One of the most common questions I get when people schedule their photography session is ” What should we wear?”

If you’re like me , that question brings about anxiety and I become completely overwhelmed. To help,  I’ve quizzed some of the very best dressers in my photography family and complied a list of helpful tips for planning your family’s wardrobe for photos.

Comfort– Before you can look your best, you have to feel your best. This is true of every member of the family from tots to teenagers and moms and dads. While body shapers and tighter fitting clothes look great leaving the house, they often creep up, wrinkle and need lots of readjusting and those things make it harder for you to relax and enjoy your session.

Speaking of fit, watch out for things that are baggy or flowy as they can often take away your beautiful shape. Curves are good. I’ll say it again CURVES ARE GOOD! If you’ve got ’em ,embrace them. If you decide on a flowy top, think about  a closer fitting pant and vice versa. If you decide to go flowly, make sure the fabric you choose won’t easily wrinkle or slouch in unflattering ways.

Here’s something you don’t often hear a photographer say: Pintrest is your friend (when color coordinating your outfits). A simple search for ” photography outfits” “coordinating outfits for photoshoots” ” Yellow and blue photo shoot outfits” or any combination will surely turn up some great results. While I cannot recreate the work of someone else , Pintrest can be a great guide which jump start creative thinking to create a style that represents you while creating a images that are  truly unique to your family.

What NOT to wear ( oh the many hours I spent watching that show in my younger days) :
Colors that I usually caution against are neons , oranges and large amounts of pastels and whites . Neons and oranges will create color casts that can be really tough to remove in post processing. Pastels can sometimes work ( especially in small amounts or on children) but they often soak up color hues from their surroundings . White can appear yellow or blue . Pale purple often comes out as gray or brown. While there are times these colors DO work, I usually direct my families to use only small amounts of pastels and lean instead toward more saturate colors that ” have their mind made up”

Pick one person and dress them. Then build the rest of the family from there. If you know you have a dress that you feel your best in , choose that then coordinate everyone to you. If you have a favorite outfit for your son , coordinate to him!

Scope out store ads and websites for color schemes . You’ll see tons of possibilities that you can then use to coordinate outfits that are more your style!

Get a little wild! What adds depth and interest to photos is a mix of colors,patterns, textures and layering .  Don’t forget accessories, hats, jackets and sunglasses that can be added and quickly removed to change up the look a bit.

Let that personality show! Does your son always wear rain boots? Does your husband like funny socks?  Maybe your daughter is in a princess phase.Those little hints of personality add so much to photos. They show humor and age and spontaneity . I LOVE them! It’s ok to bring a change of socks or shoes that better match the family but those few snaps where that quirkiness shows may turn out to be a favorite years down the road.


Lastly, let’s admit it, we all have things about our bodies that we don’t like. It’s often those areas that our eyes go to when we’re looking over photos of ourselves and that automatically creates negative thoughts about ourselves and our photos.  Do a little homework before settling on an outfit  and find ways to minimize ( or accentuate, whichever the case may be) those areas.  Pinterest is also great for this! Remember- a person who is comfortable and confident can do more for a photo than crash diets and those fancy torture devices we use to smooth out or ” problem areas”.