We've booked a family location photoshoot, what should we wear?
One of the most common questions I get asked before sessions is: what clothing should we wear? Should everyone match or wear something different? Should everyone wear the same colour?
As you know, For studio sessions I highly, highly, recommend neutrals. This is because the setting of the studio is all white, cream and beige, and by wearing too many colours, the clothing will end up distracting from the images, and just confuses the whole thing!
Obviously, in location shoots, this isn't an issue! we don't need to worry too much about wearing neutral colours, but it is still important to think about wardrobe choice in order to make your family blend together nicely with each other and the background.
I recommend trying to stick to no more than 3-4 colours in a colour palette, that everyone in your family wears. By making sure that everyone is dressing in a way that's co-ordinated, this will make really tie together your images. I also recommend sticking to plain, non-fussy outfits. Outfits that are overly patterned, have writing or pictures distract from the people in the photo, and can make the whole image look too busy and messy!
Where to shop?
Obviously, I do not expect you to buy specific outfits for your shoot, but if you're on the lookout for somewhere with some great choices, H&M, Zara and Next all have a wide range of lovely, photo-friendly outfits.
Good location photography outfits don't have to break the bank: even some lovely plain T-Shirts or jumpers, along with cargos, leggings or jeans work PERFECTLY.
Plain outfits, like this from Next, are always a good shout!
Zara kids
Location is also key!
It's also a really good idea to think about where you're having your location shoot, and what time of day and year you're having your shoot. If you're having a beach shoot in the height of summer, it's a great idea to wear light and airy outfits (floaty dresses are always perfect for this) wheras if your session is taking place in Autumn in a forest, autumnal colours with lots of oranges and browns work so beautifully.
I found this amazing ideas sheet for outfits from talented fellow photographer Marle Searle , which expertly shows you how to use colour palettes to pick the best combination for your location shoot wardrobe.
