Clermont does a lot of the work before anyone has fixed a collar. There is the white sand along Lake Louisa, the moss-draped oaks at Lake Hiawatha Preserve, the boardwalks and observation tower at Victory Pointe, and that late light coming off Lake Minneola. The landscape sets the mood. What is left is the part families worry about most: what everyone should actually wear. After more than a decade behind the camera, the questions are remarkably consistent, and the answers are calmer and far less complicated than a closet full of matching outfits.
Below is that guidance, broken into the three things that come up again and again: the colors that work in Clermont’s landscapes, the clothing that lets a family move, and the way to pull a whole group together without turning it into a costume.
Start With the Landscape, Not the Closet
The most useful starting point is the backdrop you will be standing in. Clermont’s session locations are not studio walls; they are working landscapes with their own color stories, and outfits read best when they harmonize instead of compete.
At Lake Louisa State Park, where the site describes rolling hills, pine forests, white-sand lakefronts, and golden grass, the palette that photographs best is built on soft neutrals and earth tones: cream, oatmeal, sand, sage, olive, muted rust, terracotta, and warm brown. Those shades sit comfortably against golden grass and pine, and they keep attention on faces rather than on a shirt. A bright neon or a large graphic print will win the fight for attention every time.
Lake Hiawatha Preserve, the 220-acre property with moss-draped oaks and open grassy fields, leans greener and shadier. The guidance stays the same, but the balance shifts. Creams, soft whites, warm tans, and dusty blues stand out beautifully against moss and bark, while a family dressed head to toe in olive and forest green can start to disappear into the trees.
At Clermont Waterfront Park and Victory Pointe, the boardwalks, observation tower, and lake views bring sky and water into almost every frame. Denim, chambray, soft blue, and warm tan feel natural here, especially in the evening. For an indoor session at Studio 27, which the Clermont page names as a studio option, there is no landscape to work around, which frees you to lean into richer, deeper colors and texture.
Two rules tie it all together. First, coordinate rather than match. Pick three or four colors for the family and let each person choose a shade within that range, which is exactly the approach the Clermont page describes. Second, limit pattern to one or two people and keep the rest in solids and subtle textures. A palette like cream, sage, denim, and tan works almost anywhere in Lake County, and it photographs as a family rather than a uniform.
Comfort Comes First: Clothes That Can Move
Florida decides part of this for you. Central Florida summers can climb into the high 90s with heavy humidity, and even a spring evening near the water can feel warmer than expected once everyone is chasing a toddler. The site’s guidance points toward lighter colors and breathable fabrics, with linen and cotton at the top of the list. A family in linen, cotton, and light knits will look and feel better than a family in heavy fabrics that crease and cling.
Movement matters as much as fabric. Sessions are built around simple prompts and natural movement rather than stiff poses, so families walk, twirl, lift children, sit on the grass, and wander boardwalks. Clothes should allow all of that. Flowy midi and maxi dresses photograph beautifully in motion, and the Clermont page specifically suggests flowy dresses for maternity sessions. For men, a well-fitted button-down or a simple knit polo in a palette color is usually plenty. Skip anything so formal that sitting on the ground becomes a negotiation.
Details are worth a second look before you leave the house. Avoid large logos, slogans, and busy graphics, which pull the eye away from faces. Skip brand-new shoes for anyone walking on sand or grass. At Lake Louisa’s beach, flat sandals or bare feet beat heels; on grassy fields, wedges and block heels stay put better than thin heels. Layers help on cooler sunrise mornings, and cardigans, overshirts, lace, denim, and chunky knits add the kind of texture that reads as depth in a photograph instead of flat color.
For children, comfort is the entire strategy. A child who is itchy, cold, or being told not to sit down will show it in every frame. Break in the shoes ahead of time, bring a backup outfit for the youngest ones, and let them wear something they already like. The photographer works regularly with camera-shy clients, families with young children, and people who have never modeled, and the sessions are designed so nobody has to perform. The easier everyone can move, the more the in-between moments show up.
Coordinating a Whole Family Without Matching Outfits
Group photos go sideways more often because of mismatched palettes than mismatched personalities. When a session includes grandparents, cousins, or several households, decide on the palette first and share it as a screenshot in the family group chat. Everyone can then shop their own closets or pick up a single piece in the assigned color.
One approach that photographs well: dress the grandparents in one solid, grounding shade, let the adults split between two or three coordinating colors, and give the children the same palette with a bit more freedom on pattern. The result looks intentional in a photograph and relaxed in person. Extended and multi-generational sessions also benefit from a quick conversation about who is in which photo and whether anyone needs a chair. The more people in the frame, the quieter the clothing should be, so the photograph reads as one family.
The good news is you do not have to solve the palette alone. Families who book a clermont family photographer typically receive a styling guide after booking, and that guide narrows the choices down to a few palettes that suit the chosen location and season. Ask about it when you reserve your session, and bring it with you when you shop.
Timing shapes the outfit too. Golden hour and sunset are popular for their warm light, while sunrise offers soft, even light, fewer crowds, and cooler temperatures, which can be a real advantage with young children. In summer, sunrise or evening sessions are the kinder choice; spring and fall are more forgiving, and those months book quickly. The Clermont page recommends booking at least four to eight weeks ahead for best availability, with weekends filling first. Weather is one less thing to plan around: for outdoor Clermont sessions, the page notes that a session will be rescheduled at no additional cost if rain or severe weather is expected.
On the morning of the session, pack the outfits the night before, keep a lint roller and a spare set for the smallest child in the car, and choose the shoes people can actually walk in — the ones already broken in and unlikely to end up in someone’s hand halfway down the trail.
Brooklyn-born astrophotographer currently broadcasting from a solar-powered cabin in Patagonia. Rye dissects everything from exoplanet discoveries and blockchain art markets to backcountry coffee science—delivering each piece with the cadence of a late-night FM host. Between deadlines he treks glacier fields with a homemade radio telescope strapped to his backpack, samples regional folk guitars for ambient soundscapes, and keeps a running spreadsheet that ranks meteor showers by emotional impact. His mantra: “The universe is open-source—so share your pull requests.”