You’ve booked your family photo shoot and now you’re wondering what to wear and how to prepare. I’m here to help!
This guide has been created to make your life as stress-free as possible. It’s a big deal having your family photos taken, and for some of you, it will be your first time.
So grab a cuppa and a biscuit and let’s begin with the most important and commonly asked question…
What to wear
Styling is really important and the clothes you wear will have a huge impact on the look and feel of your photos. It’s also really important that you look and feel confident and comfortable, and you feel like you.
Do:
- Coordinate colours but don’t over-match. We don’t want you all in blue jeans and white tops.
- Choose 3 – 4 complementary colours and dress everyone in shades from that palette.
- Stick to solid colours – patterns can be distracting and we want you to be the focus. One patterned piece is fine but no more.
- Start with Mum (we’re usually the hardest to dress). Pick one outfit first and build the rest of the family around that.
- Add layers for movement and accessories for interest.
- Think timeless and classic. We only want your photos to date with your growing family, not because of your clothes.
- Choose clothes that your child likes to wear. If you’ve bought them something new, please get them used to wearing it before your shoot.
Avoid:
- Overmatching – coordination is key.
- Saturated colours (red, cyan, magenta and anything neon). These colours will reflect on the skin and leave unwanted colour casts.
- Patterns – 1 is fine but no more.
- Check patterns and bold stripes.
- Anything with pictures, text or logos. As cute as they look in unicorns and dinosaurs, they will be really distracting in your family photos.
Inspiration:
I’ve collaborated with the expert in all things styling, Jess at Life Styling, to create some outfit inspiration. Take a look at the seasonal Style Guides we’ve created on Pinterest:
You can shop directly from these Pinterest boards – or just steal an idea or two! – if you’re looking for a new outfit.
Spring/Summer Style Guide
Autumn/Winter Style Guide
Before your photo shoot
Please tell your children about the photo shoot (if they’re old enough to understand). Show them my gallery and reassure them that it’s going to be fun.
If you haven’t had a shoot with me before, forget everything you might think about how a photo shoot works. This isn’t your formal school portrait. I won’t be directing you to smile or look at the camera. Instead, we’ll be having fun – the aim is for you all to forget you are having photos taken.
On the day of your shoot
Please make sure your little ones are well-rested. This is a one-off special occasion, and they’ll be staying up a little later than usual to get the best light before sunset. Try not to tire them out by spending all day at the park.
With my family, we usually head out in the morning for a runaround and then have a quiet afternoon on the sofa watching a film. Feed them before your shoot even if it’s not their usual tea time. I promise that breaking the rules and routine will be worth it.
Things to bring
There are a few items I find are always great to bring along for your session:
- Drinks, snacks and treats. Bringing along little treats as a reward is a great way to encourage positive behaviour and make the experience fun for your child. Please bring non-messy finger foods only – breadsticks, marshmallows, apple slices etc.
- Outfit change for babies/toddlers (just in case). It’s always better to have spares.
Leave at home
Leave your sports gear at home. As tempting as it is to bring a football to kick around, this can be a huge distraction. We will play games that involve you all connecting and laughing together.
And that’s it!
If you have any question please don’t hesitate to get in touch before your photo shoot.
