“Help! What do I wear?
For the Family Portrait
Don’t worry! Consider these few pointers and you’ll be headed in the right direction!
Solid colours, subtle prints and classic casual clothing are always complimentary. For visual balance within family portraits have everyone dressed in the same tones or colour theme. For example, all in light or all in dark, all in blues or all in neutrals. We certainly don’t mean for everyone to have a matching outfit, simply clothing that’s in a similar tonal range.
Think in black and white tones. If everyone wears dark blue and one person wears white the eye will be drawn to the person wearing white. If there’s a reason that one person should stand out, then do it! If not, change your colour selections.
Denim in any colour looks great. It’s classic and informal and looks great combined with a white shirt.
Groom your hands and nails – they usually end up in some of the pictures.
Where you can, avoid patterns, logos, branding and busy designs. Stripes, checks and busy patterns all tend to be distracting.
If you normally wear glasses, plan to wear them for your portrait or people may not recognise you. Please note: it’s impossible to correct lenses that darken in the sunlight and if you occasionally wear glasses, to go without is usually best.
For women, dresses and skirts tend to be a bit limiting – jeans or casual pants can be dressed up or down.
Wear your makeup a little heavier than you usually would. Stick to neutral tones and keep your lipstick colour light/ medium – a hot pink, deep brown or red lippie can appear heavy in black and white photos or overpowering in coloured images.
Be conscious of the bra strap and avoid a sleeveless top.
If you are still unsure on the day, it’s always advisable to bring along a few options and we can help with your final selection.
For the Kids
When it comes to kids, whether they be 5 weeks, 5 or 15 years old you won’t get them cracking a smile if they’re dressed in an outfit that simply isn’t them, is ill fitting or too fussy – their clothing should reflect who they are as an individual and their style – that way they’ll be more comfortable and relaxed for the shoot.
Newborns
We tend to focus on the detail of the tiny creation that has entered your world so there are close ups of the feet, hands, face etc – there’s no need for a fussy outfit that’s likely to upset bubs getting in and out of. A fluffy towel might come in handy should we decide to do nudie shots!
Nappy cover with no legs in a plain light colour and fabric (preferably white or cream)– for the girls perhaps nappy covers with frills on them.
An item of special significance – a hand made blanket or toy.
Kids
Little girls love their party dresses so a plain little frock looks great.
If there is more than one little princess, matching dresses always look sweet.
Angel wings or fairy dresses are also popular.
Props
Think about things that characterise the personality of the children. If they love dressing up bring along a big hat, sparkly shoes or fairy wings!
Bubbles, balls, rattles and interactive toys
Drawing material and books
Food – if you’re looking for a messy food shot by all means bring chocolate, iced donuts and juicy fruit portions.
