What shall I wear to my photoshoot?

This is probably the question I get asked most before every photoshoot and the first thing I say is 'the most important thing, is to wear something comfortable and that you feel good in'. If you feel insecure or uncomfortable with your outfit, it will definitely show in the photos, as you won't feel as confident or relaxed and you're less likely to enjoy the experience. Family photoshoots are usually quite active, particularly if they are outdoor shoots, so you need to be free to move around and sit and stand in different positions and poses comfortably, without worrying about your clothes.

Colours

For me the next most important thing is not the colours that you choose but that the colours you choose don't clash, either with each other or with the setting that you're in. Everyone has their own preference, some people love neutral or pastel tones, while others prefer a bit more contrast and choose lovely bright colours that pop - both can work well and look beautiful. However, if you all turn up in bold, bright colours that clash, then group photos probably won't be as visually pleasing as they could be. One thing that you also want to try to avoid is large, bright logos on t-shirts (as they can be distracting) - try to keep t-shirts plain where possible.

DESERT PHOTOsHOOT

The desert gives a beautiful neutral backdrop, with the occasional splash of green, so most clothing colours work well here. A lot of clients choose to wear all whites and neutrals, as in the first photo. Many choose whites for the adults and put the children in bright colours so they stand out, which adds a little pop of colour to the photos. And some choose to wear dark colours to contrast the light of the sand. All look wonderful and which you choose comes down to personal preference, so have a look at lots of different photos in the portfolio pages, so you have a clear idea of how you want your overall gallery to look.

Location

The outfit you choose will differ depending on whether you're at-home, at a park or in the desert or on the beach. For an at-home shoot you will want to look at the colour scheme of your house and choose outfits that either compliment or contrast your furnishings and decor. If you are going for a family desert photoshoot or to the beach, you will want to make sure that you wear something cool, that allows you to move around freely, as it may be warm and you're going to be quite active. Plus if your session is on sand or at-home then you're probably all going to be bare-foot, so you don't have to worry about which shoes to wear.

Park PHOTOSHOOT

Against the deep, vibrant greens of the grass and trees, bight colours such as red really stand out and make the photos pop with colour and life. It works well because the bright colours are balanced by the neutral, plain whites and pastels of the parents clothes. If the entire family had chosen bright colours and prints the photos would be too hectic and distracting.

AT-HOME PHOTOSHOOT

At-home photoshoots are natural and relaxed and you want your clothes to reflect this. As well as considering the colour of your clothing, you will want to think about the colour of your bedding and how that will interact with the clothes that you're wearing. Brightly coloured or patterned bedding is fine, so long as your clothes are plain or complimentary to the colours and patterns on the bedding. Alternatively if you have plain, white bedding, you may want to consider adding a bit of colour or pattern to your clothes.

Research

I would recommend spending some time looking through photos and galleries of shoots at your chosen location (which you can find on the portfolio pages of my website or on Pinterest) prior to your session. This will give you clothing and colour ideas and will help you visualise different styles and colours in your chosen setting.