I love to capture families together, and creating relaxed, timeless photographs that will be cherished and looked back at for many years to come. One question that often comes up from clients is “What should we wear?”.
Below are some tips and ideas to help guide you, but above all else make sure you wear whatever you and your family feel most comfortable and happy in. Make sure it is comfortable – you will feel much more relaxed on your shoot if you can move easily, and run after and catch small children should the need arise!
10 things to consider when choosing what to wear to your family shoot
- Neutral, simple and timeless. Try to keep these 3 words in mind when choosing outfits for your shoot, by doing so you can help ensure your images don’t date easily and will also work well being displayed in a variety of settings.
- Coordinate, but don’t match exactly. Choose colors and styles that complement each other, rather than trying to match everyone’s outfits perfectly.
- Avoid busy patterns and logos. These can be distracting in photos and take away from the focus on the family.
- If you like, add a pop of colour. Adding a pop of colour to an outfit can make a photo stand out.
- Layer up. Layering clothing can add depth and interest to photos. It can also be useful for adjusting to different temperatures.
- Consider the season. Choose clothing that is appropriate for the time of year. It’s difficult to make a small child look happy if they are a shivering wreck.
- Consider your location. Will you be at home, in a muddy wood or on a sandy beach? It’s particularly important to choose footwear suitable for where your session will take place.
- Bring extra clothing options. It’s always a good idea to have a few extra clothing options on hand in case someone doesn’t feel comfortable in their first choice. Or in case someone has a mud/jumper interface.
- Did I mention “dress for comfort“? It’s important that everyone feels comfortable in their clothing so they can relax and enjoy the shoot.
- Or…. disregard all of the above – wear all the patterns, pick all the colours, let your teenager wear his Nike hoodie, put on your highest heels and let your little girl wear her Peppa Pig jumper. You do you. Wear whatever makes you happy and we’ll get some great moments of your family as they are right now.
