You booked your photoshoot, and now you have to decide what to wear.
Some people love this part, others have no idea what they're doing, which is totally fine! That's why I'm writing this blog post - to give you some general tips and guidelines to help you get started.
I want to start by making clear that this is YOUR photoshoot, and you can wear whatever you please. You're hiring ME, and I'm here to take photos of you wearing what you want to wear. This is is just a guide, and you can take it or leave it.
Now, the most important part about choosing an outfit for your photo session, is that you choose something you're comfortable in! Whether you opt for more fancy attire or jeans and a T-shirt, make sure it’s something that you feel good in - both physically and mentally. We want you to be able to focus on enjoying yourself, not adjusting your outfit, and I also want you to feel confident and yourself so that I’m able to capture you in the most authentic way. And most importantly, I want you to love your photos.
Let's start with what you're going to want to avoid:
- Screen prints! We don’t want words or logos or characters or really any pictures or letters of any kind. Now a cute, embroidered sweater is one thing, but again, nothing too distracting. The simpler, the better.
- Loud, distracting colors or patterns. Not only do they not look as nice in photographs, but it draws attention away from the point of the photograph - you and your family and their cute faces and all the love and connection I’m attempting to capture.
- Any clothes that are really stiff, clingy, get crumpled easily in weird spots, or need a lot of adjusting.
- Apple watches, pony tails, cell phones, etc. We don’t want it. Take them off. You’ll thank me someday when apple watches are old fashioned and not cute. :)
So what should you wear?
Well let's start with the color palette. You're going to want to choose outfits that coordinate with one another rather than matching. Neutrals and earth tones are pretty much always going to be my suggestion. Whites, creams, browns, mauves, denim and earthy shades of greens, blues, and warm colors all photograph beautifully. Not only that, but they're pretty and timeless colors that won't distract from or clash with the rest of the photo. You'll want to choose a color palette of 3-4 colors and build everyone's outfit off that. If you are wanting to add a brighter color to your color palette, you totally can - I would just keep the other colors very neutral, and use the brighter color as an accent color.
You can add variety using soft patterns and different textures. Mixing and matching materials such as denim, silk, velvet, knits, cotton, linen, etc can add a lot to your photographs, and if you have anything flowy or billowy in your wardrobe - things like that can really help capture movement and add life to your pictures. Simple patterns and prints like a dainty floral design or a flannel shirt can add just the right amount of variation without making it too busy. A great way to start putting together outfits for the whole family is to choose one staple piece you love and know you want to include, and build a color palette from there.
When choosing your color palette and outfits, make sure to consider the season and location of the photos! Different colors may look better when photographed in a studio rather than outside. A soft blue might look beautiful in the spring, but not so great in the fall. If you need a little inspiration, try Pinterest! Look for photos where you love the colors and use it as inspiration for your own family's outfits. And don’t ever hesitate to ask me for help! I can help you find inspiration photos, guide your decision making, and give feedback as you put outfits together. I’m always here to help.
On a final note - remember that these are just suggestions, and some rules are meant to be broken. Some of my favorite types of sessions to get creative with are maternity and milestones shoots. If you're looking for a soft, timeless look than by all means, stick to these guidelines. But if you're looking to have a little fun with it, throw everything you read here out the window and wear whatever the heck you want. You want to show off your baby bump in an eccentric lime green dress? Let's do it. Your three year old has been wearing his Spiderman halloween costume since October and you think it would be fun for him to wear it for birthday photos? Yes. It would be fun. And adorable. So whether you choose to follow this guide to a T or throw all caution to the wind and do your own thing, I'm here for it.
I hope this guide is helpful to you when choosing outfits for your family's photos, whether you choose me as your photographer or not! But I'd obviously love to be your photographer, so if you'd like to book a session or have any questions, click the link below! :)
