Trying to decide what to wear for Summer Family Photos? Picking out the PERFECT outfit for your family photo session can be daunting! Patterns or solids? Neutrals or color? Dress or pants? There are so many options and so many things to consider when choosing the perfect outfits for your family session. Keep reading for some of my top tips that will help you pick out the absolute perfect outfit for your family that will help you achieve those beautiful family photos you so have been dreaming about!

Let’s admit it, most of us are not Fashionista’s and so when the time comes to pick out the entire family’s outfits for a photography session, it is hard to know where to start. The best place to start is by considering these two items:

YOUR SESSION LOCATION:

When trying to decide on what to wear for summer family photos, I recommend starting with considering your location. Where will the photos be taking place? Will it be on the beach at sunset, in your home, or an open field? The backdrop of your location should be the starting point for figuring out what color scheme will be best for your photos. If your house is all white, you wouldn’t want to pick out all dark or super vibrant clothes to wear – in this case, a more neutral color scheme would be best. If it is a beach location, a dress that will flow with the wind and incorporate movement would look amazing. Start with your location and try to match your clothing accordingly.

THE COLOR SCHEME OF YOUR ROOM WHERE YOU WILL BE HANGING THE PHOTOS:

Another thing to consider when trying to decide on what to wear for summer family photos is the color scheme of the room where you will be hanging up your photos. If you plan to hang the photos in the living room that has accent colors of light blues, you might want to incorporate that color into the outfits that you choose.

Now, let’s pick out some clothes!

START WITH ONE PERSON

It is a lot easier to start with one outfit and then branch out from there. I usually recommend starting with the kids and work your way to the adults.

NEUTRALS ARE YOUR FRIEND:

Neutrals are always a great option and are usually versatile enough to work with any session location. I recommend choosing a neutral color palette and staying within those guidelines when picking outfits.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF MOVEMENT AND TEXTURES:

I absolutely LOVE when my moms show up in beautiful a beautiful flowy lace dress! Movement in outfits is your best friend when it comes to summer family photos! Having that movement helps to bring the photos to life so I always encourage my families to try to incorporate outfits with movement into their outfit choices.

Textures are also a great way to add life to your photos! Lace, furs, and layers are a fun way to add interest to your outfit and pictures.

COORDINATE BUT DON’T MATCH:
Matching outfits might seem like a great idea; however, they usually don’t look great in the photos. I recommend my clients to coordinate but do not match. You can pick a color scheme and stay within that realm but each outfit should be unique on its own.

PROPS CAN BE FUN:
Some fun props to add to your session can be a hat, scarf, or blanket! Adding these items to the session can add lots of movement and personality to your photos! I love when clients show up with that little extra something that adds to the photos! Have fun with your session and let your personality show!

SHOES:
Don’t forget your shoes! They are also part of your outfit and nothing is worse than having an amazing outfit with dirty shoes! Be sure you pick shoes that compliment your outfits and make sense! I love a good shoeless session too but always discuss this with your photographer beforehand. Be sure to have comfortable shoes to get from point A to point B because most sessions do require a good amount of walking. Never wear new shoes that have not already been broken in – OUCH!

ALWAYS TRY ON YOUR CLOTHES:
Always try on your clothes beforehand and make sure everything fits properly and no adjustments are needed. You want to make sure that when you bend, squat, pick up the kids, etc, everything is covered and still looks good with movement!

EXTRAS TO BRING:
Lent roller, water, hair ties, bobby pins

LAY EVERYTHING OUT:
Once you have all the outfits picked out, lay everything out on the bed and make sure everything looks good together and compliments each other! And that’s it! You are done and ready to rock your session!

For more ideas on shopping for outfits, check out Styling your Session by Camille CD Photography.

Visit So Dashing Photography to learn more about booking a Family Session with me in East Bay, CA!