What to wear for family portraits | The Woodlands Family Photographer

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in family portraits and can help with what to wear for family portraits.  See more family photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your family portrait today!

What to wear for family portraits

Planning for the annual family portrait session can be stressful!  But it doesn’t have to be.  Here are some tips for coordinating what to wear for family portraits.

  1. Plan ahead.  Give yourself plenty of time to coordinate outfits – enough time to run to the store in case you are missing something.
  2. Start with the person with the fewest wardrobe options.  Or start with one piece that you absolutely love and coordinate everyone else.
  3. From the piece that you selected, build everyone else’s wardrobe.  Pick 2-3 coordinating colors and keep in mind that neutrals like khaki, white, black, and grey (and sometimes blue jeans) go with everything.  Use bold colors as accents.  Try not to put everyone in the same color (i.e. jeans and black shirts) but coordinate a couple of colors instead with the neutrals.
  4. Layers and texture are good.
  5. Lay everyone’s outfits out so that you can see what they look like together.  And don’t forget the socks and shoes…put those out too so everyone is completely ready.

These tips will help reduce the stress when it’s time for the actual session.  If everyone’s outfits are set aside and ready to go, there’s no stress about what to wear!  Win!

Here is a link to my Pinterest page for more ideas on WHAT TO WEAR FOR  FAMILY PORTRAITS.

Family Portraits for the Caldwells

The Caldwells had a beautiful family portrait session at their home in The Woodlands.  Their outfits are coordinated with the dark blue and a splash of red for color.  We started at the front steps which gave us a perfect spot to arrange the family, including grandma!  I love that she was included in the family portraits.  I love even more that we got some pictures of the kids with grandma.  Then we moved out to the beautiful green yard.  Again, it was a perfect backdrop for their family portraits.  Finally, we ended the session at the street in front of the garden.  The sun was shining through the trees and provided a gorgeous backlight to the images.  I’m so glad we captured these special family portraits!  All my best Caldwell family.

What to wear for family portraitsWhat to wear for family portraitsWhat to wear for family portraitsWhat to wear for family portraitsWhat to wear for family portraits

Tara Flannery is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) based in The Woodlands and Conroe, TX.  Tara Flannery Photography specializes in family portraits.  See more family photos in the gallery.  Contact me to book your family portrait today!

- INSTAGRAM -

@taraflanneryphotography

Photographers: the secret to family sessions with little kids? Stop expecting them to follow the plan. 😂📸

Young kids are going to move. They’re going to get distracted. They may decide halfway through that they’re completely DONE with your ideas—and that’s okay.

Instead of fighting it, work with it.

Keep them moving and engaged. Give them something to do instead of constantly asking them to smile. And don’t forget to coach Mom and Dad, too! Encourage them to interact with their kids, keep looking at you when you need the classic family shot, and trust you to get the moment.

Because some of the best images happen in between the poses—the laughs, cuddles, movement, and little expressions you couldn’t have planned if you tried.

You don’t need perfectly behaved kids to create beautiful family portraits. You need patience, flexibility, and a few tricks ready when your original plan goes out the window. 😉

📸 If you’re growing your photography business, I have free resources covering everything from gear and lighting to posing and more. Check them out through the link in my bio!
Standing out professionally matters more than ever—especially when you’re competing for someone’s attention before you ever get the chance to meet them.

Your LinkedIn profile, company bio, website, or online portfolio may be someone’s very first introduction to you. And while your experience and qualifications are what really matter, the way you present yourself can help shape that first impression.

That’s where a great professional headshot comes in. 📸

A current, polished photo helps you look confident, approachable, and intentional about how you show up professionally. And in a tough job market, those little details matter.

If your current headshot is several years old, doesn’t really look like you anymore, or is still a cropped photo from your camera roll…it might be time. 😉

Let’s create a headshot that actually represents the professional you are today.

📸 Book your headshot session through the link in my bio.
I think family photos mean something a little different to me now. 🤍

For years, I was the mom hanging new portraits on the walls while my kids were still living at home. Then came senior portraits, graduations, and eventually watching both of them head off to start their own next chapters.

Now that my youngest is off at college, the house is a whole lot quieter.

But everywhere I look, there they are.

On the walls. In frames. In albums. All of these different versions of our family and my kids at ages I can’t go back to.

And maybe that’s why I feel so strongly about family portraits.

When you’re in the middle of raising your kids, it’s easy to think there will always be another year. Another fall. Another chance to schedule the photos.

There probably will be.

But they’ll never be exactly this age again.

Take the photos. Print them. Put them on your walls. Let your home fill up with the people you love.

Someday, you’ll be really glad you did. 🤍

📸 I still have a few weekend dates available for fall family portraits. If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll get around to updating yours, maybe this is your sign.

Head to the link in my bio to reserve your session.
Capture One, if you’re looking for someone to sponsor… I’m your girl. 😉📸

But seriously—if you’re a headshot or portrait photographer and you haven’t tried shooting tethered yet, let me introduce you to one of my favorite workflow upgrades.

Tethering simply means connecting your camera to a computer so your images appear on a larger screen as you shoot. I use a wired connection straight into Capture One, which makes it easy to review images during the session, catch the little details I might miss on the back of my camera, and favorite the strongest shots as I go.

And when I’m finished? My selects are already organized, so I can transfer everything to my main computer at home and jump into editing without sorting through the entire session all over again.

I used to tether wirelessly, but switching to a wired setup has made the process much more reliable and seamless for me.

It’s one of those small workflow changes that makes a BIG difference—especially when you photograph a lot of headshots.

And if you’re just getting started in photography—or looking for ways to improve your setup, lighting, posing, and workflow—I have a whole collection of free resources for photographers waiting for you at the link in my bio. 📸

Photographers, are you shooting tethered yet? 👇🏻

- STAY IN TOUCH -

Serving the Greater Houston, Texas Area

tara@taraflannery.com

713-412-5437

Facebook logo
Instagram logo
Pinterest logo
Linked In logo

FloDesk FREE STYLE GUIDE

Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers of America PPA.
Tara is a Certified Professional Photographer.
Tara is a member of TPPA Texas Professional Photographer's Association.
Tara has earned her Master of Photography degree.
Tara has earned her Photographic Craftsman certification.
Tara is a member of the Professional Photographers Guild of Houston PPGH.