5 What to Wear Tips for Spring Photo Sessions

What do I wear for photos?! How do I dress an entire family for a session?

Even though I’m a photographer myself, I’ve been there. It is overwhelming to plan clothing for photos, especially when you have to plan for yourself and for other family members.

It can be especially hard in the spring in Wyoming or Colorado, when we are in the “in-betweens” of seasons. Here are a few tips to get you started with planning outfits for spring photo sessions.

1. Choose Comfort, Always

This sounds obvious, but nothing makes you appear more uncomfortable in photos than clothing that you are actually uncomfortable wearing. This is especially true for kids. Our goal is to capture fun moments of you with your family, and if someone is miserable because of clothing, it’s really hard for them to have much fun.

• Fabrics:
  • Opt for clothing that you and your kids won’t be tugging on, scratching at or readjusting. Cotton is always a comfy choice, and it tends to photograph nicely.
  • Avoid dresses with tulle underskirts for little girls. Instead, opt for a cotton dress that twirls.
  • Nothing shiny! Avoid rayon, silk and shiny polyester. Shiny fabrics cling to problem areas and add folds in places where you just don’t want them. They also draw the eye to those places because they catch light. Matte fabrics are much more flattering.
• Shoes:
  • Be practical. If your photo shoot is in the mountains or on grass, don’t wear stilettos (yes, it has happened). You’ll spend the whole time sinking into the ground. Sandals are totally fine for the park, but make sure they are durable for mountain shoots; there can be lots of cacti, rocks and scratchy brush. If you wear wedges, don’t go too high with the heel. Comfy flats are my go-tos for photos.
  • Be comfortable. Don’t put kids in new, stiff shoes for a photo shoot. Opt for tried-and-trues with soft soles. For tiny babies not yet walking, have them go barefoot (if it’s warm enough), or opt for socks, Robies or the little moccasin-type shoes. I guarantee if you put them in new shoes for a photo shoot, you will spend at least 30% of your shoot losing shoes, finding them and putting them back on baby’s feet.
  • For teens and adults, colorful Chucks and Vans are always a welcome addition.
  • Cowboy boots, as long as they’re broken in, also work well for mountain shoots.

2. Wear Classic Clothes that Fit Well

Don’t wear baggy clothing. It will make you appear larger. Do wear clothing that is fitted or tailored. Generally, longer tops work best for moms.

Absolutely NO LOGOS. Tiny pocket logos are fine and won’t show up.

If you don’t love your arms, wear a three-quarter length shirt or sweater.

3. Layer, Layer, Layer

Layers add dimension and interest to your photos. They are also super flattering. Add texture with chunky knits, or neutralize colors with a cream or navy sweater. Practically speaking, you also may need a jacket layer, so plan for one that you are ok with having photographed. It is Wyoming, after all!

4. Coordinate a Palette, But Don’t Match

Please, please, please DO NOT show up with everyone wearing white tops and blue jeans. That trend needed to die in 1988. Let’s leave it there.

For couples and groups, the idea is to coordinate around a color palette, but to avoid matching. Pick one or two colors, add neutrals that complement, and then vary patterns, textures and clothing types within that palette.

Most clients find color to be the hardest decision for a photo shoot. Here’s how I tell people to decide on color.

First, Pick a Palette

• Pick One or Two Colors Based on the Season
  • For spring, I like to complement greens that are just coming out. Pink, peach, lilac and coral are good green complements. They also photograph nicely in the tan grasses around here.
  • If you’re not a pastel person, navy and burgundy photograph well year-round.
  • If you don’t want any color at all, go for neutral. Tans, grays, and cream still work in the spring. Just make sure you use layers and a variety of textures among family members. One or two people in the photo still should wear something in camel, dark tan or charcoal. Otherwise, everything is just too white/ivory.
• Pick a Color That Will Work in Your House
  • We tend to decorate our houses in colors we like, so look around your house for a good jumping-off point for color.
  • My hope is that you will want to display your photos, so think about how the photos will look in your house. What colors will work well displayed on your walls?
• Pick a Color That Complements Your Skin Tones
  • Find your color profile. Determine if you are a warm, cool or neutral skin tone by looking at the veins in the underside of your wrist in window light.
  • If the veins appear:
    • mostly blue, you are a cool skin tone.
    • mostly green or olive, you are a warm skin tone.
    • blue-green (possibly with some purple), you are a neutral skin tone. While neutrals can wear almost any color, muted colors tend to work best. You may also be neutral but still have tendencies to look better in warm or cool tones, depending on your eye or hair color.

Here are a few options for spring colors within each skin tone palette:

You might notice that a few colors span all of the above palettes, and they tend to be the ones I recommend for photos (pinks, blues, neutrals, deeper greens).

Then, Add in Neutrals

Neutrals are a necessary component to planning your outfits. We can’t have everyone in our base colors, or it will look too matchy-matchy. Neutrals break up the palette and make different shades and patterns within the palette come together.

Examples of neutrals are tan, gray, ivory, brown, and lighter blue -jean blue.

Pants and light sweaters tend to be the bread and butter neutrals, but certain people can get away with wearing skirts and dresses in neutrals (especially browns and grays).

Colors and Patterns to Avoid Completely

Don’t do anything neon. Sorry, guys, but you have to leave the hunter orange at home. No neon pink, green or really bright red either. These tones reflect the sun and give skin weird color casts.

Don’t wear tight patterns. They have a moire affect, meaning that on a screen, they will jump around and have a life of their own. Avoid tight pinstripes, tiny dot patterns or tight patterns of any kind.

Adults shouldn’t wear all white (unless you’re getting married :-). If you really want all white or cream, add a sweater. Small kids are the exception here; little girls can totally get away with white or cream sundresses for a timeless, classic look.

5. Vary Textures & Patterns But Look Like You Shopped at the Same Store

Each person in your family has his or her own style; highlight that. While you can all coordinate within a similar palette, you shouldn’t match. Add variety and depth to your photo by having people in different textures and styles. Add in chunky knits or have one person wear a subtle plaid. Mix solids and patterns. One person wears a “wild card” outfit and then the other outfits are built around that. For instance, one person wears a floral print dress and then the rest of the family chooses colors taken from that dress. Just make sure you have enough neutrals to balance out bold patterns.

Ok that’s it for now. If you have specific questions, let me know. I love to chat about clothes. Hope to see you soon! If you want to see more examples, I have two Pinterest boards with ideas: my What to Wear for Spring Photo Shoots Board and my Layered Looks Board.

Family mini sessions are nearly full for the spring. I have two time slots left on a third bonus date I opened up. The next mini sessions won’t be until late summer. To get some family photos on the calendar for this summer, please get in touch soon!