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!