Family photos are my absolute favorite and we love taking ours in the fall. I love capturing this stage in our life and keeping it as a visual memory to look back on year after year. One of my favorite parts is picking out the perfect outfits that make the pictures that much more reflective of each of my kid’s personality and style. We always frame ours and display them in our home in different ways. I wanted to share a few of my secrets to making your family pics look seamless and authentic to you, with minimal effort.
5 Tips On Styling Perfect Family Photos
Plan A Color Scheme
If you were a 80s or 90s baby, you’ve had the family picture where you all wore blue jeans and a similar colored top. I still smile thinking about those! While those are fun, they have become a thing of the past. Classic pictures should be beautiful without being extremely matchy. Think COORDINATING rather than MATCHING. The color palette doesn’t need to be exact. Just think “same vibe” when planning outfits. If it helps, you can go on Pinterest and check out color palettes for inspiration.
Know Your Setting
Sometimes I have a perfect location in mind and sometimes I leave that up to our photographer. Most photographers have a list of locations they’ve shot at or ideas for new locations so be sure to ask if you are feeling stuck.
I love seeing how different scenery can change the whole outcome of the photos. One of the most important things you can do is contrast the scenery with your outfits. If you’ll be shooting in autumn foliage, try black or navy or bright whites. If you’re shooting on a beach, opt for pops of color. Even those little alterations can make for amazing pictures.
Incentivize Your Kids
Sometimes as parents we are not above bribery. Plan an incentive for kids to be good and tell them about it beforehand. This can be a treat after pictures, skipping a certain chore, or even a later bedtime for bigger kids. Giving them incentives can help your photo session run a little smoother. Bonus tip- bring your toddler’s/baby’s favorite toy for the photographer to hold so they can catch even the littles attention on camera.
Match Your Home Decor
If you plan on framing these in your home, think about styles that match with your decor or with your style overall. Farmhouse homes would look lovely with natural, even black and white photos. Modern homes may call for simplistic images taken on simple backgrounds, etc. One of my all time favorite shoots was our black and white candid of each of our kids (pre-Preston) that we have in acrylic frames in our basement.
Let Them Be Little
Kids can tend to be a little restless during family photos, but honestly those make for the best memories. Let the kids be kids. My favorite photos of our kids are the candid ones where their personalities show through. If they’re crying/laughing/making silly faces- IT’S OKAY. Don’t stress mama. They won’t be little forever, capture that fun and cherish those cute little faces.
I hope these tips help you when you are planning your next shoot. This should be a fun experience for the whole family and timeless memories of your littles. Let’s take the difficulty out of styling your family session. If something works for you, I’d love to hear about it!
