Some questions I get asked all the time are "what should my family wear for our photo shoot?" "how should I dress?" "what colors photograph well?"
Aimee asked: "Since we have an appointment with you in the near future (yay!) can you tell us all your tricks, hints and recommmendations for dressing/make-up/hair/etc. for a great looking photo?"
Yes, Aimee, I can! :)
First of all, choosing clothes should not be a scary or daunting task. You should look and feel like yourselves so that your true personality comes across in your photos. If you never dress up in heels or a suit and tie, don't don them for your photos. While the most important factor is that you and your family feel comfortable I must say that I am not a huge fan of super "matchy matchy" as in this photo below that I borrowed from Awkward Family Photos. (yikes!) If this floats your boat, go for it. However, it will inevitably not produce the kind of images you hired me for (relaxed, candid, full of emotion). Jeans are fine, but don't force the white shirt issue. It looks too planned and white is honestly not the best color for outdoor photos anyway. So- avoid this if you can.
check out
awkward family photos for more examples of what NOT to do. :)
So let’s get started on what you should do:
1. Everyone in your family should be dressed according to their personal style. Try not to force your children or husband to dress in a certain way. Trust me- EVERYONE will be happier if they feel comfortable! If your son has a favorite pair of old rugged converse let him wear those instead of the squeaky clean new black dress shoes you got him (even though I am sure they are lovely).
2. Instead of trying to "match" try to "
coordinate". This is a classic fashion mistake...things don't need to match precisely, they just need to compliment the overall look that you are going for. I like to tell my clients to choose a color or pair of colors and build the family's look around that. For instance: If you have an amazing outfit for your one year old that is green and brown plaid try to build around that. Dad can wear jeans and a brown or green shirt, mom can wear khakis/brown pants with a cream (not white) top and big brother can wear overalls and a green shirt, etc. Also, don't be afraid to think outside the normal color box either. My brother and his family recently chose grey as their color scheme and it turned out beautifully. They all have jeans on but it does not come across as too matchy because their jeans have different washes (some darker, some lighter, etc). They paired different stripes with solids and it looks great!
{some other color combinations that look well together: brown and blue, green and brown, yellow and gray, navy and pink, navy and red or yellow}
3. Wear things that are comfortable, functional, & fun! I encourage people (not usually with large groups for lack of time) to bring a second outfit to give a different look to some of the photos. You can do this easily with adding a hat, changing shoes, etc. I love to have fun with my shoots so if you have something fun or interesting you have been wanting to wear but have had no excuse...now is the time!
4. Think "timeless". I know we all have those family photos from Olan Mills where we are wearing huge 80's glasses and have a bowl cut and everyone is wearing mauve. Those are not necessarily timeless photos unfortunately. Now, while I have a huge respect for those photos because it clearly shows that time period in our lives, it is not timeless. I know it is hard to avoid dating a photo at all but be considerate of the little things. Try not to be too trendy in your choices, keep it basic and simple so the focus is on
you not your clothes.
5. Add personal touches. I enjoy when a couple brings something special with them to an engagement shoot. For example: a picnic basket and blanket that the guy used when he proposed. So sweet! I also love using old baby blankets and toys when I photograph children. Search your attic or your grandma's house and take a stroll down memory lane to find a few things here or there that mean something to you or your family and add those in your photos. I am not a huge fan of using props in the traditional sense. Sorry, no holiday scenes or fake backgrounds for me. I like to use items that mean something to you or that have a unique look. I have an old quilt that I bought at an antique store that I completely adore. I use it in shoots because it looks old, loved, and is full of character.
6. Hair/makeup: Again, the theme here is to keep it simple. For the most part, I shoot in natural light. I do not use external lighting or a flash so you do not need to add extra makeup. Wear it the way you normally wear it or however feels comfortable. Same goes for your hair, be yourself. And let your kids be themselves too. I am not a huge fan of tons of gel in a little boy's hair, it kind of photographs looking wet. But, if that is how he wears it every day- go for it!
I found a great website for getting outfit ideas, check it out at
Boden . com. Go there and click on men or women or whatever you need, then look at the outfit ideas. Here is one group of outfits that I completely adore together with navy blue as their unifying color. I am a huge fan of different textures of fabric and having varying patterns/colors throughout the group. It is visually interesting and instantly gives your photo some depth and character.
Don't be afraid to think outside the box and definitely don't be afraid to be yourself! I want my photo shoots to be fun and relaxed and something you will truly enjoy. I hope these tips help. I have so many more thoughts on the issue but tried to keep it as short and sweet as possible. If you have further questions, leave a comment or shoot me an email. Happy coordinating! :)
Here are a few more examples of recent shoots where the outfits photographed really well. Notice the different patterns and colors and styles.
The Van BuskirksThe WilliamsThe HillsThe Woods
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