The boot discrepancy is interesting, I wonder if that has to do with fit, mission assignments, rank, role, or personal preference.

These are just regular construction work boots spray painted silver

Yeah but the people on their left and right are wearing different boots, that is what I was referring to.

None of those look fit for space

I don’t think they were doing EVAs or anything, so I don’t really know how impressive the boots need to be, although I am thinking the construction boots / loggers on the middle two are not the regulation ones.

I am picturing them realizing they didn’t bring their boots or they were still being made on picture day, so NASA engineers running around trying to find people who had a pair of boots they were willing to let them spray paint LOL.

That’s fairly close actually! Their suits were still be manufactured and the all the boots weren’t finished for the photo shoot. These space suits were custom made to fit each astronaut after all. So someone ran to the hardware store the day of and picked up some boots and silver spray paint to make it work. I feel like they should’ve had them stand in the back to help hide how different they were.