What To Wear For Your Family Photoshoot – Autumn Edition

Autumn is one of my favourite seasons for family photography in Surrey and Hampshire. The warm golden light, changing leaves and beautiful countryside create the perfect backdrop for relaxed, natural family photographs.

But one question I’m asked again and again before a photoshoot is:

“What should we wear?”

Choosing outfits for the whole family can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. The key is to choose clothes that coordinate rather than perfectly match, feel comfortable to wear and complement the beautiful autumn colours in Surrey & Hampshire around you.

Here are my favourite tips for choosing what to wear for your autumn family photoshoot.

Choose warm, neutral colours

Autumn naturally gives us a beautiful colour palette to work with, so I recommend choosing soft, warm and neutral shades.

Think:

• Cream and ivory
• Beige and camel
• Warm browns
• Rust and terracotta
• Olive and sage green
• Mustard
• Burgundy and deep berry tones
• Soft denim

These colours work beautifully against Surrey and Hampshire’s autumn countryside without distracting from the most important part of the photographs – your family.

Think layers

Autumn weather can be unpredictable, which makes layers perfect for a family photoshoot.

Think chunky knitted cardigans, soft jumpers, gilets, scarves, denim jackets and beautiful coats. Layers also give us the opportunity to create different looks during your session without needing to completely change your outfit.

For children, layers can be particularly useful. They can take off a cardigan if they get warm or add another layer if the temperature drops.

Don’t all wear the same colour

Matching outfits can sometimes make photographs look a little too coordinated.

Instead, choose a colour palette and build everyone’s outfits around it.

For example, Mum might wear a cream jumper with jeans, Dad could wear a soft olive shirt and chinos, while the children could wear warm beige, rust or denim.

The outfits feel connected without everyone looking identical.

Add texture

Texture looks gorgeous in autumn photographs.

Knits, corduroy, linen, denim, wool and soft cotton can all add interest to your photographs.

A knitted cardigan or jumper can look particularly beautiful when photographed outdoors amongst the autumn colours.

Keep patterns simple

A small amount of pattern can work really well, but I recommend avoiding lots of different prints competing with each other.

If one person is wearing a floral dress or checked shirt, keep the rest of the family’s outfits relatively simple.

Subtle checks, stripes or small floral prints can work beautifully. Large logos, slogans and very bold patterns are best avoided as they can draw attention away from your faces.

Choose clothes you feel comfortable in

This is really important.

Your family photoshoot isn’t about standing perfectly still and posing for the camera. I want you to walk, play, cuddle, explore and enjoy being together.

So choose clothes that allow you to move comfortably.

For children especially, make sure they can run, sit down, climb and play without constantly needing to adjust their clothes.

The more comfortable everyone feels, the more natural your photographs will be.

What about shoes?

For an autumn outdoor photoshoot, boots, loafers, simple trainers or beautiful leather shoes can work well depending on your outfit.

I would avoid brightly coloured trainers, shoes with large logos and anything you’re going to spend the whole session worrying about getting muddy.

And don’t forget that autumn grounds can be wet!

What I would avoid

There are a few things I generally recommend leaving at home for your family photoshoot:

• Neon colours
• Very large logos
• Matching outfits for everyone
• Extremely bold patterns
• Bright white trainers
• Very bulky coats throughout the whole session
• Clothes that are uncomfortable or restrictive
• Anything you don’t feel like yourself wearing

You want to look back at your photographs and see your family, not just the clothes you were wearing.

Don’t forget the little details

Small details can make a big difference.

Think about socks, hair accessories, jewellery, and belts.

You don’t need everything to be perfectly coordinated, but considering these details beforehand means your finished photographs will feel beautifully pulled together.

My favourite autumn family photo outfit combination

If you’re completely stuck, you can’t go wrong with a simple neutral autumn palette.

Try:

Mum: Cream knitted jumper, flowing skirt or relaxed jeans and ankle boots

Dad: Olive or beige shirt, chinos and brown boots

Girls: Soft dresses in cream, rust or burgundy with cardigans and boots

Boys: Knitted jumper, cord trousers or chinos and boots

Add a beautiful wool coat or cardigan for cooler weather and you’re ready to go.

If you’re still wondering what to wear, don’t worry – you won’t be left to figure it all out yourself.

When you book your family photoshoot with me, I’ll send you my Family Photoshoot Style Guide. It’s packed with tips and inspiration to help you choose outfits for everyone, including colour palettes, what works beautifully on camera and what to avoid.

I want the whole experience to feel easy and enjoyable, so if you’re unsure about your outfits, you’re also welcome to ask me for advice. I’m always happy to help you put together a collection of outfits that work beautifully together and suit your family.

By the time you arrive for your photoshoot, you’ll know exactly what you’re wearing and can simply relax and enjoy your time together.

Most importantly, come as you are

Your family photoshoot is about capturing the connection between you.

You don’t need everyone to look perfect. Your children don’t need to sit still. And you certainly don’t need to spend hours worrying about what to wear.

I’ll guide you through the session and give you plenty of direction so that we can create natural, beautiful photographs that feel like your family.

You can view more family photography images on my gallery page: HERE

If you’re looking for a family photographer in Surrey or Hampshire and would love beautiful autumn photographs of your family to display around your home, I’d love to hear from you.

Lots of love
Zoe xxx