Deciding what to wear in family photos can be just as challenging as finding the perfect photographer. These are photos you are going to hang on your walls and cherish for years to come. It can seem overwhelming when considering what to wear but it doesn’t need to be. Use these 14 tips to help you pick out the perfect wardrobe for you and your family.

Plan ahead

Once you book your session, start thinking of the clothes right away and finalize your outfit 1 week before our session. That way you have time for any last-minute changes. If you wait until the day of or the day before you may run into an issue of clothes not fitting, being dirty, or needing to be dry cleaned.

Coordinating colors not matching

Long gone are the days of everyone wearing a matching white shirt. Instead, pick 2-3 of colors and choose clothing items that will work in this color scheme.

Avoid all white or all black clothing

If you are wearing an all-white shirt then it is very easy for the camera to blow out parts of your shirt causing it to lose its detail. The same can be said when wearing all black.

Look for clothing collections

When shopping for clothes, head to stores that typically have color-coordinating collections, Old Navy and GAP are great at showing coordinated family clothing displays. I also recommend purchasing clothes for all children in your family from one store. That way you will know that all of their clothes will coordinate.

Look at your home decor

Do you like bright colors? Neutrals? Since you will be hanging these photos in your house you want to make sure the colors of your clothes go with the color scheme of your home.

Limit patterns

Not everyone in the photo should wear patterns. It can be very distracting if everyone in your group wore plaid. I find that plain outfits without any patterns at all tend to photograph best and not take away from the main subject of the photos, you guys!  Also, I recommend avoiding thin stripes or small plaid patterns in your outfit choices as they can create a moving illusion-like motion to the images.

Say no to characters and logos

Yes, your little one may love their Toy Story shirt but you may want to skip it for the family photo session. Just like patterns, characters, and logos on shirts can be distracting too.

Consider your shoe and sock choice

Make sure to wear shoes that are appropriate for the location of our session. For women, if we are shooting in an open field, then a shoe with a heel may not be the best choice. For men and boys, we will likely do some sitting poses - I recommend not wearing white guy socks and instead wearing some fun dress socks that coordinate with your outfit so your foot/ankle area isn’t distracting in the photos.

Textures are your friend

I am a huge fan of a cotton fitted shirt. However, in photographs, I like to add textures like jackets, vests, and scarves, to add a little more to the image. Don’t shy away from different textures.

Consider your background

Whether shooting outside or indoors, it’s always a good idea to take into consideration the colors that will be in the background of your photos and choose clothing that might complement those colors.

Think classic

These photos might hang on your walls or your extended family’s walls to be treasured for years to come. By choosing classic clothes you will help give your images a timeless feel.

Consider your manicure and pedicure

While this isn’t a clothing tip, you may want to make sure that your hands and feet are clean, manicured, and hydrated for your shoot. We may do some close-up details shots during our session that include your hands and feet. The same goes for men and kids too!

Be yourself and be comfortable

Last, but not least, whatever you decide to wear, make sure you feel like you and that you are comfortable. My goal for our session is to capture the connection of your family, not your clothing. If you are fidgeting over your outfit choice during our session then you won’t feel comfortable or confident and you definitely won’t have fun. Having being comfortable and having fun is THE MOST important thing when it comes to your photo session!



1. Secure your date and time slot, and don’t forget to provide your deposit within 24-hours of booking or your slot may be released.

2. Complete all session paperwork; sign session contract, pay deposit, and answer questionnaire

3. Choose your outfits

4. Pack a bag with: 

• Flats or flip-flops for walking between photo spots 

• Coats or jackets to wear in between pics during colder weather seasons

• Touch-up makeup, hairspray, brush, or comb

• Water bottle

• Snacks/bribes, especially for young kiddos.  Recommend fish crackers, fruit snacks, M&M minis, or Starburst minis as these items are small and won’t be distracting in photos if your child is holding on to them

• For younger children, you may want to bring their favorite stuffy or lovie to comfort them they are shy

BEFORE

• 1 week before the session: You’ll receive a reminder about your mini-session

• 1 day before the session: a final confirmation and location/session details will be provided

• The day of the session: your invoice with the remaining balance will be sent and is due before the mini session takes place

DURING

• I’ll help direct you and your family during our session so that we can capture you guys doing your thing in a comfortable and laid-back manner. All you need to do is bring smiles, laughter, and fun! After the session wraps FYI, I’ll have a bucket of goodies and stickers to reward your children with as a job well done. If your children have any allergies or you prefer they don’t have any goodies, please let me know at the start of our sesison.

AFTER

• All edited images from your session will be delivered to you within 7-business days from our session date via an online gallery.

• The gallery will be emailed to the primary email address captured at the time of booking.

• You’ll create a favorites list within the gallery so I know which 12 images you’d like to keep. If you like them all you can purchase the additional gallery for an additional fee.

• You will have 30-days from the day the gallery is delivered to download the images and save them to your computer or online storage site.

• The gallery does give you the opportunity to purchase professional-grade prints from my preferred professional print lab. This is optional as I also give you unlimited self-print rights, allowing you to print at any printer of your choice.

Places I do not recommend printing from are any print station/kiosk located inside an actual store such as Target, Walmart, Bartell Drug, Rite Aid, Costco, or even online with Shutterfly. These locations use lower-quality paper and ink.  I have also found in my own experiences that their printers are not calibrated correctly for the way I edit my color and black and white images.

FINAL NOTE

I know I just gave you a lot to think about. I created this guide to help make your session experience is something you’ll look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you and your family make during our time together. Your future memories are the most important thing to me, and I want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it. So make sure you have fun and laugh a lot. I’ll take care of the rest! 

See you soon!

Missy