Client style guide
So you’ve booked in your shoot and you have no idea on where to start when it comes to styling your family to create beautiful images?
While it can be overwhelming it’s actually pretty simple, if you try to just follow some simple rules.
1/ Start with Mum’s outfit first. Once that is sorted then you can then style the rest of the family around that. Aim for natural fabrics in neutral tones. Flowing, midi/maxi-length dresses work well as they’re comfortable, flattering and give beautiful movement in photos. You may wish to go for a print, and that’s totally fine, but try to avoid bold, bright prints. And please, no logos on any clothing. If Mum goes for a delicate print, then you can take colours out of that item to work out clothing for the rest of the family. If you’re not really a flowy-dress person that’s ok. In-home newborn sessions in particular work well with more dressed-down looks. You may even want to wear jeans/casual pants with a plain, light-coloured blouse or in cooler months a neutral-coloured chunky knit.
2/ Once you have Mum’s outfit sorted then work from there. Lighter colours generally work better in photos, but of course if you’d much rather wear darker colours that’s totally up to you. If you do decide to put someone in a dark colour like black or navy (navy is a little softer and not as cold as black), make sure not everyone is dressed in dark colours. If Mum goes a print then look at plain colours for the rest of the family. Whites, creams and earthy neutral colours are stunning in photos.
3/ While the end look is of course super important you also want comfort. You don’t want to be hitching up a dress or continuously readjusting yourself through the whole shoot. In a family session in particular you will be moving around quite a bit. You’ll be walking, sitting, laying, picking up kids, throwing them around, having a heap of fun! So you want to be comfortable.
4/ Partners/Dads don’t have to go formal with a collared shirt. T-shirts are great! In fact, t-shirts work best especially for newborn sessions as they’re more comfortable for baby to lay on, rather than shirts with buttons. Once again, plain colours are best. A simple t-shirt in white/taupe/cream/pale brown or any other earthy colour you can think of are great. Plus if partners are comfortable then they’re more likely to relax and have fun. Shorts or pants are fine, depending on the time of year. And knits to layer over the top in cooler months are great, too!
5/ Babies and toddlers are best to be dressed in comfort also. Rompers work so well as they hide nappies and you won’t have to readjust and cover their bellies when you’re picking them up and playing with them.
6/ Like Dad, you may like to go a simple t-shirt and shorts/pants with little/older boys. Or a cute plain knit if it’s cooler weather.
7/ Little girls photograph beautifully in flowy dresses, tutus or anything that gives movement (think twirly photos!) and while pinning hair out of their face is a good idea I love to shoot a little one’s natural hair, flowing and moving in the breeze. So while of course it’s a personal preference and totally up to you natural hair down looks so gorgeous. Of course we do want to make sure we can capture their gorgeous little face though, so if pins/hair ties work best then that’s totally fine.
8/ Accessories are a great way to mix up your look and give variety in images. A cute hat, headband, knit cardigan or something you can add to your outfit is a great way to add a little something ‘extra’ :)
9/ When shooting outdoors in colder months remember that it can get quite cold quite quickly at sunset, so I would recommend bringing along a knit/cardigan to pop on your kids if they start to get cold. The minute they feel the cold they’re not going to want to comply with having photos taken, trust me!
10/ Think about not wearing things like watches or hair ties on wrists. These can be quite distracting in photos and are probably things you don’t want in your images in years to come ;)
If you’re looking for ideas of places to shop for gorgeous pieces for Mum and little ones some of my favourite shops include:
Jamie Kay, Opia Byron Bay, Hazel and Folk, Co and Ry, Coven and Co, Seed
And if you’re more budget conscious there’s also some wonderful options out there. Just try to look for plain, natural fabrics as much as you can.
Best and Less, Target, Kmart, Next, H&M, Cotton On
Check out my Pinterest page HERE for some more ideas and examples of styling the family.
And lastly, I’m here to help you with every step along the way for your shoot! So if you want some advice or help on what to wear please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I am more than happy to help!
