Photo Session Styling Guide from Moments and Mountains | Olympia Family Photographer

As an Olympia family photographer, I specialize in maternity, newborn, senior, couples and family portraits for the South Sound. I am so excited that you have chosen me to be your family photographer! Below you will find some suggestions and ideas to get the most out of the session with your clothing choices. 

Clothing: Where to Start

Dressing your family for a photoshoot can set the tone for the entire session. Start by deciding on the vibe you’re aiming for. For a warm and cozy feel, opt for a palette featuring mustard, brown, rust, cream, burgundy, and taupe. If you prefer a lighter, pastel aesthetic, stick to neutral and light tones like cream, white, beige, gray, muted pinks and purples, coral, rose, and light blues. For a darker and more moody look, incorporate deep, rich colors, but balance them with lighter tones to avoid an overly dark appearance. Clothing choice is key to getting the most processional looking portraits. Take a look at the guide below and reach out with any questions. I am happy to help! 

Do’s and Avoids

Things to Do:

Things to Avoid:

• Wearing large logos, words or characters on clothing

• Wearing stripes or neon

• All matching or wearing the exact same thing

• Forgetting about shoes, try to wear neutral colored shoes (neon or bright colors even on laces or soles can be very eye catching… and not in a good way)

Your Clothing Might Depend on Where in Olympia You Want to do Your Family Photoshoot

When planning your photoshoot, it’s good to keep in mind how your clothing choices might be influenced by the location you pick. The setting plays a big part in the overall feel of your photos, and your outfits should complement the environment. By matching your wardrobe to the backdrop, we can create a cohesive and beautiful look that really makes your photos pop!

Here are some of my favorite locations when shooting in the Olympia area:

Interested in a Beach Photo Shoot?

Pacific Beach, Ocean Shores, and Westport offer amazing photo shoots in relatively a short driving time. When styling for the beach, here are some things to consider. Be sure to still avoid logos, characters, or words on clothing, as they can be distracting. It’s best to have everyone in solids or limit patterns to a maximum of two people. Select a color palette and have everyone stick to it to ensure no one stands out too much. A good strategy is to lay out all the clothes on a bed or floor to see if any item pops too much. For the beach, earth tones, neutrals, and dusty pastels photograph beautifully. I recommend avoiding white and opting for creams instead. Also, try not to dress the entire family in blue, as it can blend too much with the sky and water. One person in blue is fine, and you can dress others in warmer colors to complement the background. Pastels and creams are great choices for the beach, and ‘flowy’ outfits look fantastic in that setting too. If you need any support with your clothing choices, I’m here to help!

Visit my Pinterest for outfit color guides for ideas for your family photo session. It will depend on your location and season, but this page will have lots of ideas:

COlOR PALLET IDEAS *

**Please know the chosen pins are not meant to be so gender specific/linear. Please ignore the labels of “mom” and “dad” and instead notice the color and clothing choices. 

If you wanted to do some shopping, here are some of my favorite places to get a photo ready look:

Entire Family-

ZARA

H & M

Amazon (here is a list I put together of some ideas. Please note I have not purchased all of these items myself, so cannot attest to quality or fit) 

Babies & Kids-

Joyfolie

Rylee and Cru

Kate Quinn

Roolee

Dresses and Skirts for Adults-

Joyfolie 

Baltic Born

Daughters of India

Reclamation

Roolee

Lots of Neutral and Solid Adult Wear-

Banaba Republic

Express

L.L Bean

And of course you can always go shop in person at Target or Old Navy for seasonal neutrals and solids. 

Here are some portrait sessions that might interest you!

Olympia Family Photographer Session

Lacey Family Photo Session

In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Family Photos

Tumwater Family Photographer

Shelton Family Photographer

Ready to book your next family photography shoot?