The biggest question I get it from my clients is "what should we wear?" For this reason, anyone who books a full session with me not only has access to my client closet with a selection of beautiful dresses in an assortment of sizes, but personalized styling assistance for their family as well. Once a session is booked, my clients receive a detailed session prep guide with all the styling tips, do's & don'ts, Pinterest boards, as well as Amazon links with hand picked clothing items to shop for their family if need be.
What you wear is so important to the overall aesthetics of a photo so I really try to educate and assist my clients to the best of my ability before each session. Every photographer is going to have different recommendations on colors to wear based on their particular editing style. For me personally, I always recommend my clients wear neutral earthy colors and jewel tones. I do not like to photograph light, bright or neon colors as it just doesn't work well with my editing style. Instead of bright white, choose beige or cream. Another thing to take into consideration is location. Will your session be on a grassy field or a beach? Beaches tend to be cooler in color, so jewel tones tend to work better than warm, earthy tones and vice versa.
A family portrait is an investment. You are investing your time and money into your session so don't wait until last minute to figure out clothing. I suggest mom chooses her outfit first, and then coordinates that with the rest of the family. Mom should choose something that is flowy and adds lots of movement. Once moms outfit is picked out, coordinate with the rest of the family by choosing colors that compliment each other but are not matching. Add in something with a subtle print and fill the rest with solids. Accessorize, add layers and different textures to really add visual interest. Last but not least, wear clothing and shoes that you feel confident, comfortable and allow you to move around easily in!
These two photos below are a clear example of why what you wear matters.
You can see on the left (not my photo), they are dressed very casual and everyone is wearing the same colors. It doesn't allow for a visually interesting photo and feels kind of flat. On the right however (my photo), the family has coordinating colors, but are not matching. They added something with a print and filled the rest with solids. These simple tips can really make all the difference in the final gallery of images.
Outfit Inspiration for your family session
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