What To Wear For Your Family Photoshoot

Got your portrait shoot booked, but what are you going to wear? Considering your outfits and coordinating your colours ahead of your session will really add to the photos that we hope you will love for years to come. Here are our top tips for choosing outfits that stand the test of time ahead of your shoot.

Consider the backdrop

If you're having a studio shoot, the background colour will play a part in your outfit choices. Get in touch with your photographer and find out what your backdrop will be. In our studio, we use a white backdrop to help make it all about you and your family.  If you're having an outdoor shoot you'll want to consider your location and the weather and dress appropriately.

Think Coordinating Colours

Find one fun pattern, like a floral print dress, skirt or shirt, and use that as your inspiration. Now you can coordinate everyone else's outfits around that one patterned item. We love the blues and white used to coordinate this family photoshoot.

Use Your Home Decor As Inspiration

Look around your home, what colours do you gravitate towards?  Do you like things more bright and vibrant?  Or more grey and neutral?  These images will be hanging up on your wall in your home for a year or more, consider the wardrobe combo and how it will look with your current home decor set up before choosing your colour palette. It might be helpful to decide ahead of time where the prints of the family photos will be displayed to inspire your clothing choices.

Avoid Logos And Characters

Not only do they date your photos, Logos and characters are also really distracting. After all, we want the focus to be on your gorgeous faces not on someone's T-shirt no matter how cute or funny the logo is.

Avoid Baggy Clothes

Bulky or baggy clothing are not flattering on anyone in pictures.  Even if you are self-conscious of your body, fitted clothing ALWAYS photograph better than baggy shirts or chunky sweaters.  The camera can't differentiate what is extra material and what is actually you.  A baggy shirt does not hide anything, it just makes you look large - so choose fitted (not tight) and feel fabulous. We all have our little insecurities and if you have an ounce of concern about your arms, boobs, upper thighs, etc. keep them covered, or I promise it will be the first thing you look at!

Avoid High Maintenance Clothing and/or Accessories

If the headband keeps falling off, or you are going to be constantly fidgeting with a certain shirt or skirt, you decrease the chances of loving all of your pictures.  High maintenance clothing makes for self-conscious expressions, fidgety arms and hands, and/or irritated family members.  It can also make for cute hair in the beginning and crazy hair at the end...keep it simple and easy to avoid grumpiness or bad pictures.  Once the session begins, the only thing you want to worry about is happy kids and smiling faces...not adjusting hair bows or pulling up trousers that are just too big.

Of course it's okay to show lots of personality

Mummy - Don't Forget About You!!

All too often Mum's spend ages choosing clothes for the rest of the family, leaving their own outfit to the last minute. Mummy make sure you spend time on your outfit, perhaps choose yours first and get the rest of the family to fall in line.

Make choosing your outfits part of the fun and perhaps use it as an excuse to go shopping (you're welcome)!!

Have fun and we'll see you in the studio soon.

Kate x