WHAT TO WEAR TO A FAMILY SHOOT

One of the most important things to consider when preparing for family photos is outfits. Outfits can make, or break, the look of your photos. And most importantly, how you feel during the session. So, let’s dive in!

Colours

Let’s talk about colours first. In portraits you want the focus the stay on the subject, the person who is being photographed. Colours that are strong and overpowering can easily distract the eye. Muted, soft colours and neutrals often look best in photos. They are easy to mix and match, and give a lovely, timeless feel.

My recommendation is to choose one outfit first. Something you absolutely love. Then pick the rest of the family outfits to complement those colours.

Some clients like bolder colours, and that is absolutely fine. I would, however, always recommend to avoid neon, as it can age the photos fast.

Style & Fabrics

Texture: Adding texture looks amazing in photos. Think lace, knitted materials, linen, waffle materials, and so on.

Logos & Text: If you can, avoid big brand logos and text or graphics in clothing as it can be very distracting to the eye.

Patterns: If there are lots of different patterns together that can look very busy. If you want to include pattern, it is best if only one person in the family wears something patterned, and the rest wear block colours. If you want to include more than one pattern, please make sure the colours go really well together, and the patterns are more subtle.

Fabric and Fit: Clothes that are too tight, restrictive and uncomfortable will make you feel awkward and can be unflattering in photos. You should be able to hug, sit down and walk without having to worry about showing too much.

Season

You need to be as comfy as possible to get the best images. If it is winter, cozy textured layers not only will look amazing, but also stop you from turning blue!

Matching

Trends change, and one of the trends that does not look so good in photos anymore is being “matchy matchy”. A classic example of this is all family members in white t-shirts and jeans. Instead of matching, you could aim for complementing colours and styles.

Here is a link to my Pinterest board I have put together to help my clients plan their outfits. You will be able to see better what I mean by complementing styles!

Click here to see more inspiration.

Hey there!

I’m Heidi! If you are looking for a wedding or family photographer, and like the look of my photos, let’s connect! x