Choosing A Wardrobe for Family Photos
Without a doubt, the number one question I get asked by family photo clients is “What should we wear?” With today’s highly visual social media platforms there’s a lot of great inspiration on pinterest and instagram (search family photos) to get a sense of looks that you might want to emulate (or avoid!) There are very few hard and fast “rules” because I think your wardrobe is ultimately an expression of what you are trying to capture in the photos and depends greatly on the members and dynamic of your family. That said, here are the general guidelines that I give to clients. You will likely choose to follow some, but probably not all.
Coordinated but NOT matching
I’m not a huge fan of matching outfits because I think your family photos should represent your family personality, and how often do you all go out in matching outfits? Think coordination instead. Choose a colour palette that everyone’s outfits will fall into, e.g. cool neutrals like blues and greys, or earth tones. The location of your session might influence your choice here. Do you want to complement the scenery or stand out from it? Earth tones in a fall forest setting can look harmonious but can also risk blending in depending on the tones you choose.
The coordinated idea also applies to the overall style of the clothes. Dad in a dress shirt and khakis and a kid in sweats looks disjointed. Think of it this way, if you were going out to eat as a family, you would all dress in a manner appropriate to the restaurant you were going to – the same applies here.
If you lay all of your outfits out together, no one piece of clothing should jump out at you when you glance at the collection. This piece will also grab your eye when viewing your photos. We want the attention to be on people and faces not a particular article of clothing.
Simple and Comfortable
Comfort is especially important for kids who might get irritable in fussy clothes. (For more on prepping kids, check out this blog post) Unless you particularly want a more formal look, I tend to land on the side of casual as a preference. Everyone is more at ease and can have a bit more fun, leading to photos with a better sense of connection.
Along the lines of comfort, think about how you might be moving in the session. A short skirt might look great while someone is standing, but it can be challenging to sit on a blanket in one. Perhaps choose a longer skirt or pants? The same applies to shoes – if we’re walking through a forest or climbing on rocks at the lakefront, heels won’t be friendly to our escapades. Talking of shoes…
Shoes matter
Many of your photos probably won’t have your feet in them, but some will. I always shoot a variety of close up and full body images, so make sure that you have considered footwear. They should not only fit with the styling of your outfit, but also be clean and in reasonably good repair.
Layers and accessories add variety
A typical family photo session doesn’t allow for a full wardrobe change, but you can still create variety in your images with the use of layers and accessories that can come on and off during our session. Think along the lines of jackets, sweaters, hats and scarves as great options that are easy to carry and mix in. However, do consider the impact of pulling a sweater off or a hat on your hairstyle – you might not want to start with these on, add them in later.
Layers are a great way to be prepared for our sometimes wildly fluctuating weather in the GTA. Especially in the fall, we can experience some pretty big temperature swings. I’ve shot October sessions in the 20’s but also in low single digits. Layers are your friend in this situation.
Shop your closet
There’s no need to go out and buy new outfits for the whole family. The best, most flattering and comfortable items are probably already in your closet and among your most worn items. Consider, you wear them often because you look and feel great in them. Make sure everything gets tried on several days before the session (especially if it hasn’t been worn recently) Kids grow FAST! The last thing you need on the day of your session is for your darling 13 year old son to put on the shirt you’ve picked out and realized that the sleeves are now ¾ length on him!
Minimize distractions
I mentioned above when talking about colour palette that you don’t want any one piece to pull visual attention. A similar distraction can be caused by large logos or graphics (plus we’re not shooting an ad campaign for abercrombie right?)
You don’t need to avoid all patterns (the texture they add can look good), but you don’t want them to be distracting. Pinstripes, polka dots, tone on tone plaids are usually preferable to bold, colourful, high contrast prints. Use the trick of laying out all the pieces and look for what catches your eye.
Listen to the kids
It’s always my goal that everyone enjoys both the experience of the photo session as well as the results. One way to help with this is for you to let the kids have input on what they are wearing (as much as is age-appropriate!) This doesn’t necessarily mean giving them free rein but do ask for their opinions. For younger kids, this might be you picking out some choices for them and allowing them the final selection. With teens, I suggest that you give them guidelines and let them pick (do reserve a veto right!) For insurance – ask for a pre-session try-on to make sure the outfit comes together the way they intend and that it fits.
As I mentioned at the start, these are guidelines. Ultimately, you want to create the look that is right for your family, whatever that may be.
