Choose outfits for your outdoor session

What works best? It can be daunting to prepare outfits for a family of 5, but I do it every year because outfits can make a photo that much better! Here are some helpful hints.

1. The colors: Consider what colors you use in your home decor. Soft browns, tans, creams, and sometimes navy blues pared with a pop of color like a mustard or an orange or a bit of burgundy work really well. Usually I try to come up with 2 main colors and weave those throughout the group. Last year was grey and burgundy, the year before it was blue and gold (go bears!), and this year I want to try for brown and mustard. But blue keeps calling me. Try to keep the bright colors away from faces. Bright colors leave a color cast on skin when they reflect back onto the skin, and that can be tricky to remove completely in editing. So opt for a bright pair of shoes, a headband that doesn't reflect down onto the face, a skirt, or a tie for dad. Whatever your pop of color may be, try to make sure we see it just a bit on multiple people.

2. Try not to be too matchy matchy. I have gotten my two girls the same dress on occasion, but honestly keeping colors in the same family and having a variety of textures works best. You want to coordinate, not match.

3. Keep things solid. If someone has a pattern, that's fine, but try to keep the florals and patterns to just one person. Distracting logos and big patterns can date a photo instead of keeping it timeless.

4. Textures look great on camera, a ruffle, something with a thick lace, a crepe material, etc.

5. When you begin to plan, consider who the hardest person is to dress. In my family, that's me. I never wear long sleeves in the real world, but I do in my photos, because my arms look a LOT better in them. I choose an outfit that works for me and plan my kids and husband around that.

6. Expect a little wind. It happens. Be prepared. I can do a little for fly away hairs in post, but consider this when you are doing your hair, and your kid's hair. A little gel or hairspray can help a lot!

7. Accessorize! Have fun with it. Chunky necklaces and bows for girls, a hat maybe for your boy. everyone doesn't need accessories, but a fun belt, or a scarf can do a lot for a photo and help you tie all the outfits together.

8. Lay out all the outfits on a big bed, and make sure you like how they go together.

9. And of course keep it comfortable, easy to move in, and fun!