What should you wear to a family photoshoot?

Choosing what to wear to a family photoshoot will either fill you with dread, or spark you inner Gok Wan and you’ll be all over it like a total fashionista! If you’re the former, don’t panic, I’m here to help! Here are a few top tips to help you make your choices!

No 1 – Be comfortable and be YOU!

If you’re a jeans & jumper type of gal/guy, wear jeans and a jumper! Don’t squeeze yourself into a dress because you feel you should! You need to be comfortable and most importantly, you need to feel at your best!

If someone is happy in jeans, let them wear jeans. If your daughter is crazy about skirts, don’t force her to wear something different because you’ll just end up with a grumpy child who will glare at my camera!! It’s really important that everyong feels happy & comfortable! If it makes your life easier & you want to remember their little foibles…let them bring that spiderman outfit and promise some photos with it! Same goes for dads…if they want to bring their poncho & cowboys hat…PLEASE let them, I can’t even tell you how much I love caputuring these things!

I have 3 daughters….I know how children are….make sure they feel awesome too. If that means using the old ‘I’m giving you choices but really I’m bending your mind to my way of thinking’ trick, then go for it! Pick out 2 outfits that will work, and let them mix and match. As long as they’re reasonably coordinated, we’re good! Failing that…use bribery!

No 2 – Think colour & coordination

Coordinating your outfits shows that you are a group, a family, and that you belong together! It also looks great! This doesn’t mean that everyone should wear matching shirts & ties, instead, think about the style of the clothes. Do you want to look relaxed, or do you want to look smart & sharp!?

Choose a colour palette that is complimentary – pick similar tones and colours – for example, denims, white and a splash of blue. Again, think about where in your home you might put your photographs!  If your decor is simple and monotone, you may want to choose white clothing with a pop of colour. If your home is bright and bold, then perhaps think about wearing clothing that will compliment this. These prints will be on your walls for years to come (hopefully!) so keep this in mind!

Think about the season and the colours of nature! In this photograph, all the boys are wearing different coloured jackets, but they all match the autumnal backdrop – this is perfect!

If it’s winter and cold, try to coordinate jackets if you can, or layer with coordinated hats and scarfs! If that’s not possible, we can ditch the jackets for 2 minutes while we get the shot.

3…What should you avoid?!

There a few things that don’t work well in photos and would advise avoiding!

Avoid black – it can make you look pale and is just a bit blah in photos!
Avoid tops with large logos or crazy prints on them, as they will draw the eye to the top, rather than the photo.
Avoid vivid ‘unnatural’ bright colours that will draw the eye to the colour, rather than the beautiful subjects.
Try to stay away from bold, eye-catching patterns. Instead, keep it simple.
Finally, I know black is a very popular colour, but…. it can be a little dull!

Hopefully these tips & tricks might help you if you’re in a fankle! If you need any help or advice, just pick up the phone!

Examples of perfect styling…

Below are some examples of excellent wardrobe choices for a photoshoot. You don’t need to spend money (if you don’t want to!) on outfits for everyone – just find something that everyone has  in one colour – maybe everyone has to wear a base of demin and something blue, or something mustard! You get the jist!