Styling Your Lifestyle Family Session
Spokane Family Photographer
You’ve just booked your photographer for family photos. You’re so excited to have someone capture you and your family but now you just realized you have to find something for everyone to wear.. Ugh, cue all the “I have nothing to wear”, “My husband doesn’t want to wear that”, “I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on outfits just for a few hours”. I get it! I even have those thoughts when I have a session with my husband. But I am here to tell you it does not have to be this way! When a client works with me, nine times out of ten they ask for recommendations on what they should wear to make their photos look best. I finally sat down and wrote out all of my ‘do’s’ and ‘don’t’ of styling your family session. Let’s begin!
For this post I had to showcase this amazing family session I had with the Merrills. Not only are they such a sweet family and a delight to photograph, but their outfits were spot on. I have worked with the Merrills before and it is the greatest honor to have a repeat client. Fun fact: they were actually my very first clients I ever photographed in Spokane over a year ago. It has been so fun to watch their family grow up over the time I have known them. Notice how their outfits were complementary (not exact matches) to one another, including colors and textures that paired well together and were weather appropriate. This is the perfect formula for how to dress your family for a session!
Do’s of Styling your Family Session
Do: Reach Out To Your Photographer for Advice
Have a few outfits in mind but want to know how they may look behind the lens? Send a screenshot or two to your photographer and ask for their opinion! They will be able to tell if a pattern will clash with any other colors you’ve picked out, if a fabric color might not be the best in front of a camera, or if it will fit in for the location you’ve selected for your session. Valleri reached out to me well in advance of her session to show me what she was thinking and we discussed options she was considering. It made us both more excited for the session!
Do: Stick to Neutrals
You finally booked a session with a photographer… I am hoping you will actually print and hang your portraits (#printyourphotos). A bright red “Rudolf” sweater might be great for a christmas card photo, but will it fit the aesthetic of your home the rest of the year so you can show off your beautiful family the other 11 months? For this session, the Merrills wanted a “christmas card” feel, but as you can see their outfits don’t scream the holidays and would look great in their home year-round.
Another reason for neutrals (think whites, blacks, tans, muted colors) is they age well and help make your photos feel more timeless. If you are dressing with the trends, you may notice your pictures become dated faster. Neutral colors also don’t take away from your beautiful faces :) They tend to compliment the background of your photos more cohesively as well.
Do: Implement Complimenting Textures
In this session, Valleri wore a beautiful scarf that adds texture and depth to the photographs. Other examples include chunky sweaters, different layers and a fun pattern that matches well with the rest of the outfits (floral, stripes, plaid). Try to avoid mixing multiple patterns or choosing a pattern that is distracting.
Do: Wear Something Weather Appropriate
If it’s snowing, don’t wear shorts. If it’s 100 degrees, don’t wear hot, itchy sweaters. If it’s especially chilly outside, feel free to throw on a pair of warm leggings under your skirt or dress, and make sure everyone has toasty warm socks on. This is pretty self explanatory, but you’d be surprised at how many people foce an outfit and end up super uncomfortable during their session (I have done this).
Do: Feel Comfortable
This may be the most important suggestion. Wear something that you are comfortable with. Not just comfortable physically, but mentally too. If you put on something that makes you feel self conscious, it’s an immediate “no”. You do not have to wear what Instagram thinks is ‘cool’ or ‘trendy’. Wear what makes you happy. The more confident you feel in your outfit, the better your pictures will turn out!
Don’ts of Styling Your Family Session
Don’t: Spend all of Your Money
Please don’t feel like you have to spend a lot of money on new outfits for your family. There are so many ways to find great outfits without breaking the bank, and the goal is to pick outfits that accurately represent your family- so naturally, you should have no issue wearing your outfits again in the future! Check out thrifting websites like ThredUp or Poshmark for something a little more fancy/name brand. Old Navy, H&M and Target have great peices for photo shoots that won’t leave you feeling like you spent a whole paycheck on new outfits. You can find great neutral basics and fun patterns for men, women and children for affordable prices at these retailers.
Don’t: Wait Until the Last Minute to Try Your Outfits On
Please do not wait until the morning of to decide what you are going to wear. Inevitably, something will go wrong. You may find your child has outgrown the outfit, or that your spouse isn’t happy with what you selected for them. You could be trying on outfit after outfit unhappy with anything and we all know this results in a post-tornado mess of a closet. Not a great way to start off your family session. Plan ahead and I promise it will make the day go much smoother.
Don’t: Try to Conform to Another Style You Are Not…
Stay true to who you and your family are. If your family is very low-key and love to be comfortable, don’t go with a suit and formal gown that you’re both not excited about. Your photos will be more special if they resemble who you guys truly are.
If you take away anything from this blog, please let it be this: your photos are going to be beautiful. However, if you are investing time and money into a session, I promise it is worth it to consider what your family will be wearing. These photos will hang in your home and serve as a reminder of a time and place with your loved ones. Of course you want them to look great! Just remember to talk to your photographer, consider your location and show up feeling confident in yourself. I hope these tips will make you fall even more in love with your photos!
PS: Target and Old-Navy even have sections of their website and store dedicated to matching family outfits! They have already picked out complimenting colors and patterns. All you have to do is decide which color scheme you’re interested in!
Cheers!
-Meredith “The Camera Kidd”
