Maybe you love the idea of preparing your clothes for any event or maybe, like me, you would rather bury your head in the sand until the last possible minute then end up scrabbling around and hoping something appropriate is clean and dry (& not too small)?
These are photos that you are going to hang on your wall and treasure for years to come and therefore you want to be sure that you don’t cringe at what you are wearing. Of course fashions change over time but there are some simple things to think about that will mean your pictures retain a timeless quality that you will always love.
This list is designed to help you think about what you’ve got in your wardrobe; rather than an instruction to go on a big shop (although maybe you are looking for the excuse?). Chances are, you wear appropriate clothes all the time, so this can just focus your thinking when looking through your cupboards.
1) Think about palette
This could be neutrals, earthy or natural tones so think about using one of these as base idea. Navy blue works well with all palettes and it’s pretty likely you all have a pair of blue jeans as a starting point;
Neutral pallets and blue denim work with any surrounds and allow the surroundings to compliment the subject
2) Co-ordinate rather than match
There’s something very reminiscent of the 80s if everyone is wearing matching outfits. By choosing a single palette, it doesn’t mean you all need to look exactly the same. Choose different colours and outfits around a palette so that you all look in-keeping with each other but not like twins;
Co-ordinating doesn’t have to mean matching
3) Dress for Comfort
Nothing spoils a photo more than grumpy faces and being forced into impractical or uncomfortable clothes is one way to guarantee unhappy people. Think first and foremost about what the weather is likely to be at the time of the shoot. If it’s a summer shoot, it may be hot and therefore light clothes are a must. If your photoshoot is booked for late autumn then chances are is it going to be chilly in Devon and therefore warm clothes are essential. Goosebumps add nothing to the look of a photo. You wouldn’t go for a walk in t-shirts in the winter so the photos would look odd if you that’s how you are dressed;
Dress for the conditions; if the weather is cold, wrap up warm
4) No big patterns or logos
You might not be able to get one of the kids out of their Frozen or Spiderman costume on a normal day, but is that what you want to see them in on the wall for years to come? Likewise, nothing dates a photograph like a football shirt. Branded clothes, slogans or this season’s high fashion statement can be really distracting in otherwise lovely family portraits so they are really best avoided. If you really struggle to get someone out of their favourite, maybe photoshoot day is the day that said outfit just happens to be in the wash?;
Splashes of colour don’t need to be expensive. A hedgerow flower makes a stunning and complimentary statement in this image taken in a country lane in spring time.
5) Don’t be afraid of bold colours
Whilst I suggest neutral palettes above, don’t be afraid to pick out a few bold colours within this. A block of colour can really make a picture ‘pop’ and draw attention in all the right ways. This can be something like a shirt or coat, or maybe a few splashes of colour in accessories, such as a scarf, headband or a pair of Converse. Just make sure these colours compliment the overall look;
6) Be yourselves
If you are the kind of family who are always in laidback, casual clothes then don’t force yourselves into the clothes you would normally wear to a wedding. Conversely, if you love the opportunity to get all ‘dolled up’ then this is your perfect excuse. You want to look back at your pictures and recognise yourselves in them;
7) Dress for the location
Following on from number 6, you want to fit in with your location. Chances are that you’ve chosen the location on the basis of being appropriate for your family, whether you are beach lovers, country walkers or city dwellers. Your clothing should represent you and your personalities and the location is an extension of that. ‘Sunday best’ whilst paddling in the sea probably isn’t a great idea and will look very odd in the pictures. Likewise, a pair of high heels in a forest isn’t massively practical;
Dress for your location. ‘Wedding best’ would not be practical on a muddy adventure in the winter
8) Consider your background and the time of year
As well as thinking about the practicalities of the location, you could think about the look of the backdrop. Is it going to be urban, coastal or countryside? Neutral pallets always work well with a coastal backdrop whereas burned yellows and reds work well in an autumnal countryside setting;
Dressing in season appropriate colours can compliment the tones in the landscape
9) Think about your home decor
Ok, so at first that might sound a bit out of left field, but where you are going to display your photos is actually important. If you have flashes of bright pink in a room that’s otherwise full of subdued tones then it will jump out as out of place. If you can pickup little bits of similar colours to your home furnishings, such as in a scarf or t-shirt, then it can compliment and complete the look of the room;
10) Find inspiration online
Pintrest might be a time sapper but it can also be your friend in times like this. Think about the colours you love, the time of year or the home decor you have, and see what you can find within those colours and tones. (Just don’t blame me when 2 hours later you find yourself looking at ‘inspiring Christmas decorations’ or ‘great campfire recipes’!);
11) Lay it all out and take a photo
Does it work or does something jar with the rest of it? You don’t need to force everyone to have a dress rehearsal but laying it all out on the bed and getting a sense of the overall feel can really help crystallise your thinking;
Hopefully this has given you some food for thought and made the thought of dressing for your family photoshoot a bit less daunting. If you’ve got any thoughts or questions though, I’d love to hear from you. Either use the comments or drop me a line.