My 7 best outfit tips for fall family photos
While it’s true that beautiful photographs can be made in any season, it’s no secret why fall is such a popular time for updating your family photos in Columbus, Ohio. The temperate weather, crisp golden leaves crunching underfoot, and promise of a warm hot chocolate (or mulled wine!) afterwards makes session day just a liiittle more wonderful, dontcha think?
But despite all the warm and cozy feelings, you might find yourself a tad stressed about planning outfits that will look great on camera. That’s normal! It means you care. With all that time and money invested, you deserve to look and feel amazing in the photos that will hang on your wall for years to come.
So today, I’m sharing my best answers to the age-old question…
“What should we wear for our fall family photos?”
1. keep comfort at the top of your list
As you read the rest of my tips and start to go through your closet, remember that none of it matters if you don’t feel truly comfortable in what you’re wearing. If you feel comfortable, you will radiate confidence, and your photos will automatically look better. The same goes for your kiddos! Itchy, pinchy, poor-fitting outfits that make them fidget and pull at their clothing are a recipe for disaster. Dress them in something they love. I think something from your closets will work just fine; but if you want to shop, plan that a few weeks in advance so you have plenty of time to troubleshoot and adjust.
2. Consider the location
If you don’t know where your session will take place, touch base with your photographer to get the “lay of the land” before you finalize your outfits. I tell my clients to pick outfits that make sense for the location. For instance, you wouldn’t wear platforms and beige pants on a nature walk, but you might for a stroll downtown. It sounds so simple, and it is! A little common sense goes a long way in ensuring your images age gracefully and look great for years to come. You don’t want to open your photo album in 5 years and say “what was I thinking!?”
Remember the foliage changes throughout the fall season. The best fall colors in Columbus usually range from mid-October until around the 2nd week in November. If your session is booked during this “peak” foliage timeframe, my best advice is to wear colors that help you stand out against the scenery and draw focus to your family. Instead of wearing red and orange, stick to jewel tones like emerald green, teal, and plum!
My husband and I dressed in emerald & sage for our photo session last fall with Amy Ann Photography, and I loved the result! If we wore yellow, we wouldn’t “pop” as much.
3. Coordinate, but don’t match.
The days of everyone wearing the identical buffalo plaid are FAR gone, friends. You want photos that look visually pleasing, but that still showcase your individual personalities and flair as a family.
One of the first things new clients mention during our consultations is how they love my colorful style. Most of that is actually due to the colors my clients wear! But HOW do you even get started with picking colors that look good together?
Here’s a tip from my client prep guide:
Start by perfecting one family member’s outfit first. Pick a statement piece you love that contains several different colors within a pattern (let’s say, mom’s dress has a floral pattern with lavendar, sage, pastel yellow, and cream). Build the rest of the family’s outfits using colors in that pattern, but no two family members in the same color.
For example, you could dress the kiddos in sage and pastel yellow T’s (or rompers), and put dad in a relaxed cream-colored button down with the sleeves rolled up. Balancing these colors with camel/brown pants or blue jeans would pull it all together.
Here’s an example of a September session where my clients utilized different earth tones & patterns.
4. Find a COLOR PALETTE
If you’re really aiming to get a series of photos that look cohesive on your walls (or in an album), you’ll want to stick with a color palette that incorporates 3-4 colors that mesh well together.
“BUT WE LOVE ALL COLORS, HOW DO WE CHOOSE!?”
Consider your home decor. If you plan to frame and display your images around the home (which I hope you do!) you’ll want artwork that visually “works” with the design choices you already love. Look for 1-2 main colors, and 1-2 accent colors to inspire you.
Consider the time of year which your session is booked:
September sessions are versatile and work great with a variety of color palettes. If you want a lighter feel, dress in light earth tones like sage, cream, and tan. If you’re aiming for a richer fall look, stick to warm colors like burnt orange and camel... especially if the location of your session has dense trees or greenery. Warmer tones will “pop” against the background and draw the attention to your family.
“Peak” fall from mid-October through early November is perfect for emerald greens, olive, teal, plum and eggplant. Alternate these with some lighter shades and neutral colors for a balanced look that doesn’t feel too dark & heavy.
Late fall into November (think sweater weather: crunchy leaves and crisp air!) is great for mauve, olive, burnt orange, and mustard yellow. This is also a great time to incorporate textures like knit sweaters or scarves, which not only look great, but help you stay comfortable as well.
For sessions at home, one of the biggest concerns I often hear is “our home is too dark for photos,” and that is seldom the case. The overall lightness of your images is largely impacted by the colors you wear. I recommend wearing lighter colors at home so your images look balanced and print their best.
5 . Wear safe, comfortable shoes
I thought about including this in #1, but it gets overlooked enough that it was worth making into its own tip! Shoes are not the most visually important aspect of your photos, but they DO impact how easily you can move around during your session. This is extra important in the Fall, when grass can be dewey for morning sessions or slippery from falling leaves. Check with your photographer to see how far you might be walking from your car. Is there a potential for muddy paths or soggy grass? Are there wobbly cobblestones or lumpy sidewalks? Little details like these can quickly become a safety hazard when someone is wearing unstable footwear. For my clients, I always recommend comfortable, sturdy shoes regardless of the location… or at least bring a pair along! I’m never opposed to a cute pair of Wellies or even going barefoot if the location allows. When you’re enjoying time with your family and playing, the last thing you should worry about is your feet!
6. Talk to your photographer
Kinda obvious, right? But often overlooked! Googling “fall family photo outfit ideas” might lead you down an endless rabbit hole, or give you advice that doesn’t necessarily work for your family. Your photographer will likely have examples from past sessions at the same location, or at least a good idea of what types of outfits might work best. Some photographers keep Pinterest boards or snippets of color palettes to inspire their clients, which is super helpful for you visual folks. Personally, I’ve even FaceTimed with clients to walk through their closets with them, which saved a lot of time and stress leading up to session day.
7. Just. be. yourself.
At the end of the day, these are all just suggestions. The longer I’m in business, the less I nitpick about what my clients choose to wear! That’s actually amazing because it means the session can focus on what matters most: the connection you share as a family. If nailing a specific wardrobe look is super important to you, I can absolutely help you get there (that’s what my prep guide is for!). BUT, if wearing sparkle-tutus and batman costumes would make your family most comfortable, then I say go for it. So long as it’s something you’ll cherish for the ages. Find the happy balance of personality that works for you, and I’ll help you capture it in a meaningful way!
