonus fall photoshoot tip, use the leaves!
Since capturing the colourful leaves is the name of the game in an autumn photo shoot, it makes sense to use the leaves as well. I shot this one while walking down the street. I couldn’t help it when I saw the variety of colours I was stepping through.
The picture below was taken from a video my mom shot of me. I saw this giant pile of leaves and I just had to throw them up in the air, lol! I love the way this picture turned out.
And there you have them, my fall photography outfit ideas for beautiful fall photos. Having the right props make all the difference in getting the perfect shot. Whether you bring the props or use the ones provided by Mother Nature, they add a little something extra to your images.
Imagine if we didn’t have the picnic backpack in the picnic lunch photo. The picture wouldn’t be the same if it was me sitting on the ground, or on a bench. Props pull a photo together and tell a story.
Do you use props with your photos? Tell me in the comments below some of your favourite photography ideas for beautiful photos.
