Fall Styling Tips (with a pandemic twist!)

With the end of the pandemic seemingly nowhere in sight, I for one am feeling a TAD out of sorts. (Tad being an understatement. 🙃) 

That’s why today I’m bringing you some tried & true fall styling tips…with a pandemic twist! So grab one of those oversized knit blankets, a cup of your fav hot chocolate, and cuddle up at least 6 feet away from anyone you know for some good ol’ fashioned learning. Here we gooooo!

1. Use Seasonal Props

Cinnamon sticks, mini pumpkins, pinecones, plaid-colored face masks….are all perfect props to add to your autumnal scene! Seasonal props act as visual cues to signal that the food is meant to be enjoyed in the fall. It might hurt to leave behind those summery flowers and greens, but it will be over quick — just like your booster shot.

2. Get Rustic AF

Take a moment to think about the textures of fall…go ahead. I’ll wait. 😉

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Got it? Good! In that little intermission I thought of rough linens, natural wood grain, antique metals, and dark backgrounds. Basically, the more “homey”, the better! After all, home is the only place we’ve been the last year and a half.

3. Shadows as Long as This Pandemic

In keeping with the moodiness of the season (and our feelings), try pulling your scene a little farther from your lightsource than normal. This will create long, bold shadows that conjure up short days and long nights!

4. Get cozy… literally?

In the fall, we don coats, jackets, scarves, hats, masks, MORE masks…all layers of soft fabric. So add some fabric to your scene too! Rustic linens, cheesecloth, or tablecloths are all great ways to both add texture and coziness to your image.

5. Keep Things Varied

While it’s easy to get stuck in a recipe rut, if there’s one thing we’ve learned in 2021 it’s that variants are powerful (I’m looking at you, Delta and Mu). Rather than going for pumpkin EVERYTHING, play around with lesser-done fall varieties. For baking, I’m talking chai, bourbon, sweet potato, pear, fig, and pomegranate. For savory, opt for brussels sprouts, eggplant, goat cheese, rosemary, delicata squash, mushroom, and potato. 

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In all seriousness though, this pandemic is a terrible thing we’re still going through…so here’s to trying to find a small pocket of humor amidst a lot of uncertainty. And here’s to finding joy in food photography despite it all!

Try these out during your next fall shoot and don’t forget to tag @foodtographyschool on Instagram with your fall creations. We wanna see ‘em all!