Of all the questions I get asked before a family session, this one comes up every single time:  "What should we wear?"  It's a fair question.  Coordinating outfits for an entire family - including a teenager who has opinions and a toddler who will spill something - is genuinely challenging.  Here's what I tell every family I work with:

Start with a color palette, not matching outfits and then coordinate colors for variety. Refer to the color wheel for complementary colors that work well together. Complementary colors are opposites on the wheel (see dotted line).  

The goal isn't for everyone to wear the same color, it's for everyone to look like they belong in the same photograph.  Choose a palette of three or four complementary tones, then let each person choose something within that palette.  The result looks intentional and coordinated without looking like you all got dressed in the same closet. 

A practical tip: start with the most patterned or colorful piece in your group (a floral blouse, a plaid shirt, a child's patterned dress) and pull your other colors directly from that piece.  It's the easiest way to build a palette that works. 

A few things that consistently cause problems in portraits - and are easy to avoid once you know to look for them. 

• Bright white or solid black as the dominant color - both are difficult to expose evenly across a group.  Cream and charcoal are better alternatives. 
• Logos, graphics or bold patterns - they compete for attention and date your portraits quickly. 
• Clothes that don't fit well - portrait lenses are unforgiving about fit.  Wear something you feel comfortable and confident in. 
• Brand-new clothes you've never worn before - discomfort reads on camera.  If it's new, wear it around the house for a few hours first. 
• Shoes as an afterthought - feet show up more than people expect, especially in full-length portraits.  Think about footwear as part of the look. 
• Trends that will date your portrait - large rips in jeans, heavy logos, and very fashion-forward silhouettes all place your portrait firmly in a specific year.  Think timeless over trendy. 

If you have a teenager in your family, you may already be dreading this conversation.  Here's  what I've found works:  give them some ownership within the palette.  Let them choose their own piece - something they actually feel like themselves in - as long as it fits the color family.  When teenagers feel comfortable in what they're wearing, it shows in their faces.  And that makes all the difference. 

• Steam or iron everything the night before - wrinkles are surprisingly visible in portraits and take time to retouch. 
• Ladies:  wear your normal makeup - camera-ready means finished and polished, not heavier than usual.  If you wear makeup daily, wear it for your session. A curated list of hair and makeup artists is available upon request.
• Confirm everyone's shoes the morning of - not the night before.  Morning decisions are different from the night before. 
• Avoid a sunburn the week before - sunburned skin is both uncomfortable to pose and difficult to retouch evenly. 
• Bring a backup top for young children - spills between the car and the session happen more often than you'd think. 
• Accessories - put all the accessory items (scarfs, additional jewelry, hats, etc.) in a bag by the door the night before or in the car so it isn't overlooked. 
• Location Address - add the address where your session is being held in your mobile phone the day prior and check the driving time so you can plan for ample time to arrive a few minutes early.