Fall Outfit Tips from a Delaware Family Photographer

What is one of the top 3 stressors before family photos? OUTFIT COORDINATION! As a Delaware family photographer, I love making family photos feel like an easy, stress-free process for moms. If you’re still throwing together your Fall outfits, I’m here to help! Here are some quick tips to get you started…

Three Things to Avoid:

1. Pastels – Don’t get me wrong… pastels are actually my favorite color palettes to photograph. BUT they don’t work as great against warm fall backgrounds. Pale blues, purples, and pinks show up better with cool toned greens rather than the warm yellow and orange foliage of Fall. 

2. Matchy Matchy – Coordination over matching is a tried-and-true tip for every season of the year. Avoid having everyone with the same shirt, same pattern, or same exact shade. NOTE – matching can be absolutely adorable when used in moderation. For example, siblings wearing the same pattern or sisters wearing the same dress. 

3. Bold Patterns – Bold patterns tend to be the least flattering and can quickly overpower a photograph. Softer patterns like florals, thin lines, or texture add depth to your photos without taking over the image. Bold patterns can work well as accents, but use in moderation. For example 1-2 people wearing plaid or a thick stripe while everyone else balances out the image with solids and textures. 

Two Things to Target:

1. Earthy & Neutral – Neutrals ALWAYS photograph beautifully, so I always recommend adding at least 1-2 neutral shades to your family’s color palette. When choosing colors, lean towards Earthy tones. If incorporating blues, aim for dusty blues, muted blues, or navy.

2. Balance Lights & Darks – If everyone is wearing dark shades, the image will look heavy. If you want your images to feel light & airy, balance dark tones with light neutrals. For example, dad wears a navy sweater and light gray pants. Or the boys wear olive sweaters with tan pants. 

One Place to Start:

1. Mom’s Outfit First – As moms we’re used to putting ourself last, but don’t do that when coordinating your outfits! “Look good, feel good” is so true when it comes to family photos. If you feel uncomfortable during your session, you’re less likely to love your photos. Make sure that you are wearing something that you love and makes you feel confident!

I hope these tips give you a jump start to crossing Fall family photo outfits off your mental to-do list. Click Joy Photography clients receive a client experience guide that takes an even deeper dive into tips for coordinating your family photos. Current clients, be sure to check it out! If you’re not a client yet, let’s chat today!

Even though I’m a Delaware Family Photographer, selecting outfits for my own family can be tough. I get most overwhelmed by the vast amount of options out there! That’s why I love using Style & Select… all I have to do is enter my family members and color palette.. then I get a board of suggestions and shoppable links for each person. Click Joy Clients also receive complimentary access to Style & Select. 

Now to get your children to willingly cooperate with the outfits you’ve chosen… that is always quite the endeavor in our household. If YOU have tips for that, drop them in the comments!