What to Wear for Outdoor Family Photos

What you wear plays a bigger role than you may think on how well your family pictures turn out.  Moms often tell me it is the biggest thing they stress about when getting their family photos taken and sometimes it even holds them back from booking a session in the first place. First, it is important to check with your photographer. Different colors and levels of formality look good with different editing styles or types of photography. The way a photographer edits, the locations they choose and the way they run their sessions can really determine what will compliment their style best, so it is always good to check in with your photographer first.

When in doubt, I love for my clients to send me photos as they put outfits together so that I can offer help and give suggestions. As your photographer, I have some simple tips on what to wear for outdoor family sessions that will take away some of the guesswork for you. 

WEAR WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.
First, I think the most important thing is for you to wear something you feel good in and that makes you feel like yourself. While I think it is great to wear something a little bit out of your comfort zone and perhaps a little bit elevated from what you would normally wear, I don’t want you to look at the pictures and think “that is not us.” 

START WITH MOM. 
If you are a mom, I highly recommend starting with you first! For my own family photos, I used to find the cutest dresses for my daughters first and then try to make my outfit work with theirs. In the end, I almost always ended up wearing something that I did not love, when the kids would have looked cute in anything! Pick your piece first. Something you feel great in and something that makes you feel beautiful and then build the rest of the wardrobe around that. 

PICK CLOTHES THAT ARE COMFORTABLE. 
I cannot stress this enough. If you are wearing something stiff or too tight that you can’t even sit down in, you are not going to enjoy your session as much. If you are constantly trying to suck in your stomach or always adjusting your shirt, you will not look relaxed and natural in your photos.

FOR THE GIRLS.
For women, maxi dresses or skirts are probably the most universally flattering. I personally love clothing items that flow because they can add a lot of movement to the pictures. If dresses and skirts are not for you, a good alternative can be a flowy pair of pants, a jumpsuit or your favorite pair of jeans. If you are willing to show a little bit of shoulder with your top, I will never object. I think it is so stunning! However, just make sure you think about bra straps showing, etc.

For little girls, I also love skirts and dresses (short or long) because it can add movement. Think about how cute it can be when running around or twirling, but again, don’t force it. If your little girl is more known for wearing overalls, go with that instead! Don’t forget about what goes under the shorter skirts…you might need to have them wear opaque tights or neutral biker shorts so we don’t see underwear while they are just being kids.

Side Note: For little girls under 2 years old, I recommend you consider rompers and jumpsuits instead of dresses. Here’s why… Your little girl will probably be held a majority of the time. It is very hard to constantly untwist, pull down and fix a dress when being held in different positions. A one piece romper or jumpsuit will also allow free movement without the worry of exposing diapers or underwear. Besides, isn’t a baby bubble romper just the cutest thing you have ever seen?!?!

FOR THE BOYS.
For men and boys, I love henley tops, button down shirts or even a nice open jacket. Nothing too formal and something you can easily move around in. Layering can also be a great way to add interest. Depending on weather, shorts or pants will both work great. This is where you can really incorporate a bunch of those neutral colors like khaki and creams.

TEXTURE.
I LOVE texture in fabrics and this is also a great way to bring interest without distraction. Think linen, lace, knitting, corduroy, velvet or other details. One thing to note though. Don’t put your little kid in an itchy top just because it is made of beautiful lace, for example. A happy kid will always be better than a well dressed, but uncomfortable kid 🙂 

PICK COLORS THAT COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER AND LEAN TOWARD EARTHY TONES. ADD IN SEVERAL NEUTRALS.
Neutrals and muted earthy tones are my favorite. They work best with my editing style and the locations I tend to shoot at outdoors in Colorado. It’s good to coordinate with a few colors, including several neutral colors, but not be too matchy matchy. Although I am not totally opposed to a pure bright white; off-white, cream or ivory will always photograph better. Pure whites tend to get blown out, lose detail and have a very cool undertone. It can also distract from the other colors in the palette.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE COLORS FOR OUTDOOR PHOTOS ARE:
Cream, ivory, brown, terra cotta, mustard yellow, copper, olive green, earthy muted red, burnt orange, pale or muted turquoise/teal, dusty soft pink, taupe, and camel, just to name a few. Because my editing style tends to add more saturation to colors, I do not prefer colors that are super bright or are already overly saturated. 

Adding in pattern pieces can really help bring colors together. If you find a floral dress, for example, you can look at the colors in the pattern and pull other items from that color palette.

As you gather items, lay them out next to each other and see how they look together. You will want your colors to make one cohesive look, where everything is harmonious and complementary to each other, but you also want some variety.

THINGS TO AVOID:
-Avoid neon colors – just don’t do it! 
-Avoid everyone wearing the same colored tops or the same colored bottoms. Gone are the days of everyone matching wearing jeans with a white t-shirt. 
-Avoid words or images on clothing (people will be reading or looking at the image instead of looking at your face)! 
-Avoid everyone wearing a pattern, especially the same pattern.
-Avoid too many bold prints or patterns all of the same size. In other words, don’t have too many statement pieces.
-Avoid fine or thin stripes and tiny repetitive patterns. These can create a distracting moiré effect, which just looks wonky!

The photo below is a great example of how to use pattern! A larger pattern and a smaller, more subtle pattern that do not compete with each other, mixed with solids and textures.

WEAR SHOES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR LOCATION.
Shoes are more important than you may think. They will show in pictures and you will probably want to protect your feet. Most of the locations I prefer do require a little bit of hiking and walking through “nature”. High heels do not work for this. Wearing flip flops can be okay, but think about your location. Walking around in tall (sometimes pokey) grasses might become a nuisance. I use a lot of movement in my photography as well, so make sure you wear something that won’t just slip off. Brown boots or enclosed sandals with straps are always a great option for protecting your feet and not distracting from what is most important.

DON’T FORGET THE DETAILS.
I love to get close up connections, especially hands. If you have neon pink nail polish that is chipped like crazy, that might be the only thing you notice in an otherwise beautiful picture. 

ADD ACCESSORIES AND LAYERS.
Accessories can be a fun way to add interest to your photo and tie everything together. Wearing jewelry or something that has a story can really create more meaning in your photos. Hats, headbands, bows, etc can really show your personality. When deciding on accessories, just ask yourself if these accessories represent you and if they are adding to or distracting from your photo. Fitness watches and hair ties around the wrist are a great example of what not to wear. Will you really want to see that in photos a decade from now? Don’t forget to remove them!

Adding layers not only adds interest, but it can help keep you warm. In Colorado, the temperatures can drop drastically after the sun goes behind the mountains. It is always a great idea to have a chunky cardigan or sweater on hand for the end of the session (or to begin with if the temps are low). These can create a whole new look for you and really add some coziness and dimension. 

REMEMBER YOUR FINAL GOAL.
My hope is that you will want to hang these photos on the walls of your home. Think about what colors you are drawn to and complement your house and decor. Looking at how you decorate your house might give you great insight as to the colors you are drawn to and what will look good hanging in your house.