The rain is falling, the leaves are starting to change, and you’re starting to see fall clothing hit the store shelves. By this time of year, you’re probably thinking about booking your next family photoshoot! It seems like finding outfits for the whole family can be the hardest thing about the whole process! If you’re looking for a place to start, here’s our tips and ideas to make this year’s photoshoot your most stylish yet!

Tip #1: Textures

A mix of textures within your clothing provides visual interest to your photographs. In the photo above, there’s a mix of knits, silks, and cottons in this family’s outfits. Layers are a great way to help build texture into your outfit—think puffer jackets, sweaters, or chunky cardigans. We love how layering can make an outfit appear more put together without much effort!

Tip #2: Don’t overthink your colors

When picking outfits for the family, one of the biggest things people get hung up on is the color scheme. Our tip? Don’t overthink it! If you feel uncertain about what looks best, we suggest sticking to neutrals. Whites and tans look stunning with the fall foliage. If you’d like some guidance on colors, here’s what we suggest: First, pick one or two colors (either next to each other or opposite of each other on the color wheel), then pair that with the neutral colors you think look best with it. In the example above, you can see lots of colors worn in a subtle way. They also mix patterns and textures! Having a colorful mix can make things less “matchy” if that’s not the look you want to go for.

Tip #3: Pick Your Vibe

Unless you feel strongly about dressing a certain way for photos, we recommend mixing it up a bit each year! For example, one year, you can dress formally with girls in dresses and boys in button-ups and slacks. The next, you can dress casually with jeans and trendy tops or go semi-casual with the girls in matching dresses and the boys in jeans and a sweater. However you dress, just make sure it captures an aspect of your family’s personality and lifestyle. If your family never dresses formally, try semi-formal outfits to create an elevated but comfortable experience for your photos!

REMEMBER: Outfits, and their level of formality, can affect how your photographer will pose your family. So, if you’re after a certain feeling or look within your poses, find examples of what you’d like and see what the people in those photos are wearing! That can serve as great inspiration as you begin to hunt for outfits.

Tip #4: Pick an Awesome Location

Where you have your pictures taken can greatly affect what outfits you choose! We recommend that you, first, pick a beautiful location that makes you excited for the photoshoot, then decide what kind of clothing will look best there. If you choose a spot known for its yellow Aspen trees, stay away from yellow clothing to make sure you don’t blend into the background. If you want the colorful fall foliage to shine, stick to earth tones and avoid too much pattern. This will ensure your clothing doesn’t distract from the background, but compliments it instead.

We have so many AMAZING fall mini sessions coming up! From pumpkin patch mini sessions to places with beautiful fall foliage in Utah County and Salt Lake County, Camera Shy Photography is your family’s one stop shop to make the most out of the fall season. Get out and enjoy the best time of year with our Beyond the Studio team; find sessions and availability here.