There’s something about fall in Nova Scotia that makes it perfect for photos: colourful leaves, cooler evenings, and all those warm, earthy tones that only stick around for a few weeks. Whether you’re updating your family photos or planning a cozy session with your partner, fall gives us such a beautiful backdrop to work with.

If you have a fall session coming up, you might be wondering what everyone should wear. The good news? You don’t need perfectly matched outfits or an entirely new wardrobe. A few colours that work together, some cozy textures, and clothes you can comfortably move around in will do the trick.

And because it’s October in Nova Scotia, we’re also going to talk about layers. A lot of layers.

Start with colours that suit the season

Fall already gives us plenty of colour to work with. Depending on where we’re shooting, we might have deep greens, golden leaves, rusty oranges, browns, and even a little red in the background.

Rather than trying to match the leaves, I recommend choosing two or three colours for your group and adding a neutral or two to tie everything together.

Some combinations I love for fall photos are:

• Cream, olive, and rust for a warm, earthy fall look
• Navy, camel, and cream for something classic that works beautifully against colourful leaves
• Burgundy, oatmeal, and denim for rich colour without everyone wearing the same shade
• Dusty blue, tan, and soft white for a lighter, softer palette
• Forest green, cream, and brown for a cozy, natural look
• Denim, mustard, and cream for a little more colour while still feeling seasonal

You absolutely don’t have to stick to orange, red, and yellow just because it’s fall. Blues, greens, creams, browns, and other muted shades photograph beautifully this time of year.

Choose colours you actually like and would normally wear. Your photos should still feel like you.

Coordinate your outfits without matching

The easiest way to dress a family or couple is to start with one outfit you already love.

Maybe it’s a patterned dress, your favourite sweater, or, if you have kids, the outfit you know your child will actually agree to wear.

From there, pull a couple of colours from that outfit and use them throughout everyone else’s.

For example, if one person is wearing a plaid shirt with cream, olive, and navy, someone else could wear a cream sweater, another person could wear denim, and another could wear an olive cardigan.

Everyone coordinates without looking like you planned matching uniforms.

For families, I usually like a combination of solids, neutrals, and one or two subtle patterns. You can also repeat colours in smaller ways. A child’s sweater might pick up the same colour as Mom’s dress, or Dad’s shirt might complement the colour of someone else’s cardigan.

For couples, the same idea applies. If one of you is wearing more colour or pattern, the other can choose something a little simpler that complements it.

When you’re standing, walking, or cuddling together, everything will feel connected without being identical.

October in Nova Scotia means layers

This is probably my biggest piece of advice for fall sessions.

Dress for the temperature, not just for the photos.

October weather in Nova Scotia can change quickly. We can have a beautiful sunny afternoon that still feels chilly once you’re standing in the shade, and the temperature can drop pretty quickly as we get closer to sunset.

Instead of choosing an outfit that only works if it happens to be warm, think about how you can add layers.

If you want to wear a T-shirt, add a cardigan, overshirt, denim jacket, or sweater.

If you have a dress you love, you can add a knit cardigan, jacket, tights, or even layer a sweater over top.

For kids, think long sleeves, sweaters, cardigans, vests, and jackets that actually work with their outfits rather than coats we need to take off for every photo.

Layers also give us options! We can leave your sweater or jacket on for some photos and take it off for others, giving you a little more variety without having to bring an entirely different outfit.

Most importantly, you want everyone to be comfortable. It’s much easier to get those natural smiles and playful moments when nobody is freezing and waiting to get back into the warm car.

Add texture for that cozy fall feeling

Fall is one of the best seasons for adding texture to your outfits.

Think chunky knits, corduroy, denim, wool, flannel, cotton, or a soft jacket. Even if you’re wearing mostly neutral colours, mixing different fabrics keeps everything from looking flat.

A cream knit sweater beside a denim shirt and an olive corduroy jacket, for example, gives us lots of subtle variation while still looking cohesive.

Texture can also help make an outfit feel more like fall without relying on traditional fall colours. A chunky cream sweater and jeans can feel just as cozy and seasonal as a rust-coloured dress.

Mix patterns gently

Patterns are absolutely welcome.

Plaid, small florals, and subtle stripes can all photograph beautifully in the fall. I usually recommend choosing one main pattern for the group and building everyone else’s outfits around it.

If you do want to mix patterns, try choosing ones that don’t compete with each other. A small floral and a larger, subtle plaid can work together, especially if they share one or two colours.

Large logos, bold graphics, very busy patterns, and neon colours tend to pull attention away from the people in the photo. If you’re choosing between two options, I’d usually reach for the one that lets your faces and interactions be the focus.

Choose shoes for the location

Fall sessions usually involve a little exploring.

We might be walking through a park, wandering down a trail, standing in leaves, or sitting somewhere along the way. And because this is Nova Scotia in October, there’s always the possibility of damp grass, mud, or a puddle or two.

Boots, ankle boots, simple sneakers, and other comfortable closed-toe shoes are all great options.

For little ones especially, choose something they can actually move around in. If they want to run through the leaves, explore the trail, or climb onto a log, I want to be able to let them!

The same goes for your entire outfit. Before your session, try sitting, walking, bending down, and moving around in it. If you have to constantly adjust something, you may be happier choosing another option.

My sessions involve plenty of movement, and I want you to be able to enjoy it.

A few outfit ideas to get you started

For a family: Start with a patterned piece that includes a few fall colours, then build around it. One person could wear a cream knit, another olive or forest green, another denim, and someone else could bring in rust, camel, or burgundy.

For a couple: Try a chunky cream sweater with dark denim alongside an olive or burgundy top and jeans. Or dress things up a little with a flowy dress, boots, and a cardigan paired with a neutral sweater or button-up.

For young kids: Keep them warm and give them room to move. Overalls, knit sweaters, corduroy, dresses with tights, cardigans, and little boots can all be adorable while still being practical.

And don’t be afraid to let their personalities show. If your little one loves a dress that twirls, bring it. If they’d rather wear overalls and run through the leaves, that’s perfect too.

These are ideas, not rules. Your photos should look like your family or relationship.

Most importantly, wear something you feel good in

You don’t need to go shopping for an entirely new wardrobe just because you booked photos.

Start by looking through what you already own. Find one piece you love and feel comfortable in, and build everyone else’s outfits from there.

If your family normally lives in sweaters, jeans, and boots all fall, lean into that. If you love dressing up and want an excuse to wear a beautiful dress, do it.

I want you to be able to look back at these photos and recognize yourselves—not just the version of your family you thought you were supposed to dress like for photos.

And if you’re stuck between a couple of outfits before your session, send me a photo! I’m always happy to help you decide what will work best together.

Come ready to enjoy your fall session

You don’t have to show up knowing how to pose or worrying about whether the kids are going to cooperate perfectly.

We’ll get those classic photos of everyone looking at the camera, but we’ll also make plenty of room for everything else: walking together, playing in the leaves, cuddling up when it gets chilly, chasing the kids around, and laughing when things don’t quite go according to plan.

Those are usually some of my favourite photos anyway.

Fall in Nova Scotia doesn’t last nearly long enough, so come dressed for the weather, ready to move around, and we’ll make the most of it while it’s here.