Family Session Style Guide
Hi there & welcome!
Yay, you’re all booked for your family photo shoot!! First, a big thank you for booking your photo session with me!
In this guide, I will give you some tips to consider.
I can’t wait to meet you and your family and create beautiful portraits for you!
Meet your photographer…Erika
Hi! I am so excited for your upcoming family session. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me via text or e-mail with any questions before your session.
I’m a wife and boy mom of 2. I have been a photographer for over 15 years. I am so blessed to do what I love.
Thank you for entrusting your family pictures to me, to provide memories, document moments and keep everyone happy throughout the process!
My sessions are laid back and super relaxed. My number one goal is to keep you comfortable in front of my lens! Don’t stress - You're going to kill it!
Let's go through a few tips & tricks to prepare for your session.
WHAT TO WEAR FOR FAMILY PHOTOS
Here are the three main things I suggest when it comes to choosing outfits for family photos:
Keep it simple.
Keep it you.
Keep it comfortable.
There’s no need to purchase new outfits for family photos. Select something from your closet that you’d throw on if you had some new friends coming over. Solid colors work great, especially when paired with varying textures or layers.
TIP #1: Make sure you and your partner can move around, sit on the the ground, lay in bed, and play with your kids. Avoid anything that’s too restrictive or that needs to be constantly adjusted.
TIP #2: Coordinate the level of dressiness or casualness as a family. If you’re in a dress, perhaps your partner can wear a button-up. If you’re in jeans and a t-shirt, your partner can wear a simple t-shirt that easily allows them to run around with the kids. Whatever the style is, make sure it’s consistent for all family members.
TIP #3: When it comes to picking outfits for your kids, make sure to involve them in the process. Especially if you have a strong-willed child! In fact, I would suggest pre-selecting 3 outfits for them and letting them pick their favorite. Give them some control so they remain happy and engaged during the photoshoot. Having a new person in their space can feel like a lot! Letting them dress themselves is an easy way to set them up for a successful photo session.
TIP #4: Cover the diaper/undies! A saggy diaper isn’t flattering on anyone. Even if the Pampers bum is covered when they’re standing, don’t forget that we might be sitting or your child might be getting held. Find a coordinating diaper cover on Amazon or Etsy and we’ll be good to go. Also, we all those swinging the child shots, please put little shorts underneath dresses, so we’re not seeing their undies.
TIP #5: Make sure to try everything on ahead of time, and if you have a sneaky bra strap, pin it in place, use fashion tape, or find a new bra. Your session will likely have a lot of movement – walking, picking up kids – and it gets annoying to have to make sure your bra isn’t in the picture. No one wants boob muffin top! Also, make sure your clothes aren’t see through! Amazon is notorious for thin fabrics, so try on your clothes and test them outside in the sun. I’ve had shirts where the bra is visible, as well as skirts that are see through when backlit.
TIP #6: No performance fabric polo shirts!! While your partner may love his sporty golf polos, here’s the brutal truth: if he doesn’t wear a t-shirt underneath, there WILL be nipples in your family photos. Performance fabrics are also pretty unforgiving, so avoid clingy fabrics for highlighting the stomach. Polo shirts are fine, but choose a cotton version. Better yet? Button down, t-shirt or flannel shirt.
TIP #7: Good old fashioned bribery. A lot of families discuss and pick a treat that the kids will receive after the session if they’re good listeners and smilers, like an ice cream cone, for example.
DRESS FOR THE SEASON
Always, always dress for the weather! One of the first things I learned as a family photographer is that it is almost impossible to disguise when someone is cold in photos. Purple hands, plastered on smiles, tears – we all know the look. For spring and late fall sessions, this might mean having a backup outfit, or extra layers planned.
Spring & Summer Sessions
When planning a spring or summer family session, it’s always best to aim for lighter colors like neutrals, earthy pastels and subtle spring patterns. These colors just work well with blooming flowers and lush green landscapes. I also suggest reaching for lighter/flowy fabrics like linens that give off an effortless look.
Colors that work well for spring family photos are pinks, greens, blues (including navy), creams, purples, yellows, and neutrals. Pastels and muted versions of these colors will photograph better than vibrant or neon (please never neon) options.
Colors that work well for early summer sessions (June and July) are green, blue, red, purple, yellow, white, cream, neutrals. Colors that work well for late summer sessions (August and early September) are greens, blues, creams, neutrals. If the grass is really vibrant and green, vibrant clothing color will work. If the grass is starting to dry out, stick with more muted versions of colors.
DRESS FOR THE SEASON
Fall & Winter Sessions
When planning a fall or winter session, It’s time to get cozy and pick out earthy tones. Choose pieces that have heavier textures like knits, corduroy, and layers.
Colors that work well for fall sessions are gold, orange, green, blue, black, brown, maroon, white, neutrals. Since fall color can be so bright, I would recommend either muted colors or deep colors (dark green, navy, etc).
Colors that work well for winter sessions are green, red, blue, white, brown, neutrals.
WHERE TO START: ONE OUTFIT
Start small! Is there an outfit that is a Must Have for your session? Did you find the perfect skirt at Anthro? Is there a shirt that looks freaking amazing on your partner? Will your toddler only wear one specific type of dress from Target??
Start with one outfit, and use that for the color and style inspiration for your session.
COLOR PALETTES
When thinking about what to wear for family photos, color can play a big role. A great starting point is looking at your home decor, especially if you will hang/frame prints. Do you have neutral or pastel colors, or bright and punchy tones? Your outfits for family photos should complement the tones and colors of your interior design. Select outfits that work well with the colors you already have in your home to create a cohesive aesthetic in your photos. If you’re unsure, go neutral. It’s hard to go wrong with solid colors, especially neutral ones such as off-white, beige, and gray.
Choose a 2-3 color palette in the same tone and sprinkle in some neutrals to avoid matching. It’s best if the members of your family are not in the same exactly outfits/colors, and rather different shades of the same color or colors that compliment each other.
The easiest way to do this with a group is to pick a few colors and have everyone wear various shades of one of those colors with some neutrals and patterns mixed in. If you are a family of 3-5 people: pick 2-3 colors along with 1-2 neutrals. If you are a family of 6-8 people: pick 3-4 colors along with 1-2 neutrals. If you are a family of 9+ people: choose 4-5 colors with 1-2 neutrals.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT 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.
Heels elongate women’s legs, making them look fabulous. Closed-toed heels in particular look great on camera because they carry out the line of your leg all the way down to your toe. If your toes are showing in a peep-toe heel, you might want to schedule a pedicure before your session so you don’t regret letting your feet show. These little tricks make all the difference!
*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!
SKIP THE SPRAY TAN
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, I recommend that you do not get a spray tan before your session, even a few days prior, because it tends to photograph orange even when it’s applied subtly and by a professional. Your actual skin tone will photograph the most beautifully and naturally.
MAKE IT COMFORTABLE
If we are outdoors in the winter, nothing is worse than taking coats on and off in between photos to quickly warm up after freezing and forcing smiles! apply the style principles to your outer layers so you can stay warm throughout the entire session. You can have all of the style in the world but if you or your family isn’t feeling 100% comfortable in their clothes then it will show in the photos.
A FEW WARDROBE TIPS
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.
Makeup & Nails
I recommend a good medium-full coverage foundation that blends well with your skin tone, and a lipstick or gloss that adds color, as opposed to a lip balm, will keep your lips looking distinct and luscious on camera. Or even better! If you want a little pampering, book a session with a makeup artist before your session to make you look and feel your most confident self. Don’t forget about those nails! Hands are naturally a major point of focus in family photos and having a clean, manicured set of nails goes a long way!
Accessories
A statement jewelry (especially earrings, bracelets or rings), beanies, scarves, suspenders, cardigans, vests, jackets, and hair bows can add layers and help coordination. Adding a subtle gold necklace or sweet, simple set of earrings can add a lot of character to your portraits.
Patterns & Textures
Don’t be afraid to mix patterns. Prints are okay as long as they are not fine stripes. Stripes can photograph strange if they are close together and often make you look bigger than you really are. Choose one bold pattern and then coordinate the rest with smaller patterns or solids. Prints that I love are plaid, floral, and gingham. Adding in textures such as velvet, lace, crochet, tweed, tulle, and faux fur, can also add visual interest.
Outfits with Movement
Picking outfits that can be flowy and show a lot of movement can create magical images. Stay away from stiff and tight fabrics. Flowy maxi dresses and skirts are great options. If you are wanting a more casual look - wide leg pants, colored trouser pants, or shorter dresses are also a great option.
Flattering Fits
Flatter what you love, cover up what you don’t. If your arms are not your favorite feature, consider wearing sleeves on a dress, or bring a light jacket/sweater/cardigan. Love your legs? Wear shorts or a shorter dress!
WHAT *NOT* TO WEAR FOR FAMILY PHOTOS
If you’re feeling unsure or overwhelmed when thinking about what to wear for family photos, I find that looking at a list of things to AVOID can make it easier. This will help point you in the right direction and understand what could become a distraction.
🚫 Neon/Saturated Colors: Bright neon and saturated colors (like bright red) can be distracting and create color cast/skin tone issues.
🚫 Athletic Sneakers: Dress the part from head to toe. If you have amazing outfits, but your child is wearing sneakers with bright neon colors, it can throw off the entire look. Instead, choose casual shoes such as sperrys, boots, booties, or neutral-colored sandals.
🚫 Babydoll Dresses: Dresses that are very loose and have no form to them can make you look larger than you are...especially when bending over to pick up/hug your kiddos.
🚫 Thin Stripes: Very thin stripes or woven patterns sometimes cause a photo effect called moiré that’s hard to remove (this happens most often with men’s dress shirts).
🚫 Large Logos: When it comes to text, it’s best to avoid it completely. The first thing we look for in photographs are faces. The second thing is — you guessed it — text. It’s our instinct to read any words in an image. That’s not something you want to draw attention to in your family photos.
🚫 Don’t Overly Match: Gone are the days when everyone would wear matching t-shirts and jeans! I’m personally not a fan of matchy-matchy but to each their own. When everyone is dressed the same, the outfits draw attention to themselves and take away from the connection between family members. Coordinate, don’t match!
🚫 Too Much Black: An all-black outfit, for instance, will absorb light, causing us to lose details in the images. Typically, black is a flattering color, but if you wear all-black, you could blend into the background too easily. Mix in some whites, tans, grays, or ivories to break up the black. (All-white does the opposite. It reflects light in every direction and can create exposure challenges for the camera by blowing out your outfit, making it much brighter than everything else in the frame.)
🚫 Same Patterns: Don’t mix the same patterns twice i.e. all the boys in plaid or all the girls in floral. Instead, mix a pattern with a different pattern (stripes and florals for example).
Pinterest Boards - Colors & Outfits
Where to shop?
Before spending money on new outfits, I highly recommend going through your closet and seeing if you have anything you already own that you can revive and re-discover.
Some of my favorite places to shop for family sessions are: Old Navy, Madewell, Anthropologie, H&M, Zara, Boden, Baltic Born, Gap/Kids, Rue La La, Kindred & Crew, Target, Rylee & Cru, and Banana Republic.
Prepping for Your Session
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Before the Session
It is important to try on all clothing and shoes to make sure everything fits well. Please make sure that you are wearing the correct undergarments for your outfits. I suggest nude colors and strapless if necessary. I cannot edit out straps and lines so please plan accordingly. Also, be sure to feed everyone before the shoot. Hangry does not make for happy people!
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During the Session
Bring a blanket to sit and cuddle on or any other props that you want to include in your session. To help keep things relaxed and fun for the little ones, pack non-messy snacks and a small toy or comfort item. For older kids, it’s a good idea to leave phones in the car or in your bag, as it can become a distraction if it’s in their pocket.
Keep the mood light! Feel free to joke and be silly with your kids. Try not to scold your child during the shoot. This typically leads to tears and/or strained smiles and stress for everyone.
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After the Session
I backup your photos. Then, I cull through your images and remove any duplicate or unflattering images. Next, I go through and correct color and exposure for each image until things look consistent. From there, I can go through and hand-edit each image and add that finesse that you see in my images. After I save your photos as .JPGs, I upload them to your password-protected PicTime online gallery. Now that everything’s in place, within 2 weeks after your session — I will send you in an email with your gallery URL and password for you to download your images. You can also order prints, frames, and more directly from your gallery, if you choose.
One Final Note
I know I just gave you a lot to think about. I created this guide to help make your portrait session experience something you’ll look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, though, 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, and 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!
🖤Erika
862-213-5509 | hello@erikacoy.com