DeRidder Portrait Photographer | Family Photo Outfit Tips

DeRidder Portrait Photographer

Choosing outfits for family photos can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! And you also don’t have to spend a fortune on new outfits for everyone. You probably have everything you need in your closet already. Read through the steps below to take some of the mystery out of choosing outfits! If you need some convincing that you should do family photos at all or want some info about pricing, click here.

Step 1: What season is it? Certain color families (and textures) are more fall/winter colors (burgundy, olive, mustard, etc.) and others are more spring/summer (pink, light blue, pale yellow, etc.) As you go through the next steps keep in mind what season you’re in!

The photo above is a great example of this! Their session was at the end of October and they picked beautiful fall colors and textures. (It was 80 degrees, but we don’t have to talk about that).

Step 2: Find your centerpiece. This is the shirt or dress that you’ll use to build the rest of your family’s outfits around. A good centerpiece is usually a pattern that has season-appropriate colors. These should also be colors that other family members can wear. Don’t pick a coral and blue pattern if no one else in the family has coral or blue clothes!

Step 3: Create a color scheme. List the colors from your centerpiece as well as any neutral colors (black, white, brown, navy) that would go well with it. 

Step 4: Shop your closets. Bring your centerpiece with you if you need to, and look through the clothes you and your family already have and try to find shirts/dresses in your color scheme. I don’t generally recommend solid white or black, but a patterned shirt with white of black in it is great! I usually recommend one person wearing a pattern for every two people wearing solid colors. 

Step 5: Pick accessories. The little details go a long way! Add a jean jacket, a cardigan, a pearl necklace, a bow (or bowtie!), etc.  

Now for some examples! This is the best part, because you can see what different colors and combinations look like in real life. You’ll also see that they don’t all follow all the rules above. They’re more like guidelines than actual rules 😉

One thing I loved about the session above is that everyone was wearing layers. We did some photos with the outfits above and then everyone took off their sweaters and scarves for a totally new look. It worked SO well. But this definitely works better for a fall or winter session when it’s not 1,000 degrees.

DeRidder Portrait Photographer