Family

What are we going to wear to our family photography session?!

Choosing outfits for your next family session doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. That’s exactly why I created this family outfit guide. If you have family photos coming up in West Bend, Wisconsin or nearby areas, you’re probably asking yourself what everyone should wear. It’s the number one question I get after families book, and I completely understand why. Coordinating outfits for the whole family can feel like a lot. My goal is to make it simple. I’m going to walk you through easy, practical tips so you can choose outfits that feel natural, look cohesive, and come together effortlessly.

Choose a color palette

This can vary depending on the season, the location, and your preference. My go-to advice on this one is to choose 2-4 colors to coordinate within the outfits. Neutrals are my go-to faves and next in line are dull/muted colors. I recommend avoiding neon or bright colors because it will be really distracting in photos. My second suggestion would be to choose colors that can be naturally found within the location. For example: if you are in a wooded area with browns and greens, id choose earthy tones like tans, beiges, greens like sage, and light browns.

The next thing to keep in mind is the season! Lighter colors give off more of a summer feel while darker shades are better saved for fall or winter sessions. Again, what colors you choose are totally up to you and your preference. However, keep in mind that colors play a HUGE role in the aesthetic look and feel of the photo. If you’re having a hard time picking different colors to combine, try adding different shades of the same color.  That way there will be some contrast among the outfits and everyone will stand out on their own rather than blending together!

P.S. Another quick tip on colors is to match your outfit colors to your home decor so when you get your prints and hang them on your walls, they will match nicely.

Choose a pattern

Now, when it comes to patterns, id highly suggest choosing only one to two patterns for your family session! Having too many patterns can make the photos too busy or even cause outfits to clash. But having at least one pattern can really help bring some fun to your outfits! Id also suggest only dressing 1 or 2 of the people in the family in the pattern. Avoid putting everyone in a patterned outfit or it will once again, look too busy.

Add some texture

Think denim, silk, suede, lace, chunky knits, corduroy, etc. Adding texture to your outfits makes the photos more interesting and truly brings your attention to the subjects (you and your family) in a photo. Not only that, but it allows you the ability to play around with more accessories like jewelry, scarves, belts, etc…

comfort is key!

Please! Please! Please! Do NOT dress yourself or your family (especially kids) in outfits they/you are not comfortable in. I cannot tell you how many times Ive seen meltdowns from kids because they were uncomfortable in their shoes and outfit. Let’s just avoid it all together and find clothes that everyone can be happy about! Plus, if you have to suck it in the entire time and/or your feet are getting a blister from your shoes, you probably wont enjoy yourself either. Our #1 goal is to have fun so dress comfortably!

dress for the weather!

This is pretty straightforward, but be sure to dress for the season and the days temps! You can always bring along jackets or sweaters and throw them off to the side as we go along. Its better to be prepared!

Things to avoid!

performance fabrics

To keep it simple…your husbands nipples will be showing in all the photos 😅 so save the polyester golf polo for another day.

short dresses

This especially goes for kiddos still in diapers or girlies that love to do gymnastics moves. No one wants to see a diaper or undies in a photo so put some shorts on under the dress or find a matching diaper cover online for those littler ones!

And Mom’s…if you can’t sit down in the dress or bend over without it showing your bum…maybe pass on it!

transition lenses

If you typically wear glasses, I would 100% recommend wearing them for your session. Only stipulation is to avoid transition lenses. I have no way to edit a photo to show your eyes if they are being covered up by sunglasses! So choose the regular glasses and leave those transitions at home.

bra straps & see through clothing

This may sound obvious but many times it happens unintentionally. Make sure to wear your outfit outside in the daylight and move around a lot before wearing it to your session. That way you can make sure your clothes aren’t see through and your bra wont show when moving around!

logos and brand names

Avoid clothing with logos or brand names written on them. It looks tacky in photos and is really distracting.

The only time this would be an exception is if we are wearing team shirts or something as part of the session.

wrinkles

Yes, wrinkles are sometimes unavoidable with certain fabrics, but whenever possible, be sure to iron out or steam outfits beforehand. I have had people ask me to edit wrinkles out of photos and while I am often able to edit out a few wrinkles here and there, if your entire outfit is wrinkly, it’s a lost cause.

all said and done…

Choosing outfits for your next family session doesn’t have to be complicated. If you have already booked your family session and are interested in one-on-one personal outfit guidance, just reach out to me! Otherwise, if you haven’t booked your family session yet and love the idea of having a photographer that actually offers help, contact me here and lets chat about your vision! Hope to see you soon!