So, you've booked your family a photoshoot, or thinking about booking one, but not sure what you should wear?
This blogpost is my advice on choosing outfits for you and your family,
to get the BEST photos...
First off, YES!! Well done you for taking the time out of this busy life we live in, to invest a little time and your hard earned cash into something meaningful, it really is an investment that you will not only love on the day, but these are memories and photographs you will treasure your whole life... so you want them to be right don't you?
That's why I have put together this short guide to help you decide what to wear for your family photoshoot, I really hope it helps...
Should We Dress Up or Go Casual?
I always say to my clients... 'wear something you feel great in' Some people feel great in jeans and a t-shirt, others would feel awesome in a pretty dress or a smart shirt
It's a good idea to think about how you want the photos to look, as a finished product... do you want them to be reflective of everyday life? in which case opt for something more casual
Or do you want everyone looking extra lovely? maybe you don't always get the chance to get everyone dressed up, so this could be a great opportunity for that
Or of course something in between... so you feel amazing but still really relaxed. Maybe a dress with trainers or jeans and a nice top. Jeans or chinos and a casual shirt or nice cosy jumper depending on the season.
The little ones can follow suit too, but I'm pretty sure they will look adorable in anything
(not that you won't ; )
What Should We Wear For Our At Home Family Shoot?
The key here is to keep it fairly simple.
If your home is quite minimal, I imagine you would want to reflect this aesthetic in your photos, so your clothing would ideally have a similar style as well
Whereas if you have quite a busy house, you might want to think about how your clothing is going to look with your home as your backdrop, block colours or neutrals might be a good way to go if this is the case : )
Co-ordinate don't Coagulate
Let's not go back to 1993.
Good news... you don't have to go out and buy matching jeans and sequinned tops for the whole family.
I want to document everyone's personality, and this is reflected in what you wear. It's a great idea to have similar tones throughout, think about how everybody's outfits work together.
Go for colours you love, I am very often drawn to quite natural tones... burnt oranges, browns, creams, greens etc, but you might be more into blues, pastels, or primary colours, whatever works for your family, but try and follow that thread through with everyones outfits if you can
What Should We Wear For Our Outdoor Family Photoshoot in Autumn / Winter?
Living in the UK, the weather can be a bit unpredictable. I'm a fan of layers... the coats/ jumpers can always be put to one side during some of the shoot if it's not too cold
If you are having a winter shoot, don't be shy about pulling out all the glorious knitted attire, I'm taking fair isle jumpers, bobble hats, ear muffs, you can even bring a flask of hot chocolate to warm everyone up half way round (this makes for great pics too)
There are definitely certain colours that give a real sense of the season, in Autumn I'm thinking oranges, reds, yellows, aubergine. Maybe in Winter... more like forest green, neutrals, maybe even a little sparkle if you're feeling festive, but cosy is the name of the game!
What Should We Wear For Our Outdoor Family Photoshoot in Spring / Summer?
For the little ones, the list is endless. If the weather is warm, I love photographing their little arms and legs, feet and shoulders always make the shoot extra summery too. And especially if it's golden hour and the light is all dreamy, skin looks really beautiful.
Neutrals look great in the spring and summer... as the light can be a bit more intense, bright and bold colours can sometimes be a bit much, some colour is ok, but I wouldn't suggest everybody wearing really bright colours (unless that is your style then go for it, we will make it work : )
Little rompers, sandals, shorts and t-shirts, embrace the summer vibe : )
Big people... Avoid black up top if possible (it just absorbs the light) and avoid anything too tight incase you get too hot : )
My 6 Family Photography Outfit Do's & Don'ts
Don't leave your phone in your pocket, it doesn't look good
Think about texture as well as colour (mix this up depending on the season)
Avoid big logos and text, too distracting
If you can, leave the pram/pushchair behind, I snap away as we walk and would rather have photos of you guys all together rather than a (usually empty) pushchair : ) Depending on your little ones ages, a baby bjorn or something similar works loads better
Avoid overly busy or repetitive patterns that might be distracting (feel free to send me any photos of your clothing as some patterns do work really nicely)
Bags. As with the pushchair scenario, I photograph the in between moments as we wonder around, so if you do need to bring a bag, bring one you like that you don't mind being in some images. You are always welcome to put essentials in my backpack or I can pop your bag on my back : )
It sounds odd, but make sure everything fits and nothing is too fussy, you don't want to spend the whole shoot adjusting a strap or realise half way through the shoot that your shirt has come awry
So there we have it, I hope this has helped or at least confirmed what you were probably already thinking. I think the main takeaways are wear something you love, and that you feel comfortable and happy in, this will honestly make such a difference to your images and the way you feel about them
If you have an enjoyable and relaxed experience, you will love your photos even more, pinky promise
And remember, you can always send me photos before your shoot if you want some feedback or advise ; )
Ciao for now xx
Still need to book your shoot? Head over to one of these pages for more info : )
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