Notes & guides · August 8, 2026
What to wear for family photos: a Toronto photographer's guide
By Laura Rossi · Toronto family photographer
Wear soft, simple colours that go together without matching, skip neon and big logos, and dress for the location. That's the whole rule. Everything below is detail.
I photograph families outdoors across Toronto's west end, and outfit questions are the most common ones I get before a session. Here's what actually shows up in the photos.
Coordinate, don't match
Pick two or three soft colours that live in the same family, like cream, sage and denim, and let everyone wear their own version of them. Identical white shirts read as a uniform; coordinated tones read as a family. If one outfit is patterned, keep the others plain.
What to avoid
Neon colours reflect onto skin, big logos and slogan tees date the photo, and tiny tight patterns like fine stripes can shimmer on camera. Brand-new white sneakers glow brighter than faces. None of these ruin a session, but every one of them pulls attention from the people.
Dress for the location, not the living room
Park sessions mean grass, gravel paths and sometimes a muddy shortcut, so comfortable shoes beat pretty ones, and long dresses that move in the wind photograph beautifully outdoors. If we're walking your neighbourhood, wear what you'd wear for a nice brunch.
Kids: comfort wins every time
A comfortable kid is a photographable kid. Avoid brand-new outfits they've never worn, anything scratchy, and shoes that hurt. Bring a backup layer, and let little ones keep one comfort item nearby; we can set it down for the frames that matter.
Summer vs fall in Toronto
Summer sessions want light fabrics and lighter tones, since greens dominate the background. Fall flips it: the oranges and reds behind you pair best with cream, rust, mustard and deep green, and layers add texture without bulk. Winter light is beautiful too, but that's another guide.
Quick answers
- Are jeans okay for family photos?
- Yes. Well-fitting jeans in a mid or dark wash are one of the best choices for outdoor family photos: they photograph cleanly, nobody feels costumed, and they pair with almost any soft colour palette. Avoid heavy distressing, which reads as texture noise on camera.
- Should we all wear white shirts?
- No. Matching white tops with jeans was the default for beach photos a generation ago, and it reads dated now. Coordinated soft colours where everyone wears their own outfit photographs more naturally and feels more like your actual family.
- Can we change outfits during a mini session?
- Not during a 20-minute mini, since a change would eat a third of your session. For full sessions, one outfit change works well if there's somewhere to change nearby. Pick your favourite outfit for minis and spend the time on photos.
- What should we wear for fall photos specifically?
- Cream, rust, mustard, deep green and brown pair best with Toronto's fall colour, with denim as a neutral. Skip bright red, which fights the leaves, and bring layers: fall park sessions start warm and end cool.
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