One of the questions I get asked all the time is, “What should we wear for our session?”

And honestly? I get it. Choosing outfits for photos can feel like a lot of pressure. You want to look like yourself, you want everyone to coordinate, and you want to love the photos years from now.

The good news is that you don’t need perfectly matching outfits or a closet full of fancy clothes to make your photos look amazing.

My biggest advice is simple: choose outfits that feel like you, coordinate rather than match, and prioritize comfort.

Whether you’re planning an engagement session, a family session, or senior portraits, here are some of my favorite tips for putting together outfits that photograph beautifully.

Start With One Outfit You Love

If you’re coordinating outfits for more than one person, start with one outfit that you absolutely love.

Maybe it’s a flowy dress, a favorite pair of jeans, or a beautiful neutral sweater. Use that as your starting point and build everyone else’s outfits around it.

You don’t need everyone’s clothing to be the same color. Instead, look for colors that work together.

Think soft neutrals, earthy tones, muted colors, creams, denim, warm browns, olive greens, rust, dusty blues, and soft blushes. These colors tend to blend beautifully with the natural landscapes we have here in Southern Oregon.

Coordinate — Don’t Match

Gone are the days of everyone wearing the exact same color shirt.

Instead of putting the entire family in white shirts and jeans, try choosing a color palette and letting everyone’s individual style come through.

For example:

• Cream + tan + denim + soft blue
• Olive + rust + cream + brown
• Beige + dusty rose + denim
• Navy + cream + gray + camel

The goal is for your outfits to feel connected without looking like uniforms.

And please don’t be afraid to mix textures! A knit sweater, linen dress, denim jacket, and soft cotton shirt can all work beautifully together.

What to Wear for Couples & Engagement Sessions

Couples sessions are a great opportunity to dress up a little.

If you’re deciding between casual and dressy, I usually recommend bringing both!

Start with something comfortable and casual, maybe your favorite jeans and a sweater or a simple dress. Then change into something a little more elevated.

A flowy dress or skirt photographs beautifully when you’re moving, walking, spinning, or running through a field. For guys, chinos or dress pants paired with a button-down, sweater, or jacket can add a polished look without feeling overly formal.

And don’t forget the little details.

Shoes, jewelry, a hat, a jacket, or a beautiful pair of boots can add personality and make an outfit feel finished.

Most importantly, wear something you feel good in. If you spend the entire session worrying about pulling down a dress or adjusting a shirt, you’re going to have a harder time relaxing in front of the camera.

What to Wear for Family Photos

Family photos don’t need to feel overly coordinated.

In fact, I love when everyone looks like themselves.

Choose a few complementary colors and mix them throughout the family. You might have one person in a patterned dress, another in a solid shirt, someone in denim, and another in a textured sweater.

A few family outfit tips:

Avoid everyone wearing the same color.
A little variety makes the photos feel more natural.

Be careful with very bold patterns.
One person in a pattern can be beautiful. Multiple competing patterns can become distracting.

Consider the environment.
If we’re photographing your family at Emigrant Lake, Lithia Park, or another outdoor Southern Oregon location, think about how your clothing will look against the surroundings.

Bring layers.
Jackets, cardigans, sweaters, and scarves give us more variety and can be especially helpful when the weather changes.

Let the kids be comfortable.
If your child hates stiff clothing, this is probably not the day to force them into it. Comfortable kids are much more likely to run, play, snuggle, and actually enjoy the session, which is exactly what we want.

What to Wear for Senior Pictures

Senior sessions are all about you, so I love variety.

I typically recommend bringing a few different outfits that show different sides of your personality.

Think:

One casual outfit
Jeans, a favorite top, sneakers, boots, etc.

One dressier outfit
A dress, skirt, jumpsuit, dress pants, or something that feels a little more elevated.

One outfit that feels completely YOU
Maybe that’s your sports uniform, a band tee, your favorite jacket, something related to a hobby, or an outfit that represents your personal style.

Senior portraits don’t have to look like everyone else’s senior portraits.

If you love motorcycles, bring the motorcycle. If you’re a dancer, athlete, musician, artist, or outdoorsy person, let’s incorporate the things that make you you.

Those are often my favorite images.

Don’t Forget About Shoes

Shoes can make or break an outfit, especially for outdoor sessions.

We’re probably going to walk around quite a bit, so bring shoes you can actually move in.

You can always bring a cute pair of shoes to change into once we get to the spot.

For Southern Oregon sessions, boots, sneakers, sandals, and simple neutral shoes are often great choices depending on the season and location.

And yes, sometimes barefoot is perfect.

What Should You Avoid?

There aren’t many hard rules when it comes to clothing, but a few things can make photos a little more difficult.

I’d generally avoid:

• Neon or extremely bright colors
• Wrinkly items
• Large logos or graphics
• Everyone wearing identical outfits
• Extremely stiff or uncomfortable clothing
• Too many competing patterns
• Clothing that you constantly need to adjust
• Brand-new shoes that haven’t been broken in
• Anything where undergarments attempt to sneak out

And don’t wear something just because you think a photographer expects you to.

Your photos should look like you.

Think About the Location

Your location can help guide your wardrobe.

A flowing dress and boots might be perfect for an open field or mountain session. A more polished outfit might fit beautifully with downtown Ashland. Casual layers can look amazing around Emigrant Lake.

That’s one reason earthy, neutral, and muted tones tend to photograph so beautifully here.

Movement Matters

One of my favorite things about photographing people outdoors is that we’re not just standing there smiling at the camera.

We’re walking.

We’re talking.

We’re dancing.

We’re snuggling.

We’re laughing.

We’re running.

We’re letting the wind move your dress.

So when you’re choosing an outfit, think about how it moves.

Flowy dresses, skirts, oversized sweaters, jackets, and layered pieces can create beautiful movement and give us more opportunities for natural, candid images.

Most Importantly: Wear Something That Feels Like You

At the end of the day, there is no perfect photography outfit.

The best outfit is one that makes you feel comfortable, confident, and like yourself.

You don’t need to completely change your personal style for your photos. You don’t need to buy an expensive new wardrobe. And you definitely don’t need everyone in the family to match.

Bring your personality. Bring your favorite pieces. Bring the things that make you feel good.

I’ll take care of the rest.

And if you’re still staring at your closet wondering what on earth you’re going to wear, send me a few options! I’m always happy to help you decide what will photograph best for your session and location.

Because the goal isn’t to create photos of people who look perfect.

It’s to create photos of you, exactly as you are, having a really good time together.

And if you’re itching for something new to wear, I recommend checking out some of our local Southern Oregon boutiques. Shopping locally can be a fun excuse for a little retail therapy and you may find that perfect dress or outfit you’ve been looking for.

Valamos Boutique – Central Point

Simply Sharpe Boutique – Ashland

I can’t wait to see what you come up with!