What to Wear- Family Sessions

Deciding what family photo outfits to wear can be challenging. These are photos you are going to hang on your walls and cherish for years to come. It can seem overwhelming when considering what to wear but it doesn’t need to be.

Use the following tips to help you pick out the perfect outfits for you and your family.

Plan ahead. The more time you allow yourself to plan your outfits, the less stressed you’ll be. Having options for little ones can also be very helpful.

Coordinate colors; don't match outfits. Matching outfits across an entire family tend to lack depth and personality in print. Instead, select a color scheme and use hues that complement each other. Pick two main colors and then add softer tones to complete your color scheme.

Be mindful of your surroundings. We want to see you, and not have you blend in.

Use the season. Each season is associated with different colors, you may wish let this help direct your color scheme.

          For fall, consider warm colors such as Plum, Mustard, Burnt Orange, Burgundy, Tans.
          For Spring, consider Navy, Cream, Tan, Coral, Aqua, Turquoise

          For Winter, consider Wine, Cream, Gold, Emerald Green, Dark Gray 

Accessorize. Accessories are great at individualizing outfits and can be used to pull your color scheme throughout the whole family. Consider scarves, hats, gloves, belts (belts add definition to your waistline. Throw a belt over a flowy dress or cardigan to keep it from looking bulky in photos. And, the belt can double as a pop of color or be used to tie into the other family members' outfits), shoes, and jewelry when planning accessories.

Limit distracting patterns and large logos. Clothing with multiple patterns or large logos can become a distraction as can bold prints and abstract patterns.

Gather the outfits. Lay each family member’s outfit together while planning. This way you’ll have a good idea about how the pieces will look next to each other, what works and what doesn't, and if you are missing any pieces.

Textures are your friend, and layers are lovely.  Layers always make an outfit look more polished and put together, and by adding different textures (i.e. furs, scarves, ruffles) through the material of your family outfits or your accessories you are adding depth and interest to your photos.

Glasses. You want to wear your glasses, because that is part of who you are. Glare can sometimes be minimized, however in many cases it cannot be eliminated. Try contacting your optometrist about borrowing a pair of lensless frames, or consider removing the lenses for the shoot.