Most family photo sessions happen in warm weather, where clients can wear their summer dresses, short sleeves and shorts. But choosing a family photo wardrobe for chillier weather can be just as stylish and fun. For fall family photos, I love to tell clients to think about neutral colors, textures and layers (it’s all about the layers!).
Let’s check out this gorgeous session by Sonia Bourdon Photography as an example of a great family photo session wardrobe. Her clients put together such a casual. Here’s how your clients can do the same:
1. Choose one main color and add neutrals.
For this family photo session, Sonia’s clients chose blue as their main color and built everything else around that. The different shades of blue keeps the outfits from looking matchy and dated. They also added in beautiful neutral tones. I love the addition of both the white and oatmeal to offset all the blue.
2. Use textures and patterns to add interest.
The subtle pattern on dad’s button-down shirt adds a playfulness that ties in nicely with little girl’s patterned dress. Mom’s long cardigan adds a casual elegance and visual interest.
3. It’s all about the layers.
Later in the session, mom changed her white shirt out for a long-sleeved black shirt and swapped the oatmeal cardigan for a camel plaid blanket. Dad topped his shirt with a gray cardigan.
These three changes completely changed the feel of the family photo session wardrobe, adding the variety of an outfit change with a lot more ease!
For these cooler sessions, let your clients know that bringing extra layers is a great option for adding variety. They can pair their outfits with a different neutral jacket or topper to get a whole new look. Plus, those extra layers will help keep them warm in chilly temps.
Pro Tip:
Blankets are a great addition to family photo sessions. You can have your clients snuggle under them, wear them or spread them out so they can lie on top of them. Using blankets as part of the photo session wardrobe can add another layer of visual interest and texture.
Recreate this family photo wardrobe:
To recreate this family photo wardrobe for your own family session, look for blue tones that work well with neutrals, layers, textures and a great plaid blanket. Here are some similar options:
Girl’s Dress | Girl’s Jean Jacket | Woman’s White Top | Woman’s Cardigan | Woman’s Black Top | Man’s Blue Buttondown | Man’s Gray Sweater | Plaid Blanket
Three family photo session wardrobe tips to remember:
- Choose one focal color and complement it with various neutrals.
- Use colors in the same family rather than the exact same shades to avoid being matchy-matchy.
- Change the tones of the neutrals mid-session with cardigans, sweaters and blankets for more variety.
Thank you to Sonia Bourdon Photography for sharing her gorgeous session with us for inspiration!
More what to wear posts we think you’ll love:
Style guide: How your photo session wardrobe can make or break your pictures
What to wear for newborn photo sessions: 16 tips for families
What not to wear for photos (and what to wear instead)
What to wear: 30 Style tips to help anyone look amazing in photos
