Choosing the right outfits for your family or pet photo session is key to getting relaxed, professional photos. When you’re working with a professional Sunshine Coast family photographer or planning your pet session, your clothing choices matter. The aim is to choose outfits that fit the Sunshine Coast’s natural beauty and ensure everyone’s comfort. For family photos with young kids or pet sessions, choose clothes that let you move easily and freely. Choosing the right combinations of neutrals and earthy tones will compliment the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast and help create a timeless, cohesive look.
First and foremost, you need to be comfy, so choose what type of clothing will work for you for the session you have in mind. This includes factoring in bare feet (and possibly wet legs) at the beach, snuggly knits and longer pants in winter, light airy dresses, shorts and linen shirts in summer and cute boots or closed shoes if we’re trekking through long grass! If your kid/s are fussy about how some fabrics feel, play it safe with soft comfy clothes!
Then it’s time to talk colours! Earthy tones always work really well out in nature. I like to start with a neutral base, colours like chocolate brown, tan, taupe, cream and beige. I like to think a light denim can work as a neutral in most cases too. This forms a foundation for your chosen colour/s.
From here you can add in earthy tones from one or two colour families. If you aren’t super confident mixing colours, using only one or two will help you stay within colour harmony but find tones in that range that work together. You can also use patterns, florals, check or textural fabrics to add variety within the colour scheme as well.
What are some examples of colour families and earthy tones?
Greens & Orange/Reds are two favourites of mine to mix. You always want to choose earthy tones in those ranges. For example, some green earthy tones are Forest Green, Eucalyptus Green, Sage, Mint, Olive and Khaki. In the Orange colour family you’ll find Rust, Coral, Clay, Bronze, Terracotta and Camel. As you can see, there’s a lot of range and options in each, so using one colour family mixed with your neutrals will work well without making it overly “matchy”. Gone are the days of white tees and jeans – we can be way more creative with colour!
Earthy colors bring out the natural beauty of the surroundings without drawing attention away from your faces. Light blues, greens and pastel shades of all colours are perfect for complimenting the light, fresh, coastal vibe of a beach session.
Are these hard and fast rules?
This is a basic guide for those who aren’t sure where to start! Keeping it simple and timeless is usually best, especially for extended family shoots with 10+ people.
HOWEVER, if you love bright colors and fun patterns and have a strong sense of your own style, wear it loudly! When you feel good in what you’re wearing, it shows in your photos. If your style is iconic, I’d never tell you what to wear. Being yourself will make your session special. There’s no right or wrong. Always choose what feels best for you!
“The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”
Coco Chanel
Are there any family photo outfit ABSOLUTE NO-NO’S?
I do have one unbreakable rule – no t-shirts with big logos, brand names, or graphics. They are so distracting, especially in a natural setting. They take the focus away from what we want to highlight – your family and connection. If you want to add bright, fun colors or patterns, make sure to at least somewhat bring them into everyone’s outfits. Everyone should feel like part of the group, with no one person standing out too much.
If you have an extended family session booked, organizing everyone’s outfits can feel overwhelming. Keep it simple. Choose three colour families (like Green, Orange, and Blue, as the family above did). Each family can pick outfits in those colors plus neutrals. Avoid stark white, but off-white or beige works great. Families can pick one color, a mix of two, or all three. As a group, you’ll look cohesive. Each family will also look great in their own shots. Remember to stick with earthy tones – think muted shades, not bright colors like Royal Blue or Ferrari Red!
A final tip for extended families is to try to keep the patterns/stripes/florals/check to one person per nuclear family/couple if possible! We want less than half of the group to be in obvious patterns, the majority in fairly uniform block colours!
One more thing! If you haven’t had your own personal colours done before, and you’ve found yourself unsure of what looks good on you, with a wardrobe full of black, it might be time to go and see Claire at Your Season Colour Analysis
Need more photo inspo?
For more extended family session photos click here
