Fall harvest photography shoots are some of my favorites. Over the years, I’ve come up with a list of things that really make them come to life.

Whether the subject is pumpkins, apples, pomegranates, even sweaters and boots, having a few of these things on hand will give you the moody, comforting feel you are trying to create.

Reclaimed wood surface.

Don’t have access to any planks? Find a deck, the seat of a rustic wooden chair or stool, or the top of a wooden dresser. If wood isn’t your favorite, no problem. Choose warm colors with browns and golds. Even a large piece of fabric will work.

Dark woven baskets.

I don’t veer far from dark tones for baskets in fall because with the right light control, they compliment fall foods and products beautifully.

Deeply colored linens.

I love solid, true linen material in dark teal, but brown, gold, and gray work well, too.

Scarves.

Substitute table linens with fall scarves. Yes, everything in a food photo doesn’t have to come from the kitchen! Plaid is my favorite, but you might like a chunky, warm knitted option.

Contrasting linens in airy textures.

If you want to add a soft touch to the darker colors of autumn. Light and airy linens pair beautifully with heavier materials and darker shades. Choose lace such as a lace curtain or piece of material from the fabric store. Natural-colored cheesecloth is a great option as well.

One to three dry elements in earthy colors.

Style the image adding in some earthy elements. My go-tos are nuts in the shell, dried greens such as eucalyptus or pine, and dried herbs on stem, such as thyme.

One to three black foam boards.

These will help you create a darker scene and directional light so that the portion of your image that you want illuminated is spot on. How many you need depends on the available natural light on your photo set. Use them to control the light as seen in the image .

You can use the above list as steps to build your set, or choose two or three of them to complete your scene.