What to wear for your family’s photoshoot

Ah, Fall. The most beautiful and best time of the year to round up your entire family, dress them in matching colors and take them to a field of overgrown bushes for a professional photoshoot. I love fall family photoshoots, and I love when families show up in aesthetically pleasing colors. Not only does it make for a beautiful session, but life-long pictures to frame and display around the house. If that sounds appealing to you, but you don’t know how to achieve it, then let me help you. Here are some tips on how to pick your outfits for your fall family photoshoot.

Dressing for mom is the first thing you should do. Mom is the glue that holds the family together. She is most likely the one who called the photographer and picked a date that works with dads golf schedule, ballet, and soccer. She wants photos with her in them, playing and loving on her kids, and let’s face it if you’re reading this, you’re probably a mom. So it’s really all about mom. When dressing for a family photoshoot look for something that you will be comfortable in and then dress everyone else accordingly. Are the grandparents joining in? Take you and your mom or MIL shopping together or give her a list of colors to choose from. This will ensure that you will be coordinating, but not “matchy”. I love looking through Pinterest boards of coordinating outfits and my other favorite online shops are Baltic Born and Lulu’s.

Don’t go too overboard with matching everyone but coordinating is key. I have twins, and of course, I dress them the same all the time, but if you have children of different ages play around with colors and fabrics a bit. If you want a glam photoshoot in a ballgown, make sure everyone else is glam too. If you want more boho, try to make sure dad isn’t in a 3 piece suit. You get the idea. Coordinating jeans, linen dresses, and flowy fabrics always work well. You want to coordinate with complementary colors. When multiple people wear the same color, sometimes they tend to blend in with each other. You want the idea of everything looking good together without everything looking exactly the same.

Be careful with patterns and large prints. Large bold patterns and block colors tend to dominate the photography and distract from your face. Using smaller subtle patterns tends to work best for family photos. Floras and flannel are great when they complement a location. Try to limit yourself to one pattern at a time as matching patterns tends to get a bit tricky. However, just know that some rules are made to be broken and you can always play around with different dresses and styles for the girls in the family.

Layers can be fun, except in Florida. You guys, here in Florida it’s almost always hot. I only tend to do outdoor sessions between November- March when I know the weather will be a bit cooler and dryer. So, when planning a fall family photo shoot, layers are not really a necessity for Florida. But, in other parts of the world, it is. Adding layers to your session creates more visually interesting photographs and it helps preps you for all sorts of weather conditions. Long Jackets, scarves, tights, headbands, bows, and fun hats (not baseball) can add depth and fun to your family photoshoot.

Much like crazy patterns, clothing with writing or logos on it tends to be a bit distracting. Along the lines of logos, try to avoid neon bright colors and print shits. I had one dad show up to a photo session in a Star Wars shirt. Please don’t do this to your photographer. yes, there is photoshop, but no, I don’t want to spend 20 hours of my editing time editing out that logo from every picture dad is in. I know you probably love your Star Wars, but please don’t wear it to a session. These pictures will go on your wall for years to come and future you is going to make fun of past you every time it sees that picture.

To me, shoes are my worst enemy. I can’t wear flats, but I hate heels. However, if you rock heels on a daily basis, then go for it. If you need more comfort, flat boots or ankle boots are my go-to. You can find almost everything on amazon now but Toms ankle boots are my favorite. Also, keep in mind your location. You don’t want to be in 6-inch stilettos in a grassy field. In most cases heels are left at home, but, I love them in studio sessions. Always consider content when choosing footwear for both aesthetic appeal and practicality.

Splurge on hair and makeup! Trust me. I can’t tell you how many clients gush over their photos when they’ve had their hair and make-up done professionally. Not only do you, mom, feel more confident in yourself, but that shines through in your pictures. I have a hair and makeup team that I offer my clients for their sessions and it’s not over the top, but just enough to know you took time in yourself that day. Again, these family photos are going to be in your home for years to come, so I would just go for it. Also, make sure to have your nails either newly done, or clear, as chipped nails can take away from a closeup photo.