Planning Our Fall Family Photos

I know we’ve been talking about finally getting everyone together for a proper family photo while the leaves are still changing. It’s easily the most beautiful backdrop of the year, and if we time it right, we can get the holiday cards sorted early. I was looking into ideas and realized we really don’t need to stress about buying a whole new wardrobe for everyone. We can actually shop our own closets and still make it look cohesive.

One of the easiest routes is the classic white and denim look. I know it sounds cliché, but if we keep it simple—jeans and white shirts—it actually looks really clean and tasteful. The trick is to not make everyone match perfectly like a 90s print ad. We can mix it up with different textures; maybe a chenille sweater for you, a henley for the boys, and a simple tee for the little ones. It keeps it uniform without looking like a uniform.

If we want something a bit richer to match the season, jewel tones always look incredible on camera. We don’t need to buy new clothes to get that vibe, either.

Family coordinated in jewel tones on the beach

Check the closets for navy, emerald, or burgundy items. Those deep colors pop so well against nature. If that feels too formal, we can just keep it totally casual. Leggings, a t-shirt, and a jean jacket with boots for the girls, and joggers or henleys for the boys. It captures who we actually are on a daily basis, which is sometimes the sweetest memory to have.

When in doubt, I always lean toward neutrals. They are timeless and cozy, and we never have to worry about colors clashing.

Family wearing coordinated neutral colors outdoors

Another angle is playing with shades of blue. Whether it’s a dress, a sweater, or just a jacket, mixing different tones of blue looks great, especially if we are shooting outside. It feels coordinated but not identical.

We could also let Mom—or the girls—be the star of the show. Everyone else stays in solids, and we pick just one dress in a fun print or pattern. It keeps the photo interesting without being chaotic.

Mother and daughter wearing matching patterned dresses

Since it is a fall shoot, nothing screams “autumn” like flannel. To avoid looking like a lumberjack convention, we could just outfit the kids in flannel shirts and keep the rest of us neutral. That little pop of pattern works wonders.

We should also think about rewearing favorites. If we have something nice from the New Year’s party, Easter, or a graduation, let’s bring it back out. We can change the look entirely just by swapping accessories, adding a cardigan, or throwing on a hat.

Family group photo wearing denim and casual layers

Finally, you can never go wrong with denim or a black-and-gray palette. Denim on everyone—even mixing washes or adding denim jackets—looks uniform in the best way. Or, for a sleeker look, we stick to black and gray. Dad in a black button-down, boys in black sweaters, and the girls in gray dresses. It’s timeless, easy to wear, and I bet we already own almost all of it.