What To Wear

The most important thing I want you to remember when preparing for your session, is that I want y'all to look like YOU. If you aren’t a floral dress wearing mum, then wear shorts and a t-shirt, if your daughter hates her hair out, let it be in a pony tail, if son reeeeeeally loves his camo pants, then that is okay. Own who you are and your photos will be that much more special because people won’t feel uncomfortable, and when you walk past your pictures in the hallway, you’ll remember this time of your life for exactly how it was.

BUT, with that in mind, I also know that sometimes you might just need a few ideas and there are also a few things that don’t photograph well, so if you feel like you want/need a little help then keep on reading…

First things first- MUM

You’re probably the one who thought it was a good idea to get photos, so I truly want you to love them. If that means going out and buying a new dress, then go for it! If you have a favorite pair of jeans that make you feel fabulous, then grab those and let’s start planning everyone else around what makes you look and feel your best.

Color

Color is great, but I tend to recommend avoiding anything too bright. Our eyes are naturally drawn to anything bright in a photo, and we are trying to focus more on capturing your faces and your connections than your clothes. With colors I’d recommend more muted tones like olive greens, rust, mustard, dusty pinks, navy, browns etc, so the brightness of the colour doesn’t distract and overwhelm the photo. Neutrals are great but I’d go more for creams, greys or browns rather than a black or white as these can be very bright or very dark in some lighting. I usually try to include at least one warm color (rust, burgundy, mustard, brown etc) in your group, especially if we are in a predominantly green environment like a park or garden, or at the beach as there is often lots of blue with the water and sky.

Patterns, textures and logos

If one or two people in your family are wearing something patterned this can look great. A floral dress or a subtle patterned shirt can work well, but keep the patterns subtle. Big spots or stripes can be very distracting, as can any big logos, words or characters. If you’re wanting to keep things simple and most of the family are wearing plain clothes, then I’d suggest keeping it interesting with some textures- linen, denim or knits all look great.

Should we all wear jeans and white shirts?

NO. We’ve all moved on from the 90’s and we don’t want to be SO matching it looks like you’re wearing a uniform. I recommend a mix of colors that all compliment each other. So if you have chosen your outfit and it has rust, sky blue and cream, then a rust skirt and denim shorts on the kids would tie in really nicely with that. Having a few feature colors mixed in with some plainer/neutral stuff works well.

Keep in mind your location, the weather and our activities

If we are at the beach, there is potential for getting wet, so boots are great. If we are riding horses, wear pants. If we’re going for a hike, wear comfy shoes. If it might be cold or windy, pack layers for the kids. If everyone is cold or uncomfortable it’s harder to get photos you will love.

What are you going to do with your photos?

If they are just for sharing online, or going in an album, then wear what you like, but if you have plans to have a giant print in your babies room or by your front entry, then it’s a good idea to choose clothing that will work well with the color scheme of the room. If you have a beachy/neutral living area then letting your daughter wear a florescent pink dress might not look so great when it’s printed HUGE!

A few things I LOVE in photos

HAIR OUT

For mamas and kids with long hair, even if it’s a bit windy, we can get some really beautiful photos with hair blowing in the breeze. Keep a hair tie in your pocket, not on your wrist.

TWIRLY DRESSES

If you have a little dress loving girl (or boy!) then we can have a lot of fun twirling in the pretty sunset or in their bedroom or back garden.

SPECIAL THINGS

If your kid has a favorite toy or blanky (even the dirty stinky kind that has been dragged everywhere), you are more than welcome to include it!

PETS

Kids and their pets are such a special relationship to photograph. You are welcome to bring your dog, just let me know so we have a dog friendly location. Or any weird and wonderful pets are welcome to join in at home!

A few things to avoid

CLEAVAGE & BRA STRAPS

My sessions can be pretty action packed, I encourage you to play with your kids and I photograph from all angles both outdoors and at home. The less you are worried about the girls popping out, or fixing your straps, the better.

FAKE TAN

You might feel better with a tan, but more often than not it looks orange in pictures. If there are blotchy parts around your hands/feet/armpits it can be very obvious with my super sharp lenses, and if your whole family is a lovely shade of pale they will do a great job of making you look super unnatural.

HATS

Welcome to bring them for a few shots if you like, but generally they just put your face in a big shadow, which is their job, but not ideal for portraits.

WATCHES

Once we start our session, I just want you to enjoy being with your family, let me worry about the time! I know you might feel a bit naked without your watch, or your kid might not be accurately recording their steps for the day, but my photos often incorporate your hand or arms, especially if you have a baby or little one wanting to be held, and a big shiny watch can be very distracting.

GIRLS UNDIES OR DIAPERS

If you have a toddler or little girl who loves dresses but also loves rolling around with her legs in the air, perhaps consider a cute diaper cover or less obvious undies. Often if they are sitting on your lap or hip, getting tickled or rolling down a hill they aren’t thinking (nor should they!) about seeing up their dress, and whilst I’ve really seen it all, you may not love those for nannas wall as a Christmas gift.

UGLY BAGS

If our session is outdoors and you’ve just got keys and phones, you are welcome to chuck them in my camera bag. If your kids are likely to meltdown without a snack supply, water bottle and a towel then I suggest bringing them in a nice bag you are happy to have in photos. I usually go on a little walking adventure around a location, and opportunities for fun and natural photos pop up along the way, if you have a blue Ikea bag over your shoulder it might mean we have to stop and offload before taking the next shots.

RESTING B**** FACE

I wish I was joking, but my style of photography is often quite documentary. I don’t expect you to smile at me the whole time (actually please don’t), but just be wary that even if I’m not telling you a photo is happening, you’re probably in it. If you’re giving your husband a filthy look, or you’re angry at your kid for ‘being a kid’ then you might be the reason you don’t like those pictures, cause your cute kid is having a blast!

Of course I am ALWAYS here to help!

(Maybe not if you leave it till the hour before your session… but if you need a hand in the weeks/days beforehand, please let me know!)

Once you’ve put together a few outfits, I suggest you lay them all out on the bed and shoot me a phone pic. If there is something that looks like a total disaster, I can let you know or make suggestions (like if there is a shirt or shorts that could be easily swapped to tie it all together nicely).

Again, if you’re reading this going "WHOA too many rules", this is just a guide for those who feel they need some pointers! Please remember, looking like YOU is truly the most important thing here, and if you are a florescent colors, patterns, and hat loving family, then please don’t let me stop you!

And you can always use Style + Select

How does it work?

From beginning to end, I want to make this photo experience as stress-free as possible for all of my clients, which is why every single one of you will have access to this amazing and personalized styling service. Simply go to the questionnaire and use your personal access code (delivered via email) to begin styling your entire family from the comfort of your couch. No more running store to store and no more guessing! Fill out the simple Style Questionnaire about your family, color scheme you are wanting and the vibe of clothes you would like to see. The quick results page will show you photo-approved clothing pieces for each family member and you can view outfits side-by-side while favoriting items. Feel free to play around with it until you have selected the perfect outfit combo! Click the email button to send yourself the selected items or shop for the clothes right away by clicking the shopping cart buttons. You can also use it as a visual inspirational tool for what to pull from within your own closets.