What to Wear for Your Family Pictures | Norman, Oklahoma and OKC Metro Photographer

Are you struggling to pick outfits for family photos, dreaming of looking as good as the effortlessly-beautiful families you find on Pinterest? Don’t worry: this is a common struggle for all families getting their pictures taken.

It will take effort, but finding the best outfits possible for your family photos will always be worth it. Everyone’s clothes will ultimately end up working together with your location and personalities to create amazing images you’ll look back on for years to come.

In this blog, we’re going to look at the most important things to know and consider when choosing your family’s outfits for your photo session. These include the significance of outfit choice, how to coordinate your colors, details impacted by location and season, and frequently asked questions when it comes to family photo outfits. Let’s dive in!

Why your clothes matter

Your outfits can make or break your pictures. That may sound harsh, but that just shows how important your outfits really are!

Not only do your clothes reflect your personality, but having the best possible colors, coordination, and style will lead to your pictures looking more professional, cohesive, and timeless.

Your photographer will suggest certain colors, styles, and more. This is not to force you to wear outfits you don’t like or seem controlling. Instead, your photographer’s guidance is to help you look your best in your pictures, as well as have you wear the colors and styles that work best with their photography style.

A photography style includes many things, but one of the most important is how a photographer shoots and edits. Some colors will work much better with color grading and the overall look and feel in their portfolio. For example, softer colors lead to your pictures having a lighter, brighter, happier feel to them. Darker colors tend to be moodier or more dramatic, depending on context.

Learn more about the types of things to look for in a portrait photographer in my blog, the 5 Best Traits to Look for in a Photographer.

Throughout this blog, you will see my guidance for my clients on colors, coordinating, and more. While my clients receive much more information and guidance before their session, I’m writing this to hopefully better inform and encourage you in choosing your family’s outfits, along with some examples for inspiration.

Choosing your outfits

Selecting what colors to wear is no small feat. Your outfit colors should compliment you/your personality and create a the overall feel to your photos.

Rather than blending in with your location, the colors you choose will help bring the focus back to your wonderful family and your sweet relationships with one another.

I suggest lighter colors for your session. These include:

• Neutrals (like whites/off-whites, creams, beige, soft grays, earthy tones, etc.)
• Pastels
• Light/soft blues and greens

A fantastic way to add some contrast to your lighter outfits is by adding a brown belt, tan shoes, silver/gold jewelry, or other similar accessories. Some of these neutral/light colors can also be paired with a complimenting darker navy and denims or forest greens to add contrast to your outfits.

You’ll want to coordinate your outfit colors (read more about that in the next section!), and avoid bright and overly-saturated colors and completely matching clothes. By combining a few lighter tones and textures throughout your family’s outfits, you’ll add depth to your pictures and color palette. Another way to add dimension is by adding some accessories.

Also, having everyone try on their clothes beforehand will help make your session go more smoothly. By doing this, you’ll make sure everyone’s clothes coordinate, fit well, and are comfortable to wear. You can also check to make sure your outfits don’t have any holes, stains, or see-through spots. Wearing clothes you feel comfortable and confident wearing will help your poses and expressions feel more natural, especially for kids.

I would also recommend steering clear of current outfit trends or styles. Wearing more classic, formal styles will help your photos remain timeless and look that much nicer.

Coordinating your colors

Coordinating colors may seem intimidating, but it’s much simpler than you think!

Choose a base color or outfit first. This could be mom’s outfit or a child’s favorite outfit. Once you start with this, you can build the rest of the clothes around this base outfit. I recommend choosing 1-2 soft or neutral complimenting colors to incorporate in the rest of your outfits.

There are many ways you can add these complimenting colors for larger families: a scarf, headband, shoes, pants (like khakis or lighter denim), and so much more. Trying on your outfits together or laying them out side-by-side can also help you decide what looks best.

When coordinating your clothes, you’ll also want to add different:

• Textures/styles (such as knit, denim, etc.), and
• Layers (like scarves or cardigans).

These will add variety, visual interest, and give everyone the chance to add a little personality/personal preference to their own outfit.

Details to consider

One of the biggest things that will impact your clothing choices is season. If your session is in warmer weather in the spring or summer, you’ll want to pick lighter layers. In the winter, you can add more layers or thicker fabrics.

So, if you prefer sweaters, long-sleeves, and boots, a fall or winter session may be perfect for you. Or, if you love lighter layers, flowy dresses, and short-sleeved options, you will want to pick a spring or early summer date.

Your outfit choices will also depend on your location. More urban spots in the city may block the crazy Oklahoma wind more than, say, an open field in a park. Some places will require more walking than others, too.

Your location will also greatly impact the color and style of your outfits. Though you want to be separated from your background with your outfit colors, you also want to compliment the background.

Wearing certain types of green amongst green grass and trees will cause you to blend more with the background and ultimately take away from you. Neutrals and the other lighter colors I suggested earlier tend to look nice with any background.

Solid colors and bigger/medium patterns look nicer on camera, but too many patterns can clash. Accessories are also a great option, but again, too many can clash or be distracting.

A good rule of thumb is to bring extra items, such as touch-up items like a brush, incentives for kids, or a backup outfit/layer.

There are so many details to keep up with when choosing everyone’s outfits, but overall, aim to choose clothes that coordinate well and look nice together, and that you feel comfortable wearing.

Frequently asked questions about family photo outfits

1. How many outfits should we bring to a family photo shoot?

Families have the option of two outfits for their session, but I recommend choosing one main outfit for your shoot. While two outfits can add variety, it also takes more time to plan beforehand and for everyone to change during your session.

A second outfit may be distracting for young children, but having a backup outfit for them is a good idea.

2. Should we all wear the same color for family photos?

While this may seem appealing for some families, I would avoid completely matching. Coordinating colors will make your pictures more cohesive and classy.

3. What are some things we should avoid when choosing outfits?

These are some things I recommend avoiding:

• Clothes with big logos (such as Nike or Adidas),
• Really baggy or extremely tight outfits,
• Fabrics with tiny patterns,
• Apple Watches (especially if they automatically turn on),
• Blue light glasses (since the lenses will look blue/purple in the photos), and
• Athletic clothing.

4. Can we bring props for our family pictures?

Yes, but I would suggest keeping props to a minimum. A blanket or ultrasound picture are good examples of props for family pictures that don’t take away from your faces, relationships, or memory-making.

For younger kids, bringing a small toy they love may help them enjoy your session more and be more cooperative.

5. What types of outfits look most flattering?

The most flattering outfit will be one you are confident wearing. If you’re uncomfortable or don’t like the way your outfit looks, that will reflect in your final pictures.

I will always suggest modest clothes for any photo shoot. Modest outfits might not seem trendy, but (when you find the right fit) they are fashionable and will look very nice on camera. They also tend to be the most comfortable and allow you to remain confident without taking away from your family’s sweet faces, personalities, and connection.

6. What should we wear if it’s supposed to rain on our session date?

Since Oklahoma weather tends to be unpredictable, I make sure to keep an eye on the forecast leading up to your session date. If there is a strong chance of rain or other bad weather, we will work together to reschedule and find a date with nice weather for your session. Then, you won’t have to worry about bad weather affecting your outfits!

If any rain is supposed to pass before your session date/time, you may want to wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet (especially if your location is in a park or grassy area).

In any case, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and dress for the weather. You’re going to want to choose different outfits depending on what time of year your session will be.

What to do now

In summary, choosing your outfits thoughtfully is very important for your family photo session. They not only set the tone with colors, coordination, and style, but they also represent and frame you as a family. Ultimately, being well-prepared will make your session run more smoothly, stress-free, and allow you to be present in the moment.

I hope you’re encouraged by this blog to not only be intentional choosing your outfits, but to also have fun with the process and at your photo shoot!

Families, are you ready to capture some memories? Book your session today!