Finding the perfect autumn outfits for your family’s photo session can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when trying to balance each family member’s unique style, personality, and comfort. The vibrant, earthy tones of autumn create a stunning natural backdrop, and choosing outfits that complement the season can make your photos even more special.

As a family photographer in southwest London, I’m always inspired by autumn’s rich palette – think earthy browns, rustic reds, burnt oranges, and soft beige and cream tones. These colours blend beautifully with the autumnal landscapes, as you’ll see in the accompanying photos from a recent autumn shoot in Richmond Park. 

The most common question I get from parents preparing for their family session is, “What should we wear?” While I’m happy to offer tips and ideas, the most important thing is that your family’s style feels authentic to who you are.

Your photos should reflect your true personalities, but if you’re looking for some inspiration for your autumn-themed shoot, here are four tips to keep in mind:

The location, and the natural colour palette surrounding you

Your autumn family photo shoot is an opportunity for the whole family to connect with the magic of this season. Your clothing choices should enhance the natural beauty of the setting. Are you going to be surrounded by large trees with their falling foliage, like this family photo shoot in Richmond Park, or will you be in an open field with long grasses and fading flower heads?

I love embracing soft creams, warm beige and subtle taupes to complement the rich autumnal colours. If you would like to bring in a bit more colour, shades of teal, rusts, claret and mustard work particularly well.

Something I always ask my clients is how their photographs will be displayed in their home. If you are looking to show your images off as wall art it’s best to go for shades and tones that also complement the decor and styling of your home.

Your comfort and personal style matters most

While your outfit choices can have an impact on your final gallery, it’s important to note that your family’s comfort is my number one priority during your family photo session. When everyone feels at ease with what they are wearing it truly shines through in your images.

I want your little ones to feel wild and free – to be able to climb up on fallen trees, twirl in a pile of leaves and splash around in muddy puddles (ok, maybe we will leave the muddy puddles until the end of the shoot!). 

My family sessions are child-led and and I want your little ones to enjoy playing in nature; see the shoot as a great adventure and for their little personalities to shine through.

I also want you and your partner to choose clothing that aligns with your personal style so that these images feel authentic and true to who you are.

Try layering your outfits for more depth and texture

Layering is a good place to start when searching for outfit ideas for your autumn photo shoot. 

Firstly, it’s very practical as the weather can often be unpredictable. Your little ones might get hot running around or it could get chilly. Having a cosy knitted woollen jumper or cardigan to keep you warm is a good idea.

Beautiful scarves, cosy cardigans and long jackets will add visual interest and movement as you interact with one another during your session.

And don’t forget about your shoes, beautiful leather boots will complement your outfit. You might want to bring some wellies for the little ones so that they can jump in muddy puddles and big crunchy piles of leaves.

Finally, your outfits don’t have to match. Instead, try to coordinate your outfits for a more cohesive look.

I suggest choosing 3 or 4 colours and shades that work well together but don’t all match. This will help create a cohesive look for your family photo session while giving the whole family an opportunity to express their unique style.

Below is a wonderful example of creating a complementary colour palette for the autumn season. 

This family session took place in one of my favourite locations, Richmond Park in south west London. The family wanted to have beautiful images of the children playing in the leaves; holding hands and jumping off logs – action shots were a must.

They also wanted a lot of black and white imagery to be displayed throughout their home, and kept this in mind when selecting outfits, opting for delicate floral patterns, checks and of course texture. I love the colour palette the family chose and how their outfits all work well together creating visual interest even in the black and white images.

For more details on my natural and playful family photo shoots click through to the main website. 

I’m Jess Morgan, a newborn and family photographer specialising in documenting new babies in a natural and organic way. I offer at-home newborn shoots across London including: Richmond-upon-Thames, Teddington, Barnes, Wimbledon, Chiswick, Putney, Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Battersea, Bayswater, Notting Hill, Queen’s Park, Stoke Newington, Hampstead, Hackney, Dalston, Bethnal Green and Islington. Surrey locations include: Weybridge, Esher, Walton-upon-Thames, Cobham and Kingston upon Thames.