What to wear for your lifestyle family photoshoot!
My first tip is always to coordinate, not match.
Gone are the days of matching outfits - like everyone wearing jeans and white t-shirts. When your family matches completely, your photos will lack dimension and texture. They will fall flat and therefore, never make it into those expensive frames hanging above the fireplace. The easiest way to coordinate is to search on Pinterest or Google for a colour palette that you love and works for your family. Then go with it. Work with the clothes you have - chances are if you love those colours, it’s for a reason. So you likely already have the clothes that work. No need to buy anything new!
Don’t have people in multiple patterns and avoid large logos.
It’s okay to include some patterns but if everyone is wearing different ones, your pictures will be too busy and distracting to look at. It’s better to have one or two people wear a pattern within the colour palette you choose.
Keep your colour palette simple, neutrals are always nice.
The colours you choose should reflect your personality. In some cases, this might mean bold colours. That’s okay. But I caution you avoid neon or other bright shades. These types of colours do not photograph well and often don’t work in an outdoor setting.
The most important tip is to be comfortable.
Lifestyle sessions often include lots of movement. Therefore, you want to make sure you are comfortable and able to sit, stand and tickle! If you are most comfortable in a dress and heels - go for it! Whatever is true to you and your style is what you should wear. Pick something you feel beautiful in!
This is the same for your children. If your daughter loves to twirl in fun dresses, have her wear a fun dress but if she is more like my daughter and loves running, climbing and jumping in puddles - jeans and a shirt might be the better way to go. Your experience will be much more enjoyable if you are comfortable - trust me.
In the end, the goal of your session is to capture photos that show the connection and love between your family. It truly doesn’t matter what you wear, these tips are just suggestions. So, if your son is adamant on wearing his bright blue dinosaur rain boots or won’t let go of his toy train - let him. It is not worth the meltdown. And more importantly, it’s not worth the stress. These things won’t change the love you have for each other. That’s all that matters!
