Sacramento Photographer: What to Wear to your Fall Family Portraits.
Updated: Nov 8, 2022
One of the most common questions I get when a client books with me is; "What should I wear?". I fully understand this, planning for your family portraits is tough. Styles and trends are constantly changing. You want your pictures to look as timeless as possible while also being fun and trendy.
Thankfully, planning your wardrobe is one of the things I love participating in for our sessions together. I have worked hard on honing my skills and in doing so I know what colors I pull well. Therefore, when I am recommending clothing items for your family session, I'm doing so with the idea of how well these colors will photograph for me. Thus, giving you the best possible imagery from our time together.
So, let's start from the beginning. I want you to be comfortable first and foremost. Please, make sure kids are in well fitted clothing (no tight shoes or itchy sweaters please). I mean, in all honesty, neither you nor I want to deal with a grumpy, uncomfortable, kid during a photo shoot.
Next, we will focus on color schemes. Below are some example palettes of colors that photograph well in Fall. We want rich, bold, and vibrant. Think warm jewel tones such as burgundy, teal, pumpkin, and eggplant. Usually when you look at these colors you will recognize that it is Fall. These colors also help to pull in the colors from the changing scenery, which is always a plus when planning for a session.
Now, remember, the goal here is to work within the color palette. We want to look cohesive, but not be matching. I suggest picking one color from a palette for each family member that way they all mesh together without being the same.
Lastly, we need to talk prints. We've all been there. The matching plaid family photo shoot had its hey-day but it is well time we let it rest. Prints are okay, in moderation. I suggest no more than one family member to be in a print at a time. H. However, I absolutely love bringing depth and texture into my images. A great way to do this is to focus more on the material you'll be wearing. In Fall this would be corduroy, denim, fur, and cable-knit. All of these materials will allow for movement within the image without cluttering your field of view. Allowing us to focus on the most important part of the image, you and your family.
Hopefully this has helped steer you in the right direction for your family portraits.
And remember, if you book with me, this is all part of the process. I am here to make sure that this is the best experience for you and that you get the images you can look back on for years to come. If you have any questions about what to wear to your family portraits, I am always happy to help!
P.S. I have added some inspiration portraits below.
BONUS IF YOU HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR!!!
Everything above and similar styles can be found on my Pinterest board linked below for easy and convenient shopping.