What to wear for your family portrait session

March 12, 2019

Maybe you already have lots of ideas for what your family is going to wear and are excited to put together some outfits. But if you would like to run for the hills at the mere idea of finding decent outfits for the whole family and are wondering if your son actually owns any pants apart from basketball shorts, read on! It might be easier than you think.

what to wear for family photos by portland photographer Alison Smith — The little girl’s dress is a cute focal point. Navy and neutrals form the base, and the trim on mom’s dress links the guys with the girls.

Style

What is your family’s style? Casual? Earthy? Bright, eclectic and fun? Is your home colorful and modern, neutral and elegant, or warm and earthy? Think about your style and where you will display these photos. Are you planning a cheerful wall gallery in the family room? Prints for the living room? Holiday cards?

The red and green flowers in mom’s shirt are carried on in the girls’ tops. Denim and neutrals tie everything together.

Making a plan

Does anyone in the family have something really nice that you definitely want to include? Let’s say your your daughter has a cute dress with a blue and yellow pattern. Let’s start there! Maybe you have a blue dress, or a pale yellow shirt that you love with your jeans? Perfect. The guys can wear jeans or khakis, and their shirts can be blues or tans. Remember that we want everyone to look nice together, but not be matching. Lay everything out together on the bed and see how it looks. Like it? Done! Not sure? Snap a photo with your phone and send it to me and I’ll help.

This family started with big sister’s dress and used the pinks and purples from it for mom and little sister. Greys and denim look good on dad and make a nice neutral base.

Colors

Jewel tones are always a good choice (cranberry, plum, and other rich, muted colors – caramel, marmalade).
Shell colors work well (soft cream, pink and peach tones)
Blues, aqua and navy are nice.
Greens are lovely – unless your location will be predominantly green!
Neutrals tie everything together – denim, gray, khaki, tan and brown.
In general, these colors should only be used as an accent: bright red, bright blue, bright yellow, bright green, bright orange, black and white.
Don’t include any neon colors in your outfits – they cast unflattering reflections onto skin and don’t photograph well.

This family chose denim with neutrals as their base, then added a sprinkling of cranberry red, and finished with a pretty splash of pattern to tie it all together. They added some extra interest with lots of textures too.

Shoes

The right pair of shoes or boots can make an outfit. Boots can look great when paired with the right dress or pair of jeans. High heels or flats are always fun, too, when paired with the right top, skirt, or dress. Plan the shoes you are going to wear when you are planning your outfits and treat them as an accessory to make your look perfect. We will be walking around during your session, so if you’re bringing heels or delicate shoes, bring some flip flops or old shoes to walk in. Bare feet can work for a casual summer session, especially for little ones. Make sure they have some shoes to walk in.

Seasons

Be sure everyone is warm enough! In most cases, try to match your outfits to the weather and the seasonal look of your location. If it’s cold, think about tights, down jackets, boots, fur and sweaters.

Grooming

Clean hair, clean teeth and a clean face are very important. Don’t worry about blemishes. If you wear makeup, just your natural everyday style looks best. Guys should shave a couple of hours before the session. Chapstick keeps lips looking smooth. For little ones, check carefully around mouth, nose and eyes for messy bits before you leave home, and bring wipes or tissues for touch ups. Check out my “What to Wear | Families” board on Pinterest for some ideas and examples.