Your Vancouver Island Family Photo Style Guide
Your Ultimate Guide to Fun, Stress-Free Family Photos on Vancouver Island—All Year Round!
Whether you're a Vancouver Island local or visiting for a family getaway, you're probably here because you want beautiful, natural family photos that actually feel like you. You know, the kind where your kids are laughing, your hair is blowing just the right way in the ocean breeze, and you're all caught in a moment that feels like you.
That’s where I come in!
I'm Alanna, and I specialize in relaxed, fun filled family photography here on Vancouver Island—from the beach days from May to September, to cozy forest walks and waterfalls in the fall, to chasing the rare snowfalls in winter and jacket-clad Christmas photos, and my favourite, the bloom-filled months in spring.
I welcome all families and all love for my family sessions. You and your partners and children are free to be you for our session and I encourage you to embrace your favourite style and your kids choices in outfits too if you think they would value the photos more as it represents them. Your clothing should absolutely reflect your personalities, while still being a little stylized since you’ll hopefully be putting these photos on your wall.
Here’s everything you need to know to prepare your outfits for your session in any season.
Outfits For All Seasons
Once we have our location picked out, everyone always looks for styling tips. I have a more casual approach to this. I don’t overly stylize my clients to fit a “look”. I don’t want you to feel stressed about finding outfits in short notice or buying something that totally isn’t your family’s style and would only be used for our photos.
That being said, having new outfits really helps elevate the photos as the clothing feels fresh, doesn’t have time to show wear or pilling or too much lint, and generally is a little more comfy if it’s only been washed and worn a couple of time.
Be sure to wash those out of the box seams out of Dad’s new button-down shirt.
Key Tips:
Choose layers and outfits that are complimentary in color tones (ie neutrals, jewel tones, blue and white, beachy, brighter for the holidays)
Move well and are comfortable in both sitting and standing positions.
Try on your outfit and make sure you can hug, sit without bunching or rolling material and can move freely without worrying about adjusting your outfit many times.
Not too tight (unless its baby bump). Make sure shirts have a little bit of breathing room so they don’t look tight over midsections or create extra wrinkles to emphasize the stretch
Avoid bright red or purple for outdoor spring/summer sessions if you are holding little kids
Avoid big logos, graphic tees and bold patterns unless this is your usual family dynamic and you don’t mind keeping the look. It does change the overall vibe of the photos as it’s less cohesive but I still want you to be you if this is the best option.
Partners should have different color tops so there is contrast when connecting together
Flowy dresses and material that moves with the breeze is always great for beach sessions, especially for moms
Try to get fresh haircuts within a couple weeks before your session
Fingernails are important, especially for maternity pics. I will often do close ups of hands playing with seashells or touching faces and arms so be sure to have clean hands and fresh manicured nails if that’s your style
Important Extra Notes
Talk up the session! Tell your kids we’re going to play, explore, and make memories. (Not pose awkwardly for photos!)
Try on your outfits beforehand. This helps you feel confident and ensures the kids are comfy too.
Snacks, naps, and full bellies = a good time. Honestly, that’s the secret sauce.
Let go of perfection. The best photos are the ones where you're in the moment, not worrying about every hair or sock. Embrace the chaos!
Bring wipes and tissues in your bag. Windy and bright sunny days can make eyes and noses water. And toddlers are just toddlers, they are always dirty.
Shoes matter. Make sure they fit the vibe of your outfit. Neutral or earth-toned shoes work best. Avoid bright logos or neon runners. If we’re going barefoot, check those toes in advance! Sandals or water shoes like natives are a good idea for most spring and summer sessions.
Wear your glasses? Switch out those transition lenses so they don’t turn dark for all our outside pics
Lint roller. If you are bringing pets or wearing dark colors this is especially important to have one handy right before we start our session, and in case we get a real fluffy connection to your pants through the session.
Spring: Sprinkling and Blooming
Spring on the Island can give us absolutely everything. March is the start of the cherry blossoms and tulips, but also brings clouds and rain. We often go ahead with our session rain or shine if it’s only slightly rainy, unless it’s really cold or ugly out, my camera doesnt like rain either.
If you have cute jackets and boots for your kids it can be fun splash in early season puddles and play with the clear umbrells that I use for portraits.
Plan to dress in soft layers and outfits that move (think cozy knits with flowy skirts, jeans and khaki pants) and keep little toes ready for some barefoot garden or beach time sitting on a blanket if we get the warmer sunshine days. Spring is perfect for relaxed sessions at your home as a plan B for rain, or park that highlight the fresh, hopeful feeling of the season.
Ideal Spring Colors
Spring backyard family portrait
Light colors and soft patterns that go well with garden scenes. Think yellows, earth tones, light blues and greys or dark greens for contrast.
Avoid: black shirts or too many dark colors for everyone
Spring is intended to be colorful and airy so we aim for brighter locations and black ends up being too contrasty or can look washed out in the edits in my style.
Don’t be afraid to have some fun floral or bold prints, as long as you can match up some more neutral colors to match with your family outfits.
The inspo pic for a fun spring dress on amazon
I have this similar dress available in my CLIENT CLOSET along with a few other options for mamas and maternity sessions, and spring and summer style for toddlers and babies
The inspo from a few spring family sessions.
Think Old Navy, Zara and local small boutiques for some unique choices. I often find great neutrals for my kids at walmart and superstore or the consignment store.
I always encourage you to shop consignment and shop small local businesses (such as Bumblebaby Boutique in Parksville) so that you can try things on and know they are a great fit and that the materials and colors are exactly what you hoped for.
Summer: Golden Light and Beach Days
summer outfit inspiration, warm and beachy
Summer is full-on barefoot adventure season. The Parksville beaches are especially warm, the fields are turning golden, and the sunset golden hour evenings are the most popular sessions for me all summer long.
I love scheduling sessions around golden hour to catch that dreamy sunset glow but I also enjoy morning playful beach sessions just as much.
Prioritize naps and full bellies for little ones—happy kids mean magic photos! Choose light, breathable outfits and bring a change of clothes if we’re hitting the ocean.
Bonus tip: tell your kiddos that we’re going to play games and go on an adventure and talk up that its just part of having fun at the beach after we catch a few clean-outfit family photos first
My Top Amazon Summer Inspo Picks for Parents
Summer Floral Boho Dress – A flowy, full length top rated pick with cheerful floral colors for spring and summer, perfect for dinner date night
V‑Neck Ruffle‑Sleeve Beach Dress Easy-to-wear boho style available in soft colors. Features flutter sleeves and a pullover design; also doubles as a chic beach cover-up ($22+ )
Crewneck Flowy Neutral Blouse – Relaxed fit for most styles, feels a little beachy but pairs with shorts or jeans too
Tie Front Easy Fit Loose Blouse - This is a flattering style for most body types, be sure to try it on in case it falls short of the bottoms that you want to wear
Polo Shirts All The Way - plain tshirts and polos can work for everyone in your family, just choose some complimentary colors that are not totally matching so the photos look a little more natural than staged. Be sure that they are slightly loose and not accentuating anything that you might not like
Family Matching Native Shoes - these are my all time favourite shoes, I have several pairs. You can get everyone a different design and they are easy to wear straight into the water for beachy sessions (which is what I will be wearing FOR our session so i can go in the water), these are also my go-to gardening shoes all year round
My Top Amazon Ideas for Kids
Baby Romper in linen style material, various colours. Rompers are a great choice for any photo session spring through fall from flower fields to beaches. Just add a little tshirt underneath and you are all set
Beachy Cotton Style Sundress for photos and beach fun - the tiered colors are a great contrast if other family members are wearing neutrals
Button Down Collared Shirt- collared short sleeve shirts are a great choice for kids of all ages. Old navy often has matching summer theme sets for parents too.
Sports Jerseys! Yes I said it, if you have a beloved team, I always welcome a matching jersey or team photo, for PART of the session. I do encourage you to have an alternative outfit for most of the pictures too
Fall: Forest Walks and Cozy Layers
Fall on the island is a vibrant color mix of green and orange and yellow, which can be hard to style around for sessions in the fall colors.
Your ideal outfits should be rich earth and jewel tones, forest hues or soft neutrals like beige and yellow.
Fall can be the hardest to plan for as it can be cool or hot and you’ll need to plan for layers right through to boots and jackets, or summer outfits that still look like fall, especially for September sessions.
It’s the perfect time for cozy sweaters, boots, and skipping down the forest trails to the waterfall views (aka Bowen Park in Nanaimo). For beach sessions, the colors are warm and coastal but the days are typically more windy so do plan for this with your hair and outfits.
I always recommend bringing extra layers and kleenex—fall light is gorgeous but fleeting, and we want everyone comfy and happy and may need to wipe some cold noses.
Fall colours at Jingle Pot Park in Nanaimo
A golden hour family photo at Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo
Darker colours and textured layers work great for fall outfits
Don’t be afraid of jewel tones and brighter colours for fall. This is a family session from Bowen Park, my number one spot for fall photos and great leaf colours.
Winter - Moody Forests and Warm Jackets, and Indoor Snuggles
Yes, winter sessions can be magical here on the Island! Think dramatic skies, wet vibrant green pine forests and even indoor sessions with hot chocolate and fuzzy socks. I promise—it’s beautiful and cozy.
Christmas sessions are my specialty at this time of year and I offer one of a kind in-home family sessions where you just get to share in christmas celebration with your whole family. Plan to bake some cookies or wrap presents or finish a puzzle while celebrating together. For indoors, layers are still recommened but don’t forget to plan for nice socks! Or at least fun socks.
I also usually plan for 2 or 3 really over the top Christmas themed mini session weekends so please reach out to jump on this list if you want christmas card photos.
For outdoor sessions, it will be damp and cold. Pretty much anytime from November to March.
Plan for kleenex in your jacket pocket
You may want matching toques to hold down the dampness for your hairstyles
Make sure everyone has a new-ish jacket that isn’t TOO puffy so there’s still room for hugs and connecting while we play in the snow or snuggle for warm photos in the cool views.
Stick to cooler outfit tones, darker colours and earth tones for a cohesive look that blends with the natural views, or go for some color pops against the backdrops with red, yellow and warmer tones.
I typically recommend forest locations over beach spots for winter months just for the extra protection from the bitter winds that kids don’t really like. But do plan ahead for warm boots and gloves.
Snow day? YES PLEASE. I will absolutely be up for any last minute snow day photo requests and you can do anything from family sledding pics, to dressing up in your fanciest outfits for a whimsical winter magic session. Winter allows us to be pretty creative even if we aren’t always warm.
Let’s get cozy around the kitchen or fireplace for indoor family photos in winter
Looking cold but still looking good at this Sproat Lake family session with great mix of denim, neutral sweaters and fun scarves and toques for color
Bowen Park on a perfect snow day for family photos
Family Photos at the Christmas Tree Farm are an option through November and December
Check out my SPRING session that we did in the middle of our biggest snow day last year. Despite the floral photos, this un-heated dome was well below zero. But look how it worked out!
Here are a few other designer boutique options online
For some great childrens outfits for year round photos. I don’t have affiliations with any sites other than Amazon, I just like what I have found in these shops.
Mini Olie - the silly and adorable unique baby and toddler outfits and accessories
BumbleBaby Boutique - located in Parksville for local shopping, their online shop is also great
Citrus Kids Nanaimo - located next to Party City, this is a high end boutique with some really cute items mainly in sizes 2t-8 but a few smaller things. They also sell Jellycat if you want a unique gift for your littles to use in their photos, these are a great accessory for pics
Hatley Canada - Matching PJs for those christmas photos, but they also have great rain gear and other cute outfits with very canadian designs. Try to pick a more subtle pattern but these are whimsical and fun
Little & Livey - Bamboo clothing for all ages, Canadian Shop, great for matching neutrals for everyone
THANK YOU very much to all of my clients for booking with me, and for bookmarking my blog posts or saving them to pinterest, to inspire you to book later if you’re not ready to book right now.
Be sure to follow me on social media, especially facebook, for special sessions and announcements and the ocassional model calls too.
