What to Wear To Your San Diego Family Photoshoot
We are entering peak season for family photoshoots, so I thought what better time to share a guide on what to wear? Scheduling your family photoshoot is so freaking exciting as you are going to get to capture a moment in time with the people you love most in this world. But… sometimes the stress of deciding what to wear can dwindle that excitement.
But I am here to help you so that doesn’t happen!! As a San Diego Family Photographer, I have quite literally captured hundreds, probably thousands of photoshoots, so I have a pretty good idea of what to wear! In this guide, I break down tips on how to choose your outfits, what to wear during each season, and some of the best places to shop for outfits!
9 Tips on How to Choose Your Outfits For Your Family Photoshoot
1. Opt for more earthy/neutral colors
Okay, so this one is super important!! When choosing your outfits for your family photoshoot, the last thing you want to do is wear a super bright and distracting color. A bright color immediately draws the eye to one place and doesn’t allow you and your family to shine in the photos.
If you want to wear color, that is totally fine, just opt for more light pastels that work well with neutral colors! For example, the mom could wear a light pastel pink dress and two little girls could wear dresses with a pastel pink print on them! Color is totally fine but you just want to make sure it won’t be distracting!
If you just want to stick with neutrals and earthy tones, I recommend whites, greens, browns, light pastel colors, light blues, and burnt/dark oranges. It’s also important to consider the location and season when picking what colors to wear.
2. Avoid bold patterns and logos
Some patterns are totally fine, but others are way too bold and distracting! I recommend staying away from patterns that are super thick and bold and instead opt for a more dainty pattern. For example, a dress with a super simple floral pattern is totally fine! But, I also recommend that not everyone wear a pattern. You could have 1-2 of your family members wear a pattern and then the rest wear something more simple with no pattern. And just skip out on logos altogether unless you are all wearing something that is super meaningful!
3. Use Pinterest for inspiration to help you pick out what outfits you are drawn to most
If you are completely stuck and have absolutely no idea where to even begin when picking your family’s outfits for your photos, use Pinterest. It is one of the best resources and has millions of inspirational photos to help you. Consider what photos you are drawn to most and what you are expecting your gallery to look like. If you know you love a certain session from your photographer, take notice of what those clients are wearing. If you LOVE a session and the client is wearing a white dress, wearing black or darker colors might not be the best choice if you are expecting your gallery to reflect something closer to the session you had in mind.
You can check out my Pinterest here for tons of inspo!
4. Coordinate, DON’T Match
The days of everyone in the family wearing the same outfits are long gone so instead of matching it is best to coordinate. Stick with colors that go well together and don’t have everyone wear a pattern. The easiest way to do this is to stick with more neutral colors. I also recommend that MAMAS choose your outfit first and coordinate everyone’s outfit to fit with yours. This is easier than you think I promise. For example, if you find a dress that you love, pick out the different colors in the dress and then choose outfits based on that. And then you can also add in denim and some neutral colors.
5. Consider the weather
Luckily here in San Diego our weather doesn’t get too crazy but there are some years when we can get a lot of rain. If you are planning a photoshoot in the months that it will be colder and there is a higher chance of rain make sure to dress for that. The last thing you want is to be shivering in your dress during your family photos. If needed bring extra layers that compliment your outfit. If you don’t like colder weather, plan your family photo shoot for the spring, early fall, or summer months.
6. Wear something comfortable you can run around in
Please, please, please wear something you are comfortable in. When capturing family photoshoots I encourage my clients to run around with their kids because I feel like this is when you can capture the most genuine smiles. If you are uncomfortable, you will feel it and that will show in the photos and you will always look back at your session and remember how uncomfortable you were. I promise feeling comfortable in what you are wearing will make you feel and look your best in photos!
7. Bring Options
If you are worried that you might not 100% like what you are wearing, bring some backup options. It never hurts to be overprepared. It’s also a great idea to bring extra clothes for your kids in case they spill something or they run in mud or something.
8. Dress for the season
Here in San Diego, seasons aren’t too much of a thing but you can still dress like it to fit the mood lol. Here are some ideas on what to wear for each season:
Fall
In the early fall here in SD, it is still pretty warm so odds are you can still wear dresses and fewer layers. But as we get later into the fall, it starts to cool down and this is when you will get more of those fall vibes with some of the foliage changing colors. For the fall months, you can wear sweaters, layers, flannels, and boots. Or you can even have some fun with it and do a family Halloween-themed photoshoot.
Winter
Winter in San Diego can get a bit colder but nothing too crazy! Just like late fall, you can add some layers to your outfits and ensure that whatever you wear is warm. There are even some days here in SD in the winter where we get the weather in the 70s so odds are you won’t need to dress too warm.
Spring & Summer
When choosing your outfits for a spring or summer photoshoot here in SD, you can pretty much pick the same types of outfits. Most years, the springtime is in the 70s here in SD and the summer months can get pretty warm. I love flowy clothing items such as dresses or skirts for spring and summer. And for the guys, jeans or shirts and a simple T-shirt or polo is all you really need!
9. Don’t overthink it, if you like it – wear it!!
If you want to wear something that you have 1,000 over, DO IT! This is about documenting you and your family however you want. At the end of the day, these photos are for you and your family and no one else!!
Where to Shop For Clothes for Your Family Photoshoot
Okay now that you have an idea of what you want to wear, you have to find it. To help you out, here is a list of the places many of my clients shop:
- Saras Selections Boutique (Located in La Mesa)
- Free People
- Amazon
- Zara
- H&M
- ASOS
- Urban Outfitters
Ready to Book Your San Diego Family Photoshoot?
