As an in-home lifestyle photographer, one of my absolute favorite things about working with a client’s family is helping them plan outfits!

Whether you’re planning a family photography session in Washington, D.C. or you’ve recently welcomed a new baby and want to capture this special time, it’s important to me to capture the entire family, regardless of the type of session that you’ve booked. After all, your life is lived together, and what better way to showcase that than to document the way your older children cuddle your newborn or remember how you and your daughter both share the same sweet nose!?

I want to capture family connections and interactions that are genuine and unique to you, and when I’m photographing your family, it’s a priority for me that everyone’s outfits are classic styles and coordinate well together – reflecting each family member’s personal style.

I recognize that it’s not easy to combine everyone’s individual clothing preferences (especially if your daughter isn’t a dress person or your son only wants to wear athletic clothing!) into one cohesive whole for a photography session. While some families have a good grasp on what they’ll wear to their photography session, more and more clients are taking advantage of my complimentary styling assistance.

I absolutely love helping my clients select outfits to wear for their session, especially since so many of my clients are busy parents who are pressed for time or who may feel overwhelmed about dressing the entire family.

What to Wear for Fall Family Photo Sessions

If you, like many families, are planning for a fall family photography session to capture updated annual photos of you and your children, I’m excited to share that I’ve created a FREE shopping guide to save you time as you coordinate outfits for your family photography sessions!

Whether you’re “shopping” for options inside your own closet or you want to pick up a few new items for your upcoming photography session, I had so much fun sourcing clothing and creating mood boards to share visual suggestions to outfit Mom and children, too.

Sorry, Dads – you’re often the easiest to dress, since you typically have a few staples in neutral colors in your wardrobe, so we’re focusing on Mom, sons, and daughters in this guide! But, my recommendations for dad are to keep it simple and classic – oxford shirts, sweater, khakis, jeans or cords.

The BIGGEST thing to remember is this simple formula:

3 main colors + 1 big print + one small print + a little texture + different silhouettes = PERFECTION

I’ve offered selections for you to review in a few different color schemes that are perfect for fall: greens, reds, blues, and neutrals. These colors will photograph beautifully in the fall season, whether you’re seeking outfit inspiration for in-home sessions or outdoor photos.

I hope these mood boards help you to feel more confident in mixing patterns and textures together, yet still maintaining a cohesive look for your next photography session! I’d love to photograph your family, so if you’re ready to learn more about working together, please reach out here.

P.S. Want more tips on what to wear for your photography session? Check out my free What to Wear guide here! I’m sharing all of the tips you need to make this process a breeze.

Please note that some of the links to purchase clothing are affiliate links.