Did you know that fall is usually a photographer’s busiest season?

I mean I get it, the seasons are changing, the air is a little crisper, it’s the perfect time to update family photo or snap some engagement photos for your upcoming wedding. But really, fall is busy becuase everyone wants photos for the holidays!

So, here five tips on how to prepare for your holiday photos!

Fall Photo Fashion: Dressing Up for the Perfect Holiday Snap

Tip 1 – Color Palettes:

Choose a main color (if it’s just a few of you) or two (for larger groups) and mix them with neutrals. Your main color(s) can be a bit bold and bright, while the rest should stick to tans, creams, olives (yes, thats a neutral) and browns. Let your outfits revolve around these colors.

Here are a few combos that work great:

• Mustard, tan, brown
• Maroon, Grey, Navy
• Dark Greens, Tans, creams

Since fall backgrounds typically feature greens, reds, oranges, and yellows from the foliage, your outfits should complement these colors. Also, I know that the holidays scream reds, but make sure you try maroons and merlot reds, bright reds will reflect off your skin making you super pink.

Mastering Your Holiday Photoshoot Wardrobe

Tip 2 – Coordinate, don’t match Skip the matchy-matchy with your outfits.

It’s not necessary for everyone to wear the same exact thing. If you all are wearing one color and one style of outfit, it will feel like just a bunch of floating heads in all white outfits. Variety is key!

Also, consider how your outfit colors will look against the colors in your home if you plan to hang your photos on your walls. Think about what will complement your shelves and accent walls. If you find that your home is a bunch of neutral tones, then you might want to skip bold colors that won’t fit.

Tip 3 – Start with the most difficult outfit

The best ways to pick outfits is start with the most difficult person to dress. Not to call that person out, but once we’ve figured out what they are going to wear, then we can build the other outfits around that. For example, if you are a family with a newborn, start with the babies outfit first. Since you’ll hold baby so much, you’ll want to make sure your outfits enable baby to pop from you.

For families with 4-5 people, start with moms outfit then build around that.

From Color Palettes to Patterns

Tip 4 – I love patterns, but we’ve got a few rules I love a pattern.

I know a lot of photographers will tell you to avoid patterns, but I feel like patterns can really add personality to outfits. As long as we follow some pattern rules, then we should be golden. Here are the rules:

• Keep patterns to just one or two people in the group, and just one piece of clothing. Like a shirt or a dress
• Skip super big patterns like giant florals, they will definitely draw the eye away from you and to the garment.
• Keep patterns in your color palette! For a cohesive look, make sure they fit the colors that everyone else is wearing.
• Skip logos and outfits with cartoon or movie characters

Making Every Picture Pop This Fall

Tip 5 – Accessorize & Layer Up

Fall is the perfect season for scarves, hats, vests, and other accessories. Try a bold lipstick or cute bootie socks. Layer a sweater over a collared shirt, or add a vest over a sweater. The options are endless!

Have you booked your fall or holiday photos for the year yet? Reach out now!