Tips for Choosing Outfits for Your Professional Photoshoot
One of my most asked questions before a shoot is “what should we wear”? Never fear, I’m here with some family photo outfit tips!
Dress authentically to you- The goal of lifestyle family and newborn photography is to see the joy and document your life as it is in that specific moment in time. YOUR life. If you would’t be caught dead in a dress in real life, do not get tempted by all the photos of flowing gowns blowing in the wind on your explore page on Instagram. If you are a jeans and t-shirts girl, wear that! I’m not saying to not make it a little more special for your photos (tips for that below), but don’t go so far that you don’ recognize yourself. The same goes for makeup. Yes, you can absolutely wear heavier makeup than you usually do so it shows up on camera, but I’ve had multiple women over my 12 year career say that they wish they hadn’t worn so much makeup because they don’t look like themselves. There’s a reason this is number one on my list, friends.
Comfort is key- In photo sessions with me, especially family sessions or newborn photoshoots with older siblings, there is going to be a lot of moving and shaking. You are going to be playing airplane, twirling, sitting, flipping your kids upside down, the works! That means that you want to be in something that makes you feel comfortable. You don’t want to be constantly pulling down a shirt to cover your belly when your arms are in the air, or fiddling with a deep neckline and worrying that you are going to pop out at any second. Make sure that no matter what you are doing, you are able to comfortably move around during your session without compromising how your outfits look. This also applies to kids. If they don’t like dress shoes or wearing dresses, don’t put them in them! You can tell when kids are uncomfortable in their clothes and often times, they spend a lot of time complaining and fussing over them when we could be having a blast and focusing on the joy in your family.
Check your angles- As I mentioned before, if you are at a session with me, in-home, on-location or in my studio, and you have kids, you are going to be moving, a lot. While I’m always doing checks on every shot to make sure a bra strap isn’t hanging out or fabric isn’t bunching weird, my main focus is on getting real, authentic smiles and emotion out of you and your kids. I want you to focus on that, too. I don’t want you focusing on whether your button down shirt is gaping or your angle isn’t the one you practiced in the mirror. Your outfit should look great from all angles and be functional no matter what’s happening, because the worst thing that can happen is that you have a picture of your whole family that you are obsessed with, but you didn’t like how your shirt looks with your arms in your air so you don’t want to frame it.
Pick a color palette instead of matching- For this, Pinterest is your best friend. I often chose one color (forest green for example) and go to Pinterest and search ‘forest green color palette’ and a ton of options pop up. I would just search those simple words, and not even ‘outfit’ with them. You can also add an accent color like ‘forest green and blush pink color palette’. That will give you an anchor for all of the colors of your outfits. I usually chose something I know will match the vibe of my house, or the location, or sometimes, I base it on one outfit that I already have and know I want to use.
Pick a vibe/season- If you put your girls in sleeveless dresses, your boys should not be in heavy long sleeve sweaters. If you live in San Francisco and Marin and are taking family photos outdoors, my biggest family photo outfit tip for this is to dress in layers. If you think it’s going to be a warm summer day at your location, wear short sleeves/sleeveless and then bring cardigans for on top. For those especially cold/foggy/windy days and locations, like the Golden Gate Bridge, wear warmer outfits underneath, and bring a more heavy outerwear option that is still cute and you’d want in photos. In addition to picking the same season, make sure to pick a vibe. If one person is dressing urban and edgy, don’t put someone else in a boho sundress.
Add something special- Make sure each person has visual interest on their outfits. That can come in the form multiple things:
Texture- Leather, suede, tulle, corduroy, eyelets, cable knit and more! Interesting textures add visual interest and something special to an otherwise basic neutral piece.
Layering- Jackets, cardigans, overalls and knee high socks, all create wonderful visual interest to an outfit, and bonus points, many of them can be removed or put on if the weather changes during the session. Layering is especially great for boys and men whose outfit options are otherwise fairly basic.
Pattern- My very favorite way to add visual interest! I love.a good pattern and regularly mix multiple patterns in my own family outfits. I would recommend small patterns on no more than half of the people in your family (max) as they are less distracting and can be paired with more things. As long as you stay within the color palette you chose earlier, everything should look cohesive.
Accessories and Details- Bows, hair clips, jewelry, ruffles and puff sleeves are a great way to add something special to an outfit. Watches and cool shoes are a great option for boys and men (no smart watches please!).
Those are my top family photo outfit tips, and the ones I use to dress myself and my family every time we have family photos. For more inspiration, visit my instagram (@cristin_more) and click on the highlight bubble ‘Outfit Inspo’. When I’m shopping I take pictures of ‘photoshoot outfits in the wild’ to give you inspiration of wear to shop and the types of clothing that would work.
If you are located in Marin or San Francisco and are looking for a family, maternity or newborn photographer who focuses on the joy in your everyday, I’m your gal. You can find out more about my sessions and my process here or, if you’ve seen enough and are ready to book, you can click here.
