BEHIND THE LENS
what to wear for your family photos

You want to look and feel amazing during your photo session, but that can be hard when you’re worried about what to wear and about your husband’s closet suddenly only consisting of the same plaid shirt in twenty slightly different colors. One of the most common questions I get asked before a photo session is: “What should we wear?” So, today I am laying out exactly what to wear for family photos.

Not sure what to wear to our upcoming family portrait session? Here are some tips from experts to help you plan your perfect outfit. I even have a few Pinterest Boards for your to peruse.

Colors to Wear

CREAMS, WHITES + BLUSH

These light colors bring out the best in people’s skin tones and are beautiful to photograph year-round. For fair-skinned people especially, the warmth of these tones can accentuate your color without necessarily washing you out. My one piece of advice is the lighter you are, the darker the shade of cream/blush you should wear.

EARTH TONES

Maybe it’s because my own closet consists mostly of Earth Tones, but these are some of my favorites to photograph – slightly muted and natural colors have such a clean look to them. 

GREYS

Don’t go overboard here, but a light, balanced grey can really shift focus to your own features. And it is visually more interesting than black.

So, What Should I Wear?

START WITH JUST ONE OUTFIT

Pick one outfit that you absolutely love and build from there. Whether you found the perfect dress for your little girl or the perfect dress for you, take that outfit and use it as inspiration for everyone else’s outfits. In general, this will give you a good color palette to work with. What to wear for Family Photos is easier to plan than you’d think.

TEXTURES, FLOWY LAYERS + TWIRLY DRESSES

Adding textures create depth and make for added movement in a photoshoot. Flowy dresses add a bit of whimsy to your shoot and are always fun to play with. Some places I love to shop at are: Anthropologie, Free People, Altr’d State. For knits try Babaà or add texture through linens from Linen Fox.  These brands will help give you an effortlessly cool look.

COORDINATE FAMILY COLORS

It looks really nice when your whole family is wearing coordinated colors. Notice I say coordinated and not matching. Start by selecting a palette and build from there. You can never go wrong with neutrals or even pastels. However, avoid more than one piece of clothing being black. Black tends to blend more easily, which can make defining body parts more difficult in an image. Finally, try to avoid bright and fluorescent colors; it’s very distracting in the pictures.

EXPRESS YOUR STYLE THROUGH PRINTS

For Family Photo Outfits, prints are always a fun way to express your style. With so many fun prints to choose from, the world is your oyster – but make sure your print is appropriate. Nothing too bright in color, loud and in your face. It will distract from those beautiful faces. Instead, choose a small and subtle pattern. The other caveat with this is only one person should wear a pattern. If everyone is wearing different patterns, it can be really distracting and can clash. That means you might have to fight your husband who has already picked out a plaid shirt for the shoot.

Family & Portrait Photographer Minneapolis, MN | Alexandra Robyn Photo + Design

But if you’re not sure about what to wear, just ask your photographer! I love when clients ask this question or send outfit pictures before a shoot. It helps me to start creative direction before we even start. So, go ahead. Click send on the snapshot of you from the dressing room or DM me with questions. And for Maternity Outfit ideas, visit my Maternity Pinterest Board. 

Loved this post? Here are other Photo Blog posts you might like:

Nicollet Island Inn Wedding

Behind the Lens: Meet Alexandra Robyn

Rain on Your Wedding Day

Holy Angels Senior 2020: Lindsay

Minneapolis Senior Photography