You've booked your family photoshoot session and are now deciding what to wear. Coordinating clothing styles and colour palettes across the crew will turn good into great, visually reinforcing the deep connections that bring you together as a family. You will display your photos prominently; they will be talking points for years, so you want them to look fantastic! Here are some tips.

1. Coordinate. If the group includes more than your immediate family, chat with a few people to agree on the need to coordinate for a satisfying look. Discuss the key points—season, location, style, and colour. Keep it simple so that no one feels like getting organised for the session is a burden.

If you're wondering where to start, let the person who finds it most challenging to pick an outfit be the base—perhaps mum chooses a dress, and then dad and the kids can join in.

A great idea is to lay everything on your bed and see how it all goes together. If it's an extended family shoot, get each family to do the same, then send a photo to your WhatsApp group. Work with your family dynamic.

2. Season. Your photos will make sense if the crew rugs up in winter with denim, corduroy, and knits or wears light clothes in summer, such as linen pants, breezy dresses, and casual shirts. Consider boots if it is a winter photoshoot, so your toes don't get too cold if we walk through tall grass!

3. Location. Choose styles and colours that complement the environment and your vibe. For example, a forest will be darker, so consider choosing lighter and brighter colours. At the beach, accept that you and the kids could get wet. Can the kids have fun in the sand and water with the clothes you want them to wear?

3. Third, pick a style and be consistent. Aim for simplicity and keep it classic to create photos you will love for years. That being said, you can lean towards casual, formal, boho, vintage, or beachy—whatever suits your family and the environment in which the photos are taken.

4. Now, what about colour? Everybody has different preferences, but a consistent colour palette across the group looks fantastic. There are a few things to watch for:

• As a general rule, simple colour schemes work well. Avoid bold stripes or patterns. Too many patterns within one family are likely to clash. Instead, a couple of light patterns look great.
• Choosing neutrals will work if you want your photos to be timeless, as the editing is. Neutral or soft colours always look beautiful and brighten people's faces!
• Aim for balance, particularly with a larger group. Ideally, you don't want one person wearing a bright top while everyone else is in dark tops. That person with the light top will stand out like a beacon. Balancing light and dark across the group will look more satisfying. Avoid matching too much - blend rather than match.
• Choose two or three complementary colours. Maybe neutrals would suit the family. You could also use neutrals as a base with a coordinated pop of colour. For example, you could choose denim and white with a dash of soft pink, coral or citrus. Neutrals with burnt orange or mustard look great in autumn.

5. Accessorise. You don't have to do a lot to look great. Accessorise with a hat, necklace, scarf, or jacket to add a touch. Decide whether you want to wear your watch and leave it at home if you don't like it in the photos. Also, don't have phones, wallets, or keys in your pockets and hair ties around your wrist.

6. Pets. If you include the family dog(s) and the dog needs a collar to lead, it is preferred that the collar blends with your outfit.

Bonus tip: If you need ideas, search 'family photoshoot colour palettes' online (try Pinterest). You should find many results.

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