Outfit Inspiration for Neutral Family Photos

Since Tim and I got married in 2014 we’ve been sending out yearly Christmas cards. I shoot all of our photos on my own, and I’m not a professional photographer, so this comes with some benefits, but also a lot of challenges. (Our biggest challenge this year was Wyatt’s hangry attitude, momtog pro-tip: bring lots of snacks, sandy Cheerios were our lifesaver!) I usually start brainstorming our location and outfits in October so we’re ready to shoot by mid-November. I like to get it done before Thanksgiving so I can order my cards here and get them out at the beginning of the holiday season…some years I have better luck with that than others.

The location is a super important part of the actual shoot. I love having an appealing background that offers a variety of different shots. I obviously look for outdoor venues and it helps (our sanity) if it’s not a highly populated area. This year we shot at the beautiful Crane Beach in Ipswich, MA. I just love the grassy sand dunes, and with the time change, our afternoon photo shoot went into golden hour, which added the perfect touch. We thought we’d be in the clear going to the beach in New England in November, but it was PACKED. We ended up with lots of onlookers, having to wait for people to walk out of our shots, people taking pictures of us taking pictures, and luckily lots of compliments on how great we looked 😉

This year we went for neutral outfits. I usually pair a maxi skirt and sweater for our holiday photos…I like the classic, feminine silhouette a skirt brings, and the sweater makes the look feel seasonal. I love a neutral palette for family photos because there is a lot of flexibility in what pieces you can choose, while still making the photo look cohesive. Another great thing about neutral outfits versus a shoot wearing holiday colors is that you can use the pictures for more than just Christmas cards. I created some outfit boards for women, men, and baby + toddler boys and girls, to help you plan a neutral family shoot, all of the pieces are linked below!