Fall is one of my favourite times of year for family photography in Winnipeg and throughout Manitoba. Golden grasses, colourful leaves and softer evening light can create a beautiful backdrop for family portraits.
One of the questions I hear most often when families are preparing for a session is also one of the simplest:
What should we wear?
The goal isn’t to make everyone look identical. The best family outfits usually feel coordinated while still looking like the people wearing them.
If you’re planning fall family photos in Winnipeg, these are the things I recommend keeping in mind.
Start With Coordinated Colours, Not Matching Outfits
There was a time when family photographs often meant everyone wearing the same white shirt and jeans.
You definitely don’t need to do that.
Instead, choose a small colour palette and let each person wear something that works within it.
For fall photographs, colours that tend to work beautifully include:
- cream and warm neutrals
- beige, camel and brown
- rust, burnt orange and mustard
- burgundy and deeper reds
- olive, forest and muted greens
- navy and denim
- muted blue
You don’t need to use all of these at once. Two or three complementary colours plus a neutral are usually plenty.
For example, one person might wear a rust sweater, another navy, another cream and another denim. Everyone coordinates without looking as though they were dressed from the same rack.
What about black?
Black can absolutely work, especially when mixed with other colours.
I usually prefer it as part of an outfit rather than having the entire family dressed in solid black, particularly when we’re photographing among darker trees or late-season foliage.
The goal is to keep enough separation between your family and the background.
Let One Outfit Lead the Colour Palette
If choosing clothes for everyone feels overwhelming, start with one person’s outfit.
That might be a patterned dress, a favourite sweater or something someone already owns and feels comfortable wearing.
Pull two or three colours from that outfit and use those colours to guide everyone else’s clothing.
For example, if one outfit contains cream, rust and navy, the rest of the family could wear combinations of those colours rather than trying to find matching pieces.
It makes planning much easier.
Layers Work Especially Well for Winnipeg Fall Sessions
Anyone who has spent October in Manitoba knows that fall weather can change quickly.
A beautiful afternoon can turn noticeably cooler as the sun starts going down.
Layers solve two problems at once: they help everyone stay comfortable, and they can add visual interest to photographs.
Good options include:
- cardigans
- sweaters
- jackets
- vests
- scarves used sparingly
- textured overshirts
Layers can also be removed during the session, which gives us a little more variety without anyone needing a complete wardrobe change.
For children especially, I’d rather have an extra layer available and not need it than have them become cold halfway through the session.
Texture Photographs Beautifully
Fall already has a lot of texture in the landscape, and clothing can complement that nicely.
Knits, denim, corduroy, linen, wool and other subtle textures can add depth without becoming distracting.
A chunky knit sweater beside denim and a softer cotton shirt, for example, can look much more interesting than four completely flat, identical fabrics.
You don’t need every outfit to have texture. A little goes a long way.
Be Careful With Busy Patterns and Large Logos
Patterns aren’t automatically a problem.
A subtle plaid, floral pattern or textured print can work very well, particularly if the rest of the family’s clothing is simpler.
What I generally avoid is having several competing patterns at once.
If one person is wearing a stronger pattern, let that be the feature and keep most of the other outfits relatively simple.
I also recommend avoiding very large logos, graphics or text across the front of clothing when possible. They can draw attention away from faces and become one of the first things you notice in the finished photograph.
Think About the Location
The setting can help guide your clothing choices.
A family session at Assiniboine Forest, for example, may include deeper greens, brown tree trunks, golden grasses and autumn leaves. Earth tones, navy, cream, burgundy and muted greens can all work nicely there.
A session farther into Manitoba, such as Alf Hole Goose Sanctuary in Whiteshell Provincial Park, can include exposed rock, water, grasses and woodland. A slightly broader range of earthy colours works beautifully against that environment.
This is one reason I like discussing the location before the session. Your clothing doesn’t have to match the scenery, but it helps when the two work together.
Still deciding where to have your session? See my guide to the best locations for family photos in Winnipeg and around Manitoba.
Don’t Forget About Shoes
Shoes often get overlooked when families plan their outfits, but they can be visible in a surprising number of photographs.
For an outdoor fall session, practical footwear usually works best.
Boots, casual shoes and clean neutral sneakers can all work depending on your family’s style.
More importantly, choose something you’re comfortable walking in. Many of my outdoor family sessions involve moving between different areas rather than standing in one spot for the entire session.
A beautiful pair of shoes isn’t much help if you’re worried about every patch of grass or uneven ground.
Dress Children So They Can Move
Kids usually photograph best when they can actually be kids.
That may mean walking, sitting in the grass, holding hands, laughing with a parent or exploring part of the location.
Clothing that is extremely restrictive or uncomfortable can make that harder.
I recommend choosing outfits that still allow children to sit, walk and play comfortably.
And if your child has a favourite sweater, pair of shoes or other clothing they genuinely love wearing, don’t automatically dismiss it because it isn’t part of a perfectly curated Pinterest colour palette.
The photographs should still look like your family.
Avoid Trying to Make Everything Perfect
Coordinating clothing is useful.
Trying to make every detail absolutely perfect usually isn’t.
Your family doesn’t need to look like a catalogue advertisement for the photographs to work.
What matters much more is that everyone is comfortable, feels like themselves and can enjoy being together during the session.
Some of my favourite photographs from family sessions aren’t the perfectly posed ones anyway. They’re often the photographs made while families are walking together, laughing or interacting between the traditional portraits.
That is also why I deliver a complete edited gallery rather than expecting one single photograph to represent your entire session.
A Simple Fall Family Outfit Formula
If you want an easy starting point, try this:
Person 1: a warm feature colour such as rust, burgundy or mustard
Person 2: navy or denim
Person 3: cream or beige
Person 4: another neutral or muted colour that appears elsewhere in the group
Then add texture or layers where appropriate.
The result will usually feel coordinated without looking overly matched.
What Should You Bring?
You generally don’t need to bring much to a family session.
For cooler fall days, though, I recommend having:
- an extra sweater or jacket
- comfortable walking shoes
- tissues
- a small brush or comb
- water, particularly for children
You can leave most of it in the vehicle and grab it only if needed.
The less everyone has to carry around during the actual photographs, the easier it is to keep the session relaxed.
Still Not Sure What to Wear?
You don’t have to figure it out completely on your own.
When you book a family session with me, planning guidance is part of the process. If you’re deciding between outfits, colours or locations, I’m happy to help before the session.
The goal isn’t to turn everyone into someone they’re not. It’s simply to make choices that photograph well while still looking and feeling like your family.
Planning Family Photos in Winnipeg?
Whether you’re planning updated family portraits, celebrating a first birthday, or bringing multiple generations together, my family sessions are designed to feel relaxed and natural rather than overly posed.
Explore my Winnipeg family photography experience, session options and pricing, or get in touch to start planning a session of your own.
FAQ section
Q: What colours are best for fall family pictures?
A: Warm neutrals, cream, navy, denim, rust, burgundy, mustard and muted greens tend to work particularly well with Manitoba’s autumn landscape. Rather than matching exactly, choose a small colour palette that allows everyone’s clothing to coordinate.
Q: Should everyone wear the same colour for family photos?
A: Usually not. Coordinating colours generally photographs more naturally than identical outfits. Choose two or three complementary colours plus a neutral and distribute them across the family’s clothing.
Q: Can we wear patterns for family pictures?
A: Yes. Subtle patterns can add interest, but try not to combine several strong patterns in the same group. If one person is wearing a noticeable pattern, keep the other outfits relatively simple.
Q: What should children wear for outdoor family photos?
A: Choose clothing that is comfortable and allows children to move, sit and play naturally. Layers are especially helpful during Winnipeg’s fall season because temperatures can change quickly.
Q: What should we wear if it’s cold on the day of our session?
A: Build layers into the outfits rather than relying on coats you don’t want photographed. Sweaters, cardigans, vests and overshirts can keep everyone comfortable while still looking intentional.