What to wear to your family photoshoot?

This is one of the most common questions I get from people once they book their session with me, and I am thrilled to help! Clothing plays an integral part in visual storytelling. The colours, textures and apparel style add different vibes to the photo and evoke a different emotional response from the viewer. 

You are unique individuals; when you are together in a single image, you still blend as a family, and clothes play a part there too. Below are just a few guidlines

Make sure that you are comfortable!

Don’t choose an outfit that makes you feel awkward, is itchy, or doesn’t fit your personality. If you are uncomfortable, it will show through in the photos too. Try it on beforehand (for all family members!) to ensure you feel good in what you wear. You might even snap a quick phone picture and look back to see if you like what you see. and feel free to share it with me too. Everyone should have the same style for your session, formal or casual. For an outdoor session with family, casual clothes and long flowing dresses give pictures a romantic, happy vibe. Make sure that your clothing is clean and wrinkle-free!

What is the best Colour to wear for a family photo shoot?

• Neutral colours combined with earthy tones are hands down the best colors for a photoshoot.

• If you are adding colours, stick to 2 colours that go well together. something like,

  Red and green and neutral colours

  Blue and orange and neutral colours

• You don’t have to get exact shades. Any shades within these colour combinations will give you the best results.

• For men, I recommend cotton/linen shirts of creme, beige, brown, khaki green, mustard yellow or maroon. For lowers, you can carry either beige pants or cotton linen pants in beige, brown, maroon or khaki green. Avoid jeans if you can.

• Solid colours or different hues of the same colour look lovely, too. For example, one family member might wear a solid colour, while another might incorporate the colour in a small checked pattern or little flower pattern.

• Little children can wear solid colours or tiny prints. Linen mix dresses for girls and linen/ cotton shirts for boys, the ones with granddad collars, are my favourites for photoshoots. Natural materials have beautiful textures to anhance your images.

How to do makeup for family photo shoot?

• Keep your make-up natural and light, matt finish.

• Everyone’s hair needs to be shampooed. No oil, please. For women, the best would be to get their hair (beach curls) curled. Curled hair looks the absolute best in images. It will enhance the look of the images twice as much.

• My recommended hair and make up artist based in reading; if you need your hair done for a phtooshoot. https://www.suganya.co.uk/ You can reach out to her directly to check her availability. She is brilliant with her work.

• Make sure there isn’t any chipped colour on your nails.

Please follow these styling suggestions so we can create the most fantastic set of images for you. The proper clothing and styling add magic to images.

Accessories:

Adding accessories like a hat, jacket, fabulous shoes, scarf, etc. adds interest to the image. You are always welcome to bring your favourites, and I’ll help you put outfits together. Umbrellas and shawls for cold weather would also add layers and interest to the image.

What shoes to wear?

Please don’t forget the shoes! They will be shown in some of your photos, and if you are wearing old, dirty shoes, they won’t look good. Neon colours on shoes are very distracting; please avoid them. Make sure your shoes match what you are wearing. High heels on women will make your legs look longer, and you look taller.

Adding Textures:

• Choose fabrics with lots of texture. (sweaters, knits, etc..)

• Layers add interest and depth to an image, so pair up short/long-sleeved shirts, wear a cool jacket, put leggings under skirts and dresses, etc.

• You are most welcome to wear a saree too; solid colours are the way to go, and cotton materials look lovely and elegant on older adults.

What NOT to Wear: 

There are a few things to avoid:

• Avoid Branded clothes with words or big brand logos across your clothing

• Please avoid stripes, small or big, at any cost.

• cartoon characters / significant patterns / big stripes that look like they are swallowing the whole person, please avoid them.

• Avoid having everybody in white t-shirts and jeans.

• neon colours on shirts or shoes are very distracting.

• Dirty or wrinkled clothing is hard to correct in post-processing.

• Avoid wearing pure white. Beige and cream look much nicer in the pictures.

• No T-shirts, please.

The clothing items don’t need to be expensive to look good in the pictures. It’s all about the colours, textures, layering, and how confidently you wear it. I am sure you have something charming in your current closet that you can choose for a photoshoot. And if you would like to shop around a bit, the below resources might help!

Shopping:

If you need to shop for your clothing, my favourite places are below.

My favourite places for women’s clothing :

https://www.zara.com/uk/ 

https://balticborn.com/

Kids clothing:

https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/index.html 

https://www.zara.com/uk/ 

https://dannieandlilou.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/dannieandlilou/

Does that sound confusing? or do you have any further questions? I am all ears! just get in touch at hello@pranalipatil.co.uk and we will sort the things for you.

If you havn’t booked a session with me already and would like to learn more about my family photoshoots, click the button below.