The Ultimate Guide to What to Wear for Your Family Photo Session

Very first step --> Start with Mum's Outfit as the Anchor

Here's my number one tip for coordinating family photoshoot outfits: Mum goes first. As the person who is typically in front of the camera the least, it's essential that you choose an outfit you absolutely love before styling everyone else. 

Choose Mum's outfit first as it sets the tone and colour palette for the whole family.  Think flowing maxi dresses, elegant midi skirts, or sophisticated separates that move naturally and photograph beautifully.

Avoid busy patterns, heavy branding, or logos on your clothing. Instead, look for textures like lace, delicate knits, or subtle prints that work beautifully in fine art photography. Consider outfits that flow well and move naturally—these capture those graceful, candid moments that make for stunning family portraits.

Comfort is key. You'll be moving, playing, and interacting with your family throughout the session. When you're comfortable in what you're wearing, your confidence enhances the entire photo, and that authentic joy shines through in every image.

The 3-Colour Rule for Cohesive Family Photo Outfits

One of the best strategies for creating coordinated but not "matchy-matchy" family photoshoot outfits is to stick to 3 colours maximum per outfit. This simple formula creates a polished, cohesive look without everyone looking like they're wearing a uniform.

As an example, here's how to apply the 3-colour rule for your family photo session:

Step 1: Choose your base colour. This is your foundation—usually a neutral tone that anchors the entire look. Think cream, beige, soft white, or warm taupe.

Step 2: Pick a couple of neutral colours. Add depth with complementary neutrals like soft greys, warm tans, muted greens, or gentle blues. These create visual interest while maintaining harmony.

Step 3: Select an accent colour. This is something that will stand out and add personality to your family portraits—perhaps a dusty blue, blush pink, rust, or sage green.

Step 4 (encouraged): Add a lightly/small patterned piece. If you want to include a pattern, ensure it incorporates your chosen colours. Keep patterns to one or two people maximum to avoid a busy, distracting look in your photos.

This formula works beautifully across the whole family—everyone uses the same 3-colour palette but in different combinations and proportions. This creates that sought-after coordinated look while allowing each personality to shine through.

Explore Colour Palettes for Inspiration

If you're feeling overwhelmed by colour selection for your family photoshoot, you're not alone. The good news is there are fantastic online resources to help you find harmonious colour combinations that photograph beautifully.

Use a matching colour wheel to find complementary colours—simply google "colour combination palettes" to discover which colours naturally work together. Colour wheels show you harmonious combinations, taking the guesswork out of outfit coordination for your family photo session.

Soft, earthy tones like dusty blues, warm taupes, gentle greens, blush pinks, and creams often work beautifully for fine art family photography sessions. These muted, neutral tones photograph exceptionally well and create timeless images that won't look dated in years to come.

Consider seasonal palettes when planning your family photoshoot outfits:

• Warm tones like rust, burgundy, and mustard for autumn sessions

• Soft pastels and gentle greens for spring photography

• Deeper neutrals, cosy knits, and rich textures for winter family photos

• Light, breezy fabrics in soft blues and creams for summer sessions

Coordinating with Your Family Photo Session Location

Your session location plays an important role in outfit selection for family photos. What you wear should complement the natural backdrop and create visual harmony in your photographs.

Keep Kids Comfortable and Photogenic in Family Photos

When choosing outfits for children in your family photo session, comfort is absolutely paramount. Kids who feel comfortable and unrestricted will give you those natural expressions and genuine smiles that make for the best family photographs.

Pack comfort essentials for younger children, such as a favourite blanket or toy. These can be incorporated naturally into your family portraits and help little ones feel secure and relaxed during the session.

Dad's Outfit Strategy for Family Photo Sessions

Dad's outfit often gets left to the last minute, but it plays an important role in the overall look of your family photographs. Dad's clothing should bridge Mum and the children's colour palette, creating visual cohesion across the entire family.

Avoid these common mistakes in dad's outfit choices:

• Ties (too formal for most fine art family photography sessions)

• Athletic wear or sports logos

• Overly casual graphic t-shirts

• Ill-fitting clothes that are too baggy or too tight

Neutral tones work especially well for dads—think navy, tan, grey, olive, or soft blue. These colours are versatile, photograph beautifully, and allow Dad to complement rather than compete with the rest of the family's outfits.

Consider Footwear and Accessories for Your Family Photos

Shoes should be clean and fitting the style of your family photo session. For outdoor sessions, barefoot shots can add a whimsical, relaxed touch that works beautifully in natural settings. If you're planning a beach family photoshoot, going barefoot or wearing simple strap sandals is perfect—trust me, sand gets everywhere, so don't bring your best shoes!

Colours to Avoid in Family Photography

While I encourage families to embrace their personal style, there are certain colours and colour combinations that simply don't photograph as well or can create technical challenges in family portraits.

Avoid wearing pure white in your family photos. White can cause exposure issues in photography and often loses detail and texture in the final images. Instead, opt for cream, ivory, or soft off-white tones that photograph beautifully without the technical challenges.

Steer clear of solid black in family photography sessions. Black can look harsh in photos and obscure detail or texture, creating a heavy, distracting element in otherwise light, natural images. If you love darker tones, consider charcoal grey, deep navy, or chocolate brown instead.

Bright or neon colours like bright yellow, hot pink, or electric blue distract from faces and natural skin tones in family photographs. These saturated hues steal the show in family photos—instead of seeing smiles and connection, all viewers notice is that bright red shirt or neon yellow dress.

Red can be tricky as it often over-saturates in photos and draws too much attention. If you love red tones, opt for muted burgundy, rust, or soft coral instead.

Teal can clash with the natural green environment.

Avoid stark colour contrasts within one outfit, such as a white top with black pants. These high-contrast combinations create visual tension and can make editing and printing more challenging.

Avoid heavy patterns, logos or colours that clash with the environment or your family's overall colour scheme. When in doubt, remember that your family's faces and connections should be the stars of the photos—not your clothing.

Colour Palette Ideas by Style for Family Photos

Choosing a cohesive colour palette is essential for creating beautiful, coordinated family photographs. Here are specific colour combinations that work perfectly with each aesthetic style:

Coastal Palette: Soft white, sandy beige, dusty blue, seafoam green, warm taupe—perfect for beach family photo sessions.

Classic Neutral Palette: Cream, champagne, soft grey, dusty blue, warm camel—timeless combinations that never go out of style.

Earthy Boho Palette: Terracotta, olive green, mustard yellow, rust, warm cream—rich, natural tones that photograph beautifully.

Modern Minimalist Palette: Black and white, grey and cream, navy and tan, all-neutral tones—clean, sophisticated combinations.

Rustic Autumn Palette: Burgundy, burnt orange, forest green, chocolate brown, deep cream—warm, cosy colours perfect for cooler seasons.

Soft Romantic Palette: Blush pink, lavender, soft peach, ivory, pale grey—gentle, dreamy tones for ethereal family portraits.

Smart Casual Palette: Navy, soft pink, warm grey, sage green, cream—versatile colours that work in multiple settings.

Seasonal Considerations for Sydney Family Photography

Sydney's beautiful climate allows for year-round family photography, but each season offers unique opportunities and considerations for outfit selection.

Spring family photos: Embrace pastels, light layers, and floral accents. Sydney's spring brings beautiful blooming flowers and lush greenery—your family photoshoot outfits should complement this natural beauty with soft colours and flowing fabrics.

Summer family photography sessions: Choose breathable fabrics like cotton and linen, lighter colours, and flowing materials that keep everyone comfortable in Sydney's warm weather. For beach family photos, light summery clothes and bare feet create that perfect relaxed coastal vibe.

Autumn family photo sessions: Warm earth tones, cosy layers, and rich textures work beautifully. Think rust, burgundy, olive, and deep neutrals that complement Sydney's autumn landscapes.

Winter family portraits: Opt for deeper neutrals, cosy knits, and sophisticated layers. Chunky knit jumpers, cardigans, and cable-knit scarves create warmth and visual interest. Avoid bulky coats in the actual photos—instead, bring warm layers to wear between shots and remove them for the photographs themselves.

Please reach out to me if you'd like to book a fun and happy family session with me!

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