Modern Fall Family Photo Outfits

for Outdoor & Indoor Sessions

Fall is such a perfect time of year to capture precious family photos that can be given in Christmas cards and cherished for years to come. 

What you wear can make or break your photos! Take my word for it. :)

Imagine that we're painting a picture... the scene has been painted, and we're about to paint you into it! What you wear is like the quality of paint you use to create a piece of art. Poor quality, and the art suffers!

What should a family wear for fall pictures?

When it comes to family pictures in fall season, it’s important to pick cohesive and modern outfits for the whole family. Because fall is often cooler, choose pieces that suit the season such as knit sweaters, midi skirts, trousers, jeans, long-sleeve shirts, blouses, or dresses, denim or ankle boots, dress shoes, loafers, and other closed-toe footwear.



Depending on how formal you want your family pictures to be, you can decide between more dressy clothing items or pieces that are more laid-back and casual. Choose what reflects your family best.

The last thing you want is for everyone to feel uncomfortable in their clothing, especially the little ones, as that will make for less natural-looking photos…and fewer smiling faces! 

A Few Quick Tips

Parents Outfits First

 I always start with the parents first so we can build an outfit for everyone else based on their look. Moms and Dads are usually the biggest people in the frame and we want to make sure their outfits coordinate before adding outfits for the kiddos. Once we choose one outfit it’s so easy to make choices for everyone else. 

Don’t Forget The Shoes

It’s true that shoes can make an outfit. This can often be overlooked, but shoes are SO important to the overall look of your family photos. In the summer everyone can wear shoes made from natural materials (i.e. leather-like sandals or clogs). In the winter I suggest that everyone wear a comfortable boot that is one color (black or brown) and has minimal details. 

Dress It Up

Don’t be afraid to wear something you normally wouldn’t. I encourage you to embrace a flowy dress or wear those fashionable linen pants. Think of pieces and accessories that are a bit more elevated than your everyday wardrobe.

The Little Details

Adding a subtle gold necklace or sweet, simple set of earrings can add a lot of character to your portraits. Same thing goes for nails! Hands are naturally a major point of focus in family photos and having a clean, manicured set of nails goes a long way! 

How Will This Look On Your Walls?

Most families I work with come to me because they want to frame photos from our session on the walls of their home. It may sound silly to “coordinate with the couch” but it really does make a big difference if you’re planning on creating a statement piece for your living room!

A Few Things To Avoid

Logos

I love to create a timeless aesthetic within my photography. Logos will instantly date a photograph and they tend to distract from the moment. 

Unnatural Colors

As stated before, always stick with natural colors. Bright jewels tones often fight with each other and are difficult to coordinate cohesively. They can even reflect up into your face and cause discoloration depending on the light conditions.

Intense Plaid And Bold Patterns

I know many families love wearing matching plaid shirts, and I’ll admit its cute for a Christmas card! When you are looking for an elevated family portrait, plaid and large patterns can be distracting and will clash with the environment. subtle plaid in a natural color can look great though! Just use your best judgement.

02 BUILD YOUR COLOR SCHEME



Below are my favorite looks for a stunning outdoor family photo session. I love the mix of neutrals with subtle pops of earth tones and stunning fall-inspired prints and patterns.