Photography is a passion of mine that I’ve grown to deeply love. I find myself thinking about it often even when I don’t have my camera in my hand.
Recently I was browsing around online when I came across so many outfits that would be perfect for a professional photo shoot. With the fall photography session upon us, I thought what better time to share a few tips for picking your families wardrobe! (I also linked all my finds to the bottom of my post to make it easy on you!)
You’re Not Alone
As a mom I always begin to stress when it comes time to style my kids for a photo shoot. For some reason the idea of finding the perfect look seems impossible and fills me with unnecessary anxiety. I tend to second guess myself if my wardrobe will look cohesive together (especially with multiple kids in the picture).
I think this feeling of wanting everything to be perfect stems from two things:
- for most, professional pictures aren’t a regular event
- lets face it – these images are an investment.
I tried to take some of your stress away by sharing tips of what to consider when gathering your clothing. (colors that compliment and your photographer would LOVE for you to wear!)
I’ve also completed a round up of cute, stylish, but also timeless items (for my dad and kids) that would be perfect for a family photography session.
What Not to Wear
When dressing your family, you need to think about the colors they are wearing. Most people don’t take into consideration how easily color reflects. Even when I’m shooting behind the camera I try to make sure I’m wearing a white shirt to help bounce off as much light as I can. It maybe a subtle color reflection, but in the end wearing colors that compliment your skin tone (and don’t reflect harsh colors onto your face) can makes a huge difference in the end product.
Also, depending on your photographers editing style, it’s important to stay away from dark, deep colors. ( Some photographers shoot beautiful moody, under exposed images, which these colors are probably fine in to wear. However, I don’t shoot images like this so I prefer the opposite.)
The reasoning why your photographer prefers you stay away from dark clothing is for two reasons. One, it can be pain to edit in post. Any dark clothing will show every single piece of lint, hair, etc. It may sound small, but it can be a mess to try to edit out of the each photo to create a polished look. Two, it will pull light away from your face. Like I mentioned before, it’s a very subtle reflection, but the light will be pulled away from the subjects face.
Colors that Compliment
Creating a color pallette with neutral, soft coloring is the best way to achieve a light and bright airy image. Your photographer will also thank you for not having to spend hours and hours in post trying to achieve the look they want.
However, with a more neutral color scheme, you don’t want everyone wearing an all white t shirt. Try to pick a few items that add a little texture. For example, an eyelet top or a sweater with tiny poms help give dimension and show movement in the photograph. This gives your image a little variation so everything isn’t so “flat”. Different fabric types can also help archive this. Think about picking various fabrics such as chiffon, gauze, pleated skirts, ruffles, etc. These materials are all ways to add this little touch of texture. Layering is also a great way to give your clothing something extra. For example, a sweater, vest, overalls on a little one are all great ways I would incorporate this.
For men or little boys I prefer styling them in a henley style top vs. a button down shirt. I like to avoid a structured neckline because yes, it looks polished in person, but it reads very stiff on camera. I like my images to have a more relaxed effortless look when shooting a lifestyle session.
Featured below are a few examples of a cake smash mini session I shot for a friend. His (multiple) outfits were perfect to achieve the look we wanted!
P.S. Can you believe these were shot on a cloudy day?
Again, coming back to light reflection… If you’re a photographer or just a mom that likes to take pictures of your little one; here’s a lighting tip for you.
TIP* If the sky is cloudy and not giving you the best light, try to find a gravel road, cement driveway, or a side walk to take your pictures on. This will help pull more light up onto to the subjects face. You will notice the difference between the two locations that I shot at. When you scroll to the images of baby in the grass, notice how dull it reads than the pictures at the horse stables. I edited the images the exact same way, however, all the white from the horse stables naturally helps brighten up my image.
Danielle Bouchard says
This post is so helpful! I’ve been struggling with how to style my baby for photos – these tips are great! I never realized that neutral colors were best.. and always wondered why collared shirts don’t translate well in photos. I will definitely come back to reference this post in the future š
kristina.e.hale says
Danielle, I’m so happy you found this post helpful! Yes, don’t forget to pin this post to your Pinterest board to help you in the future! š XO