What to Wear at your Family Photo Session

Are you excited for your upcoming session? Wondering what to wear at your family photo session? I am so honored to help you create memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime. I have created this blog post to help you get the most out of your photos and to feel more than ready and prepared for your session.

Then I will take care of the rest! Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot and let me create photos you’ll love forever. I can’t wait to get you in front of my camera!

A spring themed wardrobe setup perfect for what to wear at your family photo session, featuring pastel dresses and tops hanging on a wooden rod above a light colored cabinet. Blooming pink flowers and greenery surround the space, creating a fresh, airy ambiance.

1. Choosing Colors:

When choosing colors for your outfits, I recommend selecting softer, lighter tones and more muted shades. By avoiding ultra-bright, bold colors, it will help bring all the attention to your faces and let the eye focus on the way you feel about each other.

The camera loves shades of soft pink and muted blues, mixed with light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown, and white. That softer color palette fits beautifully into almost all natural outdoor environments and can easily be paired in so many different ways.

Pro tip: Choose 2–3 main colors from the palette and blend them throughout everyone’s outfits for a harmonious vibe. Soft pastels and earth tones look especially gorgeous in natural light and outdoor locations.

Your session should feel like you—relaxed, joyful, and connected. This palette helps keep the focus on what matters most: your family’s love and connection.

Let the season inspire your look!

2. Flattering your Features:

Dresses and skirts look most stunning because they really flatter every female body, especially on camera. Long, full-length, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos. Especially when juxtaposed with nature, like the forest or beach. Consider softer fabrics like chiffon or tulle, which allow for beautiful movement in the images.

Choosing flattering outfits and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you will love the way you look in your photos. Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with longer length sleeves. A great idea is to bring a cute jacket, blazer, or cardigan along, weather permitting.

Quick Tip: Bring a pair of easy-to-kick-off flats to wear when moving from place to place in between photos. Your feet will thank you later!

3. Make a Statement:

Pairing an accessory or two with your outfit can really help bring some extra dimension to your images, and be a nice tie-in when you’re coordinating with a group. Big statement necklaces bring a lot of pop to the photos, while the smaller, delicate ones are not as noticeable on camera.

Belts, bracelets and earrings bring great visual interest, so choose one or two that don’t compete for attention. Fresh florals in a crown can be a really romantic touch for you or your girls as well.

Fitted dress pants or fitted colored pants work best on camera. Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong compliment to most outfits, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye. I also strongly recommend staying away from graphics and logos!

Layers on men look great on camera, so even when it’s hot outside, trust me when I say that it’s worth an hour or two of discomfort for photos that will last you both a lifetime. Adding another layer will bring extra dimension and visual interest to your photos. Blazers, vests and coats up the level of any look.

If the temperature permits, he could even consider adding a v-neck sweater with a pop of color from a long-sleeved collared shirt and tie underneath. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with layers!

4. Mixing Colors:

As you are coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most connected on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate, but don’t actually “match”. I recommend that you avoid thinking about “matching”, and instead think about what “fits” together. This will create more visual interest and allow each personality to shine through.

The goal for coordinating your family is to visually break up the colors so that you’re not all wearing the same color on top and bottom. The more we can mix that up, the better. I encourage you to think about planning each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind.

A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate. When you’re planning each family member’s outfit, if you can aim for each person to have a different dominant color, and then tie in and vary the accent colors, it’s going to look great all together.

Make a Pinterest board or inspiration board with outfits ideas. It will help you get a feel for colors and patterns you love as well as trends you like. For more inspiration have a look to my “What to Wear” board in Pinterest.

Color palette for What to Wear at Your Spring Family Photo Session features six circles: Dusty rose, Soft mauve, Warm ivory, Blush pink, Sage green, and Deep olive. Each color is distinct, crowned with a minimalist bee icon above the palette.

5. Be Yourself!

I know I just gave you a lot to think about. I created this blog post to help make your portrait session experience something you’ll look back fondly on for years to come. At the end of the day, the location you choose and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. Your future memories are the most important thing to me. I want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it. Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And I’ll take care of the rest!

about helena goessens photography

Helena Goessens is a newborn, baby, children and family photographer based in Dedham, MA. She loves to work with families and little ones in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Her style is simple and natural and she specializes in capturing those special moments to savor a lifetime. Helena Goessens offers sessions in the comfort of clients homes, outdoors and on location for those special occasions. If you are looking for a portrait photographer for your next family session, contact her at info@helenagoessens.com or call her at 617-584-9891. For more of her work, visit her website at helenagoessens.com.