What to wear for a family photoshoot | A simple guide
If you’ve booked a family photoshoot, there’s a good chance one of the first questions that comes to mind is:
“What on earth are we all going to wear?”
Don’t worry - you’re certainly not the first family to wonder!
Choosing family photoshoot outfits can feel surprisingly complicated.....
"Do we all need to match?"
"Should everyone wear neutral colours?"
"Are patterns a no-go?"
"What about the children?"
The good news is that there really isn’t a strict dress code!
At Verdi Studios, we’re much more interested in capturing your family as you are than creating a perfectly styled picture. Our photography is relaxed, natural and timeless, so what you wear should feel comfortable, familiar and like you.
In this blog post you can find a few tips, and simple things to keep in mind.
1: Wear something you feel good in!
This is probably our most important piece of advice.
Choose something you know you look good in, and feel good in - ideally something you’ve worn before and feel comfortable moving around in.
A family photoshoot isn’t the time to try out an entirely new outfit that you’re not sure about!
If you feel comfortable, it will show in the photographs. You’ll be more relaxed, your children will be more relaxed, and everything will feel much more natural.
And that’s exactly what we’re after!
2: You don't have to match!
Matching family outfits can look lovely, but they’re absolutely not necessary.
In fact, our preference is for families to coordinate rather than match!
Think about choosing colours and styles that sit nicely together without everyone wearing exactly the same thing.
For example, you might have:
Mum in a soft neutral jumper
Dad in a simple shirt or T-shirt
One child in a muted blue
Another in cream, beige or denim
They don’t need to be identical. They just need to feel like they belong together.
The result tends to look much more natural - and much more like your family.
3: Keep colours simple
If you’re stuck for inspiration, start with a simple colour palette.
Neutral and understated shades work beautifully for timeless family photography: creams, beige, denim, soft blues, earthy tones, grey, black and gentle muted colours can all work well.
That doesn’t mean you have to avoid colour.
If your family loves bright colours, wear them! The most important thing is that your clothes reflect your personalities.
The idea is simply to avoid having one item of clothing completely dominate the photograph.
After all, you are the focus - not the outfit.
4: Don't be afraid of everyday clothes
There’s sometimes a temptation to think you need to dress up for a professional photoshoot.
You really don’t!
A favourite jumper, a simple dress, jeans and a shirt, or an outfit your child wears all the time can photograph beautifully.
In fact, something familiar can often be the better choice.
We want you to look back at your photographs years from now and think - “That’s so us.”
Not - “Why did we all wear matching outfits that day?”
5: Think about comfort - especially for kids!
If you’re bringing babies, toddlers or young children, comfort is particularly important.
Avoid anything scratchy, stiff, overly tight or unfamiliar.
And before you ask, yes - big frilly collars will 100% flap up and cover their gorgeous faces, and yes - dungaree straps will absolutely fall down every 30 seconds! Jumping in shot to fix it as often as we've seen in the past not only potentially ruins the shot, but it interrupts the flow of the shoot, along with making the child hyper aware, as opposed to the relaxed and not-so-photo-aware environment we strive to create in the studio.
Children are much more likely to relax and enjoy themselves when they’re comfortable in what they’re wearing.
And please don't worry if your little one refuses to wear the carefully chosen outfit five minutes before leaving the house! It happens.
We photograph children as they are, and some of our favourite photographs come from the moments that weren’t quite part of the plan.
6: Avoid anything you're constantly adjusting!
One small thing worth considering is how much attention your outfit needs.
If you’re constantly pulling down a dress, fixing a collar, pulling up fallen shoulder straps, or worrying about whether something is sitting correctly, it can and will take you out of the moment.
Choose clothes that you can move, sit and relax in.
You’ll have enough to think about without wondering whether your sleeve has moved!
The most important thing? Come as yourselves
We know that preparing a family for a photoshoot can sometimes feel like a military operation.
Finding everyone's clothes.
Getting the children ready.
Remembering snacks.
Finding the missing shoe.
Trying to leave the house on time…
We've been doing this for a long time, and we've seen it all!
So our best advice is simply to keep it relaxed.
At Verdi Studios, our family photography sessions are designed to feel natural and enjoyable. We don't expect everyone to sit perfectly still, smile on command or behave like they've been practising for a photoshoot all week.
We're interested in the little moments - the smiles, the cuddles, the laughter and those expressions that are uniquely your children.
Your clothes are simply part of the picture.
The real focus is your family.
Looking for family photography in London / Essex?
Verdi Studios is a third-generation family-run photography studio in East London, established in 1976.
We photograph families, children, babies, newborns, couples and graduates in our professional studio, with a relaxed approach and a timeless style.
If you're planning a family photoshoot and still aren't sure what to wear, don't worry. Choose something comfortable, choose something you love, and come as yourselves.
We'll take care of the photographs.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. If you have any ideas, or interest about a particular topic - drop it in the comments below!
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