It can be hard to choose an outfit for a photoshoot and even harder when planning for a family photoshoot. You have more people to think of and trying to get the outfits to work together can be tricky. So I have put together this blog post to offer you some handy tips.

Where to start

The best place to start when trying to plan a family photoshoot, is with your outfit. From here you can plan the rest of the family. Make sure you are feeling amazing and comfortable in what your wearing and this will make the job much easier. I encourage my mum’s to take a look at the colour pallet of the clothes in my photographs and on my Pinterest board. Most mums will have some neutral/ earthy tones in their wardrobe and if not it’s a great excuse to spoil yourself!

Scrap the patterns

When picking out an outfit, it is wise to look for something plain or with a small dainty pattern. This is to ensure your eye is not distracted by the pattern when you are looking at your photographs. If you do choose to wear a pattern make sure you avoid others in the family doing the same. Logos or characters are a big no no. Again these can be very distracting and pull the eye from the connection in the photograph.

Where will your family photoshoot be?

Now that you’ve booked your shoot you probably have a good idea of where it will be held. This will give you some idea of how to dress. For example if your family photoshoot is at home then you do not need to worry about footwear, sock, tights etc. However you may want to hide the dressing up outfits! If your photoshoot is outside in the autumn you may want to consider outfits which you don’t mind getting a little dirty. You want your child’s to enjoy the experience and not worry about getting mud on their outfit or having wet feet. Plus bring along a couple of layers to help keep everyone warm. During shoots I will also be bring along a few blankets to keep everyone warm and add texture.

Makeup

As a mum, in years to come we want to be able to look at these photographs in years to come and see a true representation of your family. Our children will want to look back and see a photograph of how they remember us too. Therefore if you usually wear make-up, then that’s great wear it for the session. However try to avoid heavy make up and thick eyelashes as this doesn’t come across great in photographs. Try not to worry too much about blemish as I can work my magic on these!

Tune into personality

When I think back to when my children were little they are had their own style and even now my teen’s love to express themselves through clothing. As parents this is some thing we want to be able to remember when they are older. Involve them in planning their outfit and in fact why don’t you show them this guide? Take some time before the session to get everything ready with them so on the day they are not overwhelmed.

Ultimately this is your photographs and you need to be happy with what your family are wearing both on the day and for years to come. If you need any further assistance feel free to get in touch.