What To Wear For Your Fall Family Photos

It’s that time of year again: FALL! I’m actually writing this on the official first day of fall so this is a pretty timely post. Mmm, fall is here and with it are golden coloured leaves, cozy sweaters, and the inexplicable annual craze over pumpkin spice! And let’s not forget that annual tradition of fall family photos that many of us hold dear. Fall is such a beautiful season which makes it perfect for that family photo session. It is also that time of year that feels like a restart button with school having just begun bringing our families back to our regular routines. Your family is growing and changing and you don’t want to forget this time...so you book family photos!

Now how do you choose a nice outfit for everyone in the family while looking great as a group too? Here are some helpful tips to consider when choosing what to wear to your fall family session!

All my love to these photographers for contributing their lovely images to this post:
Danika Lee Photography
Wendy Lees Photo
Aileen Choi Photo
Hannah Stepaniuk Photo + Design
Kristara May Photography

Pick a Colour Scheme

What better way to look like you all belong together than dressing in colours that go together? Consider picking one or two main colours to focus on when creating your family’s colour scheme for the session! Take a look at the images below and see if you can pick out a common colour or two that ties each member of the family together into a cohesive group WITHOUT wearing the exact same outfit.

One thing I would recommend is incorporating neutral colours such as beige, gray, and black and choosing one fun colour like blue, green, or burgundy that you can add in different shades! This way, you get a nice palette that is not overwhelming on the eyes while also having a bountiful choice of shades that go well together.

Limit the Patterns

When I photograph a family, what I am looking for is the emotion and the relationship between the family members. I want my eyes to be drawn to the smiles and the eyes of each family member. My personal opinion is that when something distracts from these things, it is taking away from the image rather than building it up. For this reason, I suggest only adding in one type of pattern.

Another thing to think about is how big is your group? If there are only 3-5 of you, then zero to one type of pattern like plaid or polka dots are probably enough! If there are 6-15 of you, then you may have some more room to play with and may be able to incorporate one main pattern such as plaid and one subtle pattern such as small, tightly lined stripes.

Dress for Comfort

I am a big believer in the magic of a comfortable piece of clothing. There is something about that favourite shirt or sweater you have that you just feel GOOD in! When choosing an outfit for any sort of session, I encourage you to think of those pieces that make your feel comfortable in your skin. I always say to my clients that when you feel comfortable and happy, it will show in your photos! And the opposite is true too, when you feel UNcomfortable and UNhappy, that will all shine through in your photos no matter how hard you say “Cheese!”. Choose clothes that you are able to move around in and feel good wearing and as you help your other family members choose their clothes, pay attention to the items that they feel good in as well!

Avoid Logos or Graphics

When you are choosing outfits for your family, timeless is a good word to have in mind. There’s nothing that can date an image much more than an Elsa shirt or a Converse logo! These graphics tend to distract the eye and draw attention to themselves rather than to the person who is wearing them, not to mention they can be really difficult to match with. Stick to graphic-free pieces and let your smiles claim the spotlight instead!

Photo by Hannah Stepaniuk Photo + Design

Consider Your Background

What better place to find inspiration for your outfits than from the location of your family photos? Are you going to be spending time in a beautiful fall fairytale filled with dark reds, maroons, shades of gold and burnt orange? If you are a real fall fanatic, building in some of those colours into your family photo wardrobe will definitely ramp up that feeling of autumn in your images!

In considering your background, ask yourself if there are outfit choices that could potentially work against that cohesive colour scheme as well. For example, will your child’s neon green runners clash with the earthy tones of your surroundings? If so, you might have to trade out those blinding sneakers for some more respectable brown kicks...but just for an hour or so!

Fall family photos can sometimes be a bit of a challenge to organize and get everyone on board, it’s true! However, once you go to the session and then receive those photos back, it is such a treasure to be able to look at the images and remember what stage of life your family is at because it will inevitably change and pass you by. I am so glad that you are taking the time to preserve your family’s memories and that you are putting an effort into preparing for your session! I hope that these tips have been helpful and that you have a couple of new ideas to think about when putting together your family’s wardrobe for that upcoming session. Remember that the most important thing above all else (even the outfits!) is that you show up ready to have a good time and to simply enjoy each other’s presence throughout the session!