Christmas family photoshoot styling guide

If you’re reading this, you have probably booked on with me for a Christmas family photoshoot, so firstly I wanted to say thank you so much for asking me to capture some beautiful festive images for you, I am really excited to meet you and your little one(s) soon!

The main goal of our session is for you to feel natural, relaxed and create a beautiful and authentic representation of a snapshot in time for you and your family to look back on and treasure. The most important thing when it comes to styling is that you feel comfortable and yourselves, so the following points are just guidance for you to take or leave as you see fit.

Colour palette : Being the time of year it is, autumnal, earthy colours very much fit the setting and the vibe of the photos we will be creating. Think earthy reds, oranges, browns, neutrals and greens (although being mindful of not using too much green given the backdrop of lots of green trees- we don’t want you all blending into the background!).

Keep warm enough : The sessions are in November and December and on Dartmoor, so make sure you pack layers, especially for little ones! Scarves, hats and woolly knits all add depth and interest to photos so don’t be afraid to layer up.

Four is plenty : I recommend using no more than 4 colours (different tones of the same colour is fine), any more than this can make the images feel a bit too busy.

Be mindful with prints : If you are opting for prints or patterns on clothing, try to keep these fairly subtle and perhaps limit the use of prints to one or two people in the session. Also, avoid large text or logos on items of clothing, again, this can detract from others in the photo, so I recommend avoiding if you can.

Natural colours work best : Try to avoid bright primary colours- these can detract from others in the photos. Natural colours that complement each other, will make for some stunning images.

Hopefully, this has been helpful and has given you a bit of inspiration for styling for the session, please reach out and send me a message if you want to chat anything through or soundboard ideas, I’m always open to talking through your ideas! But just remember if you take anything away from this, the most important thing is for you to be yourselves and have some fun. I’m really looking forward to seeing you for our session soon.

Preparing for your newborn photoshoot

PLANNING

• Make sure your little one has been fed just before we make a start.

• If you are wanting to make use of my client wardrobe outfits, please dress your baby in easily removable outfits (zippy ideally)

• Please use nude nail polish, French tips or natural nails. Your hands will feature in most images.

• Avoid wearing chunky wrist watches or jewellery as these can detract from you little one in close up photos. Wedding rings and fine jewellery are all fine.

• Keep snacks and water within easy reach!

TIPS:

• Be prepared for 1.5-2 hours for a newborn photoshoot. This is to accommodate feeds and changes.

• A baby with a full tummy will go into a deeper sleep, so I will encourage feeding as much as your little one needs during the session.

• Siblings are absolutely welcome for your photoshoot! Perhaps consider having one parent, or an extra set of hands to entertain older siblings while your new arrival is being photographed.

What to expect from your photo session

Family, Parenthood & Newborn

As a new mother, I find myself on a near daily basis wishing I could take a still frame of the small but incredible interactions we have with our little boy. I am acutely aware of how quickly time flies, how fast our little ones grow and change, and the absolute importance of finding a way to hold onto these cherished moments as memories for the future.

My family, parenthood & newborn photoshoots are accessible for all parents with their babies and children, through those early months and years of growing and bonding as a family. I take a relaxed and informal approach, and through this I hope you will feel comfortable enough to truly be yourselves. My goal is to create images that make you look back on a point in time and see it captured as genuinely as possible.

Location is set on your terms, at a place that is meaningful to you. I only use natural lighting, without the need for props, fancy dress or posing. The aim for me is to capture you, just you, in a way that is memorable and authentic. I may offer some guidance in terms of where to stand in relation to the natural light or backdrop, and to give you the confidence in yourselves to be photographed, but other than that I try to be as inobtrusive as possible. The hope is that when you look back on these images in years to come, that they will help you remember this special time, as it really was.

Maternity

If you’ve scrolled down to this section, firstly, huge heartfelt congratulations for the imminent or recent arrival of your little one(s)!

No two maternity journeys are the same, but however you have reached this point, the months spent growing and nurturing a new life should hopefully be a time to be celebrated. With each story of entering into motherhood, there are varying degrees of challenge and delight interwoven. Some paths are seemingly straightforward, while others may face significant hurdles prior to reaching the final wondrous outcome that is your baby. My own journey took us through two miscarriages before we had the joy of bringing Niko into our lives.

As a woman, maternity and early motherhood can bring mixture of feelings. The excitement felt towards a growing and meeting a new life, can sometimes be detracted from by a woman's perspective of her changing self. We often find a way to shine a spotlight on our own imperfections, when really we should be celebrating our ability to adapt and change in such an incredible way to bring our children into the world.

During a Maternity photoshoot, I strive to give you whatever is needed for the stage you are at in your journey. The experience should be a restorative and empowering one, where you are given the space to step back from any perceived flaws or insecurities, to recognise and appreciate how remarkable you truly are, for being able to create this new life and provide everything your small one(s) need physically and emotionally to survive and thrive. I hope to shine a light on the unique bond you are forming with your imminent or recent arrival, and allow that connection to form the focus of our images captured. I hope that you will walk away from the photoshoot feeling the self love and confidence you deserve to feel, celebrating your strength of connection with your little one and your extraordinary ability as a soon-to-be or new mother, as well as taking away some beautiful images to allow you to look back on this special time and cherish.

For women wishing to capture images of their pregnancy journey, the ideal time for booking in for a photoshoot is between 30-36 weeks, so that your bump is beautifully defined but with enough time that we minimise the risk of missing out if little one(s) arrive early. Naturally, we can still achieve fabulous results outside of this timeframe.

Location is set on your terms, at a place that is meaningful to you. I use natural light only, without props or gimmicks, so that we are able to capture you authentically and naturally, as you truly and beautifully are. I may offer some guidance in terms of where to stand in relation to the natural light or backdrop, and to give you the confidence in yourself to be photographed, but other than that, I try to be as inobtrusive as possible.

Should you wish to create images after the birth of your little one(s), the focus will be on the wonderful bond you share, as well as helping you to embrace any post pregnancy changes and dispell any insecurities you may have. Please also refer to the newborn section above.

In terms of clothing, the main priority is comfort for you. I have a selection of maternity dresses that are appropriate during pregnancy and post-partum (think bohemian, neutral and floaty) that you are welcome to make use of.

Weddings & Engagement

No two engagement stories are the same. I am here to capture your special and unique story either with the proposal itself, or afterwards, to celebrate your happy news and give you some beautiful images to remember a special moment in your journey as a couple. Please see pricing information on these two different options.

I also offer wedding packages on request, so if this is something you would like to enquire about, please do get in touch.

Styling guide for your family photoshoot

Be comfortable, be you.

First and foremost, the suggestions below are merely that, suggestions. A common question I get asked before a photoshoot, is “what should we wear?”; so I have written this styling guide to help you get the most out of a photography session with me, if you want photos that are as cohesive and aesthetically en-point as possible. The suggestions below are absolutely NOT criteria to achieving wonderful photos, the only ingredient we need for that to happen is for you to show up, authentically and ready to have some fun. This guide is for those who are looking for pointers on how to achieve the most natural, but polished set of photos; so have a read and feel free to take all, some or none of this on board! 

Comfort first:

Before you go off in search something new and fabulous for your photoshoot, take a moment to think about your comfort and ability to truly be yourself during the session. There is a lot to be said for something tried and tested. Your favourite dress, or trousers and top combo; an outfit that you know hugs you in all of the right places and allows you to move freely!

This isn't saying it has to be a plain and lacklustre outfit, but I'm just emphasising that we are trying to capture you as authentically as possible, so if you show up in clothes you know work and flatter and feel good to wear, then you're showing up as you, as you truly are! That said, you do want to make sure you feel confident in what you are wearing, so if that involves seeking out something new for the occasion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either! If you are going to search for something special for the session, I'm a sucker for a Vinted purchase, as this can often save you pennies while being better for the planet too! 

Remember, you will also have access to my client wardrobe (primarily catered for ladies and maternity sessions, but I do also have a small selection of outfits for little people to make use of). There is plenty of inspiration to base your style choices from here. 

Think about the location and setting:

Plan your outfit around the conditions you know we will be facing during the photoshoot. Dress for the weather, and fit in with your surroundings. Think about the backdrop and tones that might be on location, and try to complement these with your colour, style and vibe.

Bring more than one outfit along!

Feel free to bring more than one outfit with you, this will give us an opportunity to play around with different combinations on the day! I want to capture you at your most authentic, and bringing a few choices lets me do this as well as makes sure your clothing compliments the surroundings and keeps the focus where it should be, on you! 

Choose a colour palette:

When choosing colours, you can’t go wrong with neutral and earthy tones. These colours complement the outdoor environment and will work at pretty much any location. I'm definitely not advocating for bland and boring, just encouraging softer tones that will fit in with the natural surroundings. As the majority of my photoshoots take place in a nature, it is important to the overall look that your colours don’t clash with the scenery. Primary colours in all of their vibrancy, tend to have the effect of detracting from the main subject (you!) and clashing with an outdoor setting. As an example, instead of bright green, I would suggest opting for khaki or sage. Or instead of bright pink, perhaps dusty rose or pastle. 

As a general rule, choose colours that will either compliment, or create contrast with, your environment. If you want any advice on this, please feel free to message me your thoughts or questions in the lead up to the session. 

For families, I would recommend trying not to exceed four colours. You definitely don't need to be colour clones of one another, but you do want to consider colours that work alongside each other.

Look for complimentary rather than matching colours, as matching colours run the risk of blending together in the photos, so it becomes difficult to distinguish where one person ends and the other starts! Choosing a variety of tones and textures that compliment one another and your environment, will help you all look good together, without all looking identical! 

A few things to avoid. 

I would recommend to avoid bold patterns, logos and busy prints. These often dominate the photo and detract from what we want to focus on, which is your faces! If you do want to use patterns; smaller, subtle ones generally work best. Just bear in mind it is quite tricky to match one pattern with another, so for this reason I would generally suggest just sticking to one person in patterned clothing, with the others complimenting it.

Try to steer away from bright, unnatural (primary) colours as these are often clash with the outdoor setting and can sometimes even reflect up into your face and cause some discoloration, depending on the light conditions. Try to avoid black as it doesn’t photograph well!

Layer up!

Given we are in Britain, we want to make sure you are prepared enough for whatever conditions are thrown at us! Jackets, scarves, tights and hats all add texture and create more visual interest. Umbrellas are great additions too!

Don't forget about your shoes!

Your footwear is a key part of the look you are creating and ideally you want it to tie in with the rest of your outfit. This being said, consider the practicality as well as aesthetics of your choices! Select footwear based on location, barefoot on the beach is ideal, wellies if we are looking for some puddles to jump in, and perhaps boots if we are out on the moors. Leather boots always look stunning and sandals win over flip-flops for a summery feel.

Hair and make-up

My theory on hair and make up is that less is more. The aim of our photoshoot, and hopefully the reason why you have been drawn to my style of photography, is for you to be you, captured as authentically and naturally as possible. Do whatever you need to to feel confident and beautiful, but we want to capture you as true to self as possible.

For ladies, I have a soft spot for hair down. Hair up may be the obvious option to keep it out of your eyes when there is a breeze blowing, but there is nothing that creates movement and interest more than wild hair blowing in the breeze! 

Summary

• Comfort first

• Choose a natural colour palette that ties in with your surroundings

• Co-ordinate outfits so that you complement (but don’t match) one another

• No more than four different colours

• Avoid bright, unnatural colours; bold patterns, prints and logos

• Layer up and use different textures to create interest

• Less is more with hair and makeup

I hope this has been helpful for giving you some ideas for wardrobe choices for your upcoming photoshoot. As I said, feel free to take on board as much or as little of this as you want. At the end of the day, and what I said at the beginning of this guide; the most important thing is for you to be you, so let’s have some fun together capturing that together!