What to Wear For Your Family Photoshoot

I know that the thought of what to wear for your family photoshoot can seem overwhelming, especially when you have to coordinate outfits for the whole family, and try to find something that you feel gorgeous in too, but I am here to help! With a few tips and a little bit of planning and preparation, you can turn a good shoot into something beautiful and timeless that you and your family will treasure forever. Here goes…

Stick to neutral colours

These are classic and timeless which is exactly what you want from your photos, so it really pays to keep it simple. Dark colours might be slimming and ‘safe’ in real life, but in photographs they can seem heavy and flat and they tend to draw the attention away from your face which is the last thing we want!

Really bright colours can also distract from your face, emotions and interactions within the photos, exactly the things that we are trying to capture in all their perfect detail. I’m also quite wary of bright white as this often comes out a weird blue in a photo. Earthy tones, pastels and lighter colours really do work best.

Avoid logos, text and characters

I cannot stress enough how these will date your photos. Paw Patrol might be the hit of the moment but perhaps not something you’ll want to remember in 10 years time. Likewise you’ll want your eyes to be drawn to your gorgeous child’s face, not what’s written on their t-shirt.

Patterns are also quite tricky, strips and checks can really distort in the camera, but a small floral print on a dress can look so lovely (I’m a real sucker for a Liberty print floral with my girls, I love the timeless feel of them).

Don’t be afraid to add in some texture

Think linen, muslin, a subtle pop of lace. For winter photoshoots and chilly summer evenings a chunky knit will look AMAZING. Layers are your friend when it’s colder because bulky coats don’t tend to look great in photographs.

Complimenting, not coordinating!

Make sure your outfits work together without being too “matchy matchy”, those pictures of entire families posed together in matching jeans and white shirts work for some people, but like with any ‘trend’ they will really date your photos.

It helps to lay your outfit choices out together a few days in advance to make sure that they compliment each other. If your eye is constantly drawn to just one outfit, the chances are that this will be the case with your photos as well.

Don’t dress up too much!

You want to look like the best, most relaxed and authentic version of you. If you’re wearing a new dress that’s a bit tight or flashes your bra every time you bend down to pick up your toddler your discomfort will show in the photos. Make sure you can run barefoot down the beach or collapse into a pile of cuddles without worrying that you’ll flash more than you intend to.

Shoes are always such a tricky one. Wear shoes that you can move comfortably in, or best of all no shoes at all!

Most importantly, be yourself

Wear something that you feel beautiful in, this will really shine through in the photos. I always suggest bringing more than one outfit, especially for babies and small children, because life tends to get messy, especially if your kids are drawn to water and mud like mine are!

When you book your photoshoot with me you will get a beautiful welcome guide full of tips about what to wear, and I will be at the other end of the phone if you want to send pictures of outfit choices and get a bit of feedback, I love chatting clothes! I am also growing a small client wardrobe so I might well have something that you can borrow if you get stuck or overwhelmed!

Helen x