Consider your family's style
Are you a jeans and t-shirt family, or do you tend to dress more formally? Do you usually opt for bright colours or something more neutral?
It's important that the memories we capture together reflect you as a family, especially if you're going to print them and have them adorning your walls at home.
Once you've worked out what your family's style is you can start to think about colour options, and different textures.
Be comfortable
This is especially important for little ones - if they are uncomfortable, their top itches, or they're cold, they're not going to be happy and we're unlikely to get the best out of them on the day.
Bear in mind the season and the weather forecast, and bring layers that can easily be added or removed if the weather changes.
This goes for adults too - wear something comfortable that makes you feel good. For a postpartum mum that might be a floaty dress rather than jeans for example.
Wear complementary tones
This doesn't mean you have to wear neutrals like beige and cream, though they are a classic combination for a reason and they do photograph really well, especially when you use different textures like a wool cardigan over a cotton dress.
You could opt for "shades of blue", jewel tones or pastels for instance. If everyone is wearing similar tones it brings a cohesiveness to the end images.
We want to avoid clashing tones and colours e.g. everyone in white/beige except for one person who is wearing black / navy.
Avoid large logos
The eye will naturally be drawn to large logos or slogans, so it is always best to avoid these. We don't want anything to distract from the main focus of the images - your family's faces, your connection and your love!
Pay attention to the small details
I will of course keep an eye out and try to spot these before we starting shooting, but a good tip is to try to avoid these little things on the day:
- Unused hairbands on wrists
- Apple Watches or other bulky gadgets on wrists, unless you specifically want them in the photos
- Phones in pockets
- Crumpled shirts / tops
Don't panic if we miss some of these - I can often work some magic with the editing, but it's much better to get it right in person!
