If I’ve been asked once, I’ve been asked a thousand times…
“Tara, what do I wear for my fall photoshoot?!”
As someone who spends 95% of her life in yoga pants and a hoodie, I do not claim to be a fashionista or a style expert – but I DO know what looks good in photos. Especially when you’re trying to coordinate two or more people.
Here are a few outfit guidelines to help you plan for your next fall family photoshoot!
COLORS
What colors do you love to wear? What makes your eyes pop and your skin look radiant? Do these colors also look good on the rest of my family? Those are the first questions I want you to ask yourself.
Then, consider the setting for your portrait session. Will it be a park or in the mountains with lots of greenery, or orange and red fall colors? An urban location with more metals, cement grays and brick reds?
Your photos will look amazing when the colors you choose make everyone look good and complement the scenery. Below are several color palettes to give you some inspiration.
Setting: Trees with fall colors. Blue and orange are complementary colors, so blue tones look amazing with the changing fall foliage! (Treat orange as an accent color if you include it in your clothing, such as in a scarf, hat, necklace, or shoes.) Neutrals also work well because they don’t compete with bright colors.
Setting: Fir or evergreen trees. I’m a big fan of blues, greens, and earth tones in a natural setting that has more greens and browns. If it’s a wintery green vibe (like at a Christmas tree farm), I also think jewel tones look rich and vibrant.
STYLE
Embrace the fall with your cozy clothes! Sweaters, cardigans, vests, jackets. Scarves and knit hats. Dress up your outfits with your shoes or jewelry choice. Boots are a great choice because you can stomp through the grass, and it helps kids look a lil’ more dressed up than sneakers. Dresses or skirts with warm tights. Jeans or slacks. There’s really no “wrong” style – you just want to make sure that everyone looks on the same “style level” – if you want to be fancy, make sure everyone is! If you want to look like you’re heading off for a mountain getaway, sneakers and baseball caps will look out of place.
TO MATCH, OR NOT TO MATCH?
My vote: don’t match. Complement! Choose different outfits that have complementary elements, such as a common color(s) in varying pieces of clothing or various shades of the same color (more of a monochromatic look).
ACCESSORIES
Scarves, hats, earrings, necklaces – little details that help add some pop and fun to your outfits!
PROPS
A blanket is a very popular prop for fall photoshoots, and I recommend bringing one that is neutral (cream, tan or white) or that complements the colors of your outfit. If you’re wearing patterns, bring a solid-colored blanket. If you’re wearing solids, you could play with a patterned blanket (like plaid) if you want. Make sure your blankets are clean and large enough to fit everyone without feet hanging over the edges!
Other props could be seasonal decor or attire, like pumpkins, Santa hats, Christmas or fairy lights, wrapped presents. (These are perhaps more appropriate for a themed holiday photo, not one that you want to be “evergreen” and use any time of year or hang in your home for an extended period.)
I hope you find this helpful when planning your outfits for your next fall family photoshoot! Is there something I missed? A burning question I didn’t answer? A suggestion you’d like for me to add? Let me know in the comments or send me an email at tb@tara-brown.com!
