Styling a Family for the Scottsdale Desert

When it comes to planning family photos, one of the most important elements is styling.

I always start by creating a mood board that showcases the colors and vibe of the session, and I work closely with moms to bring their vision to life.

A mood board is such a helpful tool because it allows us to get on the same page right from the start.

For this desert family session, I had a vision in mind, and with a little collaboration, we pulled together the perfect look.

Creating the Mood Board to Begin Styling

For this family, I knew the colors had to complement the desert landscape. I chose earthy tones like browns, mauves, creams, purples, and pinks, which would contrast beautifully with the desert’s natural colors.

Since this was a large family with nine kids, I needed to avoid anything too dark or too light, as it could either look too overwhelming or washed out in the photos.

By sticking to these earthy tones, I was able to create a look that felt cohesive but still had plenty of depth and variety.

Starting with Mom

I always begin the styling process with mom.

After all, she’s the one holding the family together, and it’s important that she feels confident and beautiful.

I ask her what she feels most comfortable in—whether it’s a dress, skirt, pants, or jeans—and we build the outfit together from there. It’s also essential to know the vibe of the session.

For this desert shoot, I wanted a soft, neutral, dreamy feel, so flowy dresses were a must.

Mom expressed some areas she was self-conscious about, so we made sure to choose a dress that highlighted her style and made her feel comfortable. Once mom’s outfit was set, we moved on to the kids’ outfits, and that’s where things really started to get fun 😉

Styling and Outfitting the Kids

Shopping for outfits for nine kids might sound like a nightmare, but with a little help from Amazon, we pulled it off.

I knew that with a family this size, we’d need to mix things up—no one wants to see nine kids all wearing identical outfits!

Since there were more girls than boys, I made sure to balance the textures and colors.

I didn’t want all the girls in dresses—it would look too uniform.

Instead, we added variety by choosing a mix of dresses, pants, skirts, and jumpsuits. Some of the girls were more sporty, so we opted for pants or jumpsuits for them. Others wanted the softness and flow of a dress, which was perfect for the vibe we were going for.

We made sure the colors were cohesive with mom’s outfit but still unique to each child, creating an overall flow without being too matchy.

For the boys, I focused on adding layers to give the outfits depth.

Layered shirts with long sleeves, light jackets, or even open shirts on top of other shirts worked really well.

For their bottoms, I made sure we mixed up jeans with slack-style pants in different colors so that no one looked too uniform.

The goal was to keep things interesting without looking like a 90’s catalog!

Textures and Details is Key to Styling

Textures play a huge role in creating depth and interest in photos, so we made sure to include some textures in both the girls’ and boys’ outfits.

A variety of fabrics for dresses and subtle patterns helped bring that extra layer of dimension to the images.

For the boys, we included corduroy and textured fabrics in their shirts to create a more dynamic look.

Mixing in patterns and different textures ensured that the family didn’t appear flat or washed out in the photos.

Footwear and Final Touches

When it came to shoes, I told mom to pick whatever was most comfortable for the kids—comfort is key when it comes to a family session.

However, I made it clear that we needed to avoid running shoes with lights on them! A pair of boots, sandals, or casual shoes would work much better to match the aesthetic we were going for.

Throughout this process, mom and I communicated often via text, sending pictures of outfits back and forth.

She even went the extra mile by cropping and organizing the outfits into a cohesive look, which was so helpful for me in making sure there wasn’t anything too matchy or missing in terms of variety.

The Planning Process to Styling

While we didn’t have time for the usual fashion consultation I typically offer, we still made it work! If I had the opportunity to do a full consultation, I would have either FaceTimed or gone to their home to help put everything together and talk through the session details.

My goal is to be there for moms during the planning process and make sure they don’t feel overwhelmed or alone. Sometimes all it takes is having someone else involved to make the process feel a little less daunting.

I want to be that extra support, so whether it’s texting ideas, sending mood boards, or providing a sounding board for decisions, I’m here to help.

That’s what my fashion consultation service is all about—helping moms feel confident and excited about their family’s session.

Book Your Desert Family Session

I’d love to help you style your family for a desert session, too! Whether you’re envisioning a soft and dreamy vibe or something more vibrant and playful, I’m here to guide you every step of the way.

Don’t let the styling process overwhelm you—let me help you create a beautiful, cohesive look that will make your photos truly shine.

Ready to book your session in the desert? Click here to schedule your family session today!