Cooler weather is the perfect time to take the family outdoors for a group portrait.   With these tips, you’ll get some shots you can’t wait to share with loved ones:

Try Different Textures: The fall temperatures mean you can pull out all the fantastically colored scarves, sweaters and hats.  Play with layered looks and change accessories to see which items add that perfect pop op color and texture.

Photograph the Kids First: If your family gathering includes fairly young children, consider photographing them first.  Start with individual shots and let them move around and offer suggestions.  Take a few images of them in action—looking at flowers, sitting on a bench or petting the family dog—and show them what you’ve done so far.  When they see the results, kids are likely to be more cooperative throughout the rest of the photo session.

Invite Friends:  For tweens and teenage kids, invite a friend or two.  Photograph the kids and give them the images to use for their Facebook pages or personal blogs. Again, by making the event enjoyable, they are more likely to cooperate when the time comes for the family shot.

Take the Show on the Road: Consider photographing at a local park where you can experiment with backgrounds and use colorful fall foliage.  We often assume our outdoor photographs must be taken by the lone tree in our backyard, but by making it a road trip, your options expand exponentially. Just make sure to test your cameras batteries and double check that you have everything you need before loading up the car!  If you’re going to be at your location for a while, consider putting some water bottles and snacks in the car to help keep the kids cooperative when hunger strikes.

Get it Together: Make sure you know how to use the delay setting on your camera if you intend on being in the shot.  If possible, play with it a few times prior to your outdoor photography session.  And, of course, your tripod will be indispensable

Take a few test shots without the kids so that you have the background scenery and the basic distance and positioning figured out.  This bit of extra effort will help you get your group in order and get the images taken in pretty quick succession.