The most thought about question that is asked to me about a family photoshoot is what to wear. The single and foremost thing to get into consideration while picking up your clothes should be how comfortable and happy you are in them. You need to look like yourself on D-day.
Now is not the time to experiment with things. Three months down the line you look at yourself and find your attire weird or not relatable or feel that a certain silhouette or colour was not for you.
What to wear
Now there are no fixed guidelines or regulations to follow while choosing an outfit for yourself. However below I am suggesting some of the ideas or tips you can use to dress for a family photoshoot. But remember these are plain ideas. At the end of the day, it should depend on you and you alone on how you want to look on this very special occasion.
Pastel colours work best
Plain and pastel colours should be your priority for choosing an outfit. Again you can always go for your desired colour. Why do plain colours work best? Well, they help to not let the focus go anywhere away from you. Since they are not too bright, the emphasis is more on your face and not the clothes.
Matching outfits? A choice
Now, this is something a lot of people would get confused upon. Whether the whole family should match or not. To be honest, it doesn't matter. Matching clothes does not necessarily have a huge impact on your photographs. It's a very personal preference. Some families love to match while others don't.
Remember that the pictures are mainly about you and not your clothes. So if you want to go for a colour coordinated frame, go for it and vice versa.
But if you are the one who likes to match their clothes, then I suggest you should decide the patterns, tones and textures beforehand. As said before, mid-tone or pastel colours clothes look the best
Wearing all white
Choosing an all-white outfit for a photo shoot is a very popular choice. Many people opt for this colour as it is light to the eyes. Well, white certainly gives the best monochrome images. But do remember that if you are a plus-size person who is not the most comfortable in their skin, then you might want to ignore this as white can make you look larger.
Wearing all black
Black is a good colour when it comes to your body image issues. Black tends to make the person look thinner and maybe that's why so many people choose black. As for the family photos, black may seem a bit too dark for some people. Therefore grey is the best alternative when it comes to choosing black undertones for your outfits. But avoid choosing half black and half white for the family. It can create wild contrasting images in your photography.
Black and white or coloured
If you are opting for a black and white photoshoot then any outfit you wear looks as good as it is. You just have to see the fit. You just have to look for the tones maybe. For example, if you are having the photoshoot in a darker environment like a jungle or something then you might want to wear something lighter.
Think for the longer term
Always remember that these photos will be with you for the long term, therefore you should always choose a timeless outfit rather than something you wear as a trending experiment. Fashion is a come and go thing. What remains is the style. Choose something that you would want to see forever on your wall.
Have a try
Try on your chosen clothes the day before. Adults, kids should be comfortable in what they are wearing. You may want to also see whether you can sit and do things in them. Uncomfortable attire will show on in the pictures.
Littles kids should be wearing tight leggings or diapers etc so you can focus on making a good family portrait and not on fashion faux pas.
Clothes that fit? Yes
Now, this is something that sounds obvious. You have to wear something that fits. Anything too tight or too loose will look unflattering in the pictures. Look if your clothes hang unnecessarily. Remove anything from the pockets that might look bad. If you can put your gadgets in a bag or anywhere else and not with you while clicking pictures.
Be happy
Last but not least. Be happy and comfortable. If you lack any of these, no matter what you wear, it will look bad. Therefore wear comfortable clothes and smile and you are good to go.
About Madhu photography
Photography has always fascinated Madhu since her early years. She found joy in capturing moments, things, people and nature and decided to make this into a profession. She has learned professional photography from Drishti school of Photography Bangalore. After then, she started getting invested in clicking pictures of children and making memorabilia of the different magical phases of their growth.
She also has a lot of affinity towards capturing nature in different styles and forms. Professionally, she has worked under the banner Strawberry pictures and has clicked photos of infants, kids and family portraits for a decade. Today she has started a venture of her own and is one of the best photographers we have in Bangalore.