Bay Area weather can be tricky…especially in San Francisco.

The sun is out, then all of a sudden…you see the fog rolling in.

It’s only a matter of time.

Soon your sundress will not even be close to enough to keep you warm.

That’s why I put together this guide to help you figure out what to wear to a photo shoot in San Francisco and the rest of The Bay Area. I’ll go over the clothing I suggest bringing and also a few other things to pack. 

First, layers.

If you spend time outside in San Francisco, you probably already know that layers are key. One minute its super foggy, next the sun comes out. It feels like night and day — or winter and summer. Layers are key in The Bay, but what layers are best for photo shoots?

Layers are great for the ever-changing weather, but they are also a fast way to change up your look without having to find a restroom to change in (or finding a more creative way to change in public).

The first and easiest layer is a jacket. I always recommend to parents that they bring jackets for the family that they wouldn’t mind be in a few photos. Sometimes it can just get too cold for your baby to be without a jacket. Jean jackets are great layers for keeping warm while being stylish in a photo shoot. Kids jackets can also be quite cute. Some even have hoods with little bear ears on them!

Sweaters are good too. If you are worried about messing up your hair, opt for a cardigan or a sweater that has a loose neck.

Dads also look great in sweaters.

Another layer that I love is scarves. They are a super fast way to change up your look, without a full outfit change. Grab a bright scarf to add a pop of color to your look.

Hats are not great layers. They can mess up your hair, and the brim of a hat can sometimes cause an awkward shadow across your face. If you have a hat that you love for some photos save it for the end.

Consider bringing a blanket

The Bay Area can be wet, which means you might not be able to sit on the ground without a little something underneath. I suggest bringing a blanket that you wouldn’t mind having in the photos. There isn’t a magic pose that will hide the fact that you are sitting on a blanket. So make sure that you like it.

You can’t go wrong with neutrals. Personally, I have a soft white blanket that I will keep in my car in case the family that I’m photographing doesn’t have a blanket.

What to wear on your feet.

Shoes are very important. As I stated before, it can be wet outside. Most of my sessions are at parks. And you know what parks have? Dirt. They have dirt. Wear shoes that you are okay wearing while walking on grass.  When thinking about what to wear on your feet consider if you are okay with those shoes getting a little wet from the dew on the grass or if they are even okay to wear while walking in a park. 

I do not recommend high heels for shoots at parks.

If your session is at a beach, definitely keep your footwear in mind. Maybe you are considering not wearing shoes at the beach, and getting your feet wet. Pack a pair of flip-flops that you can put on to get from the beach to the car. Remember – at the beach your feet and shoes will get sandy.

Kids tend to like to take their shoes off at the beach.  They aren’t big fans of handing sand in their shoes.  Be prepared that this is something they might do for the session.

Here a few extra things to pack:

• A water bottle in case your kid gets thirsty
• A hair tie (or two) if the wind starts getting crazy
• Lip balm in case your lips or lipstick starts to dry out

Now you might be thinking, “Kimberly, that’s a whole lot to pack.” Don’t worry. I sherpa it and help my clients carry their bags all the time. And you don’t have to bring all the layers. Pick a few that you would use and leave the rest in the car.

Now that you know what to wear and how to pack for an outdoor shoot in the Bay Area, do you know where you’ll take your photos at? If not check out this post. It talks about my favorite place to photograph in the Bay Area. It’s broken down into locations such as San Francisco and The East Bay.