Tips for taking photos of your kids at the pumpkin patch

After the hottest summer on record, I think most everyone in Richmond is welcoming fall with open arms. What better way to do that than with a trip to the pumpkin patch? Not only do you get better (and often cheaper) pumpkins from a local pumpkin patch, but you get the opportunity to get great photos of the kids! Even if you're working with an inexpensive point and shoot camera, these tips will help you capture frame-worthy photos you'll treasure for years to come.

-Consider your light and the time of day. Aim for a trip in the late afternoon/early evening so you'll be able to use that warm "magic hour" light to your best advantage. Look around for locations under trees with yellowing leaves, as the light filtering through will be warm and undeniably autumn. Avoid bright, direct sunlight, as this will often cast unwanted shadows, or appear overly bright on subject's faces.

-Before leaving, think about clothing. Solid colors or patterns always look better than a printed t-shirt. Think about colors that will look good with all that orange! And there's nothing wrong with busting out the hair brush and wipes for last minute touch ups!

-One of the biggest things you can do is learn to operate your camera. Even basic digital cameras often have a lot manually adjustable settings. Take the time to read the manual and play around with different settings.

-Use caution with the flash! The flash built into many cameras is often unflattering. Most likely, you wont need to use the flash if you are outdoors during daylight, but some cameras automatic settings use it anyways. Learn how to turn the flash off and adjust settings for brighter pictures. This is another reason to learn all the features of your camera.

-Look at the whole composition while shooting. Make sure your bag isn't in the corner of the picture, or there aren't objects in the background that appear to be growing out of someone's head. Tell the kids to sit up straight! Most kids have a natural tendency to slouch, but when sitting up straight it makes for a much neater photo.

-Get creative with your composition. Don't hesitate to pile some pumpkins up around your kids, or have little ones sit on a huge pumpkin. Try different angles - get down low, try shooting them from an angle other than straight on, or place your subject way off center for something different. Try and get some close up detail shots, as well as some wide shots that show the whole scene. Think about photos in terms of a series instead of just one. For instance, consider displaying 3 photos together, with a picture of the kids in the middle, a shot of the whole field on one side and maybe a detail of a pumpkin on the other.

I hope these tips inspire everyone to go out and have a great day at the pumpkin patch, while capturing some memorable photos in the process!