What to Wear for Family Portrait Day
Photo Tips #1: The Outfit Checklist
Simple outfit ideas, plus a free tool to build your family's color palette.
We've photographed a lot of families, and we've seen it all: perfect outfits, toddler meltdowns, and the occasional shirt that stole the whole show. So every Tuesday, we're sharing one quick tip to make your photos even better. We're starting with the basics and building up to more specific session tips as we go. First up, the question we hear most: "What should we wear?"
Photographed by Aaron Jones
Photos that never go out of style
Here's the secret to a classic photo: let your family be the focus. When outfits are simple and coordinated, all eyes go straight to the good stuff: the smiles, the giggles, and the hugs you'll want to remember forever.
YOUR OUTFIT CHEAT SHEET
Colors: Pick 3–4 and spread them around the family. Coordinate, don’t match. No one needs six identical white tees.
Tones: Soft and earthy beats bright and loud. Natural light loves muted colors.
Patterns: One per family is plenty. Let one person wear the florals and keep everyone else in solids.
Setting: Dress for your backdrop. Earth tones for fields, light neutrals for beaches, and richer colors for the woods.
Logos: Save the superhero shirt for the playground. In photos, Spider-Man always steals the spotlight.
Pro Tip: Won't part with the Spider-Man shirt? Pack a sweater or open front shirt to slip on, providing just a peek of the superpower. After all, Superman always wore his shirt UNDER his shirt until called upon to save the world.
Build Your Palette
Not sure where to start? Snap or find a photo of your session location, then upload it to Canva’s free palette generator. It’ll pull out colors that match your setting. Pick 3–4 favorites, and you’ve got your family’s palette!
That’s Tuesday Photo Tip #1! Keep an eye on your inbox for more and refer to this blog for an archive of each Tuesday Tip email from Unleashed.
