What to wear to your outdoor family photoshoot

Are you considering an outdoor family photoshoot but don’t have a clue what you should wear?

If so, don’t panic!  This is of the most common questions that I get asked when my clients book one of my lifestyle photoshoots.

And quite rightly so. The clothes you wear on the day of your family photoshoot should be a big consideration since they dramatically impact on the overall look and feel of the photos.

Things to consider when planning what to wear to your outdoor family photoshoot

  1. How and where are you planning to use the photos?

This is often something that can be forgotten, but it’s actually really important to think about how and where you will display the photos in your home.

If you are having a family photoshoot with the intention of hanging the mounted or framed photos in your living room, then think about the colour scheme in the room. What colours would work well with your décor?

Similarly, if you are having an outdoor family session so that you can get some fun photos of the children and plan to hang the pictures in their bedroom, again, what colours would work well with the room’s colours scheme?

Complementary colours will ensure that the pictures fit perfectly in the room and will enhance the colour scheme that you already have.

  1. Seasonality

The time of year that you are having the photoshoot is a really important consideration. Certain colours and types of clothing work best in particular seasons.

  • In the spring, pastels and light fresh blues, greens and yellows are a great option.
  • In summer, warm pinks, yellows look beautiful, as do cool sky blues, mints and aqua. For something glitzier, you’ve got the choice of champagne, rose gold and ivory shades.
  • Browns, rusty oranges, golds and creams work really well in the Autumn.
  • Warm reds and jewel colours such as emerald greens, teal and mulberry are perfect in the Winter.

My top tip would be to pick a base colour and consider the season when choosing this. Then, introduce contrast by wearing denim or either warm or cool neutrals.

For some great examples and for more inspiration on what to wear to your photoshoot, take a look at my Pinterest board where you’ll find colour combinations and suggestions for suitable clothing.

  1. A cohesive colour scheme for the whole family

Another really important consideration is how the family will look pictured together. What you are aiming for ideally is a cohesive, consistent colour scheme without looking too ‘matchy’.

The natural, outdoor photos that I will take of you and your family will look so much better if you have thought through in advance how you will incorporate your chosen colours into everyone’s clothing, but in a subtle way.

You don’t want to look like you tried too hard!

  • If dad is wearing a casual white shirt with blue trousers and tan canvas shoes, perhaps mum could wear a white coloured dress and blue pumps
  • The boys in the family could then wear either a casual blue shirt or plain white T-shirt with smart denim jeans and blue trainers
  • Or, for a girl, a blue and white checked with a white cardigan and sandals or shoes.

  1. Wear clothes that are smart but comfortable

A final, but really important point!

During your outdoor family photoshoot, I’ll be aiming to capture natural photos. Which means that I want them to reflect who you really are.

While that doesn’t mean that you need to ‘dress up’ for the occasion, anything too far the other way means that you potentially won’t look your best on camera.

My top tip here would be to keep the overall look smart-casual.

  • Anything too formal will look unnatural and will be uncomfortable for you and the kids. So please don’t force your children into shirts buttoned up to the collar if they aren’t used to wearing them or shoes that rub their feet. It’ll just mean that they’ll be fidgeting during the session which may make it a more stressful experience for you.
  • And don’t wear anything that’s either too tight-fitting or too baggy. You want your clothes to be flattering, and make you look your best possible self.

You’ll be looking at the pictures for years to come so choose your clothes wisely so that you won’t regret your decision later.

  • Do choose classic cut denim jeans, dresses, plain white T-shirts (no logos), unbranded trainers, plain coloured wellies (in Autumn). Basically, simple, classic clothes work best, and this is true whether you’re having your family portrait session outdoors or in the photography studio.
  • Anything too bright, fussy or overly-detailed will put the focus on the clothes rather on you, which is the exact opposite of what we’re hoping to achieve.

Again, there are some great examples of the styles of clothes that work well on my Pinterest board. Take a look there for inspiration on what to wear for your family photoshoot.

What will you wear to your outdoor family photoshoot?

So, I hope that these tips I have shared about what to wear to your outdoor family photoshoot have been useful?

Feel free to let me know which colour combinations from my Pinterest board that you love in the comments below, and feel free to ask any questions about what to wear, too.

As you’ll probably already know, I love photographing families outside all year round.

In the spring and summer, we’re spoilt with beautiful flowers, lush greenery, beautiful sunsets and those amazingly long, balmy evenings. And in the autumn and winter, the days aren’t as long but we still get beautiful light and there are still lots of opportunities to get some gorgeous pictures outdoors (just wrap up warm!).

Specialist in outdoor family photography

Remember, I specialise in outdoor portraits of not just families, but also newborn babies, children of all ages, and pregnant ladies too. So, if you’d like to secure a slot for your own outdoor portrait session here in Dorset, please complete this contact form.

I also have my own outdoor garden studio so you could book a studio session and also get some outdoor shots taken without us all needing to travel to a different location. Handy, right?

Karen x