How to dress for your shoot

STYLE GUIDE

For your family session

CONTENTS


Welcome


Preparation


How to Prep Your Family


General Dos and Don'ts


Styling Tips


Color Palettes


Examples

WELCOME


Hello! I'm Megan


I am looking forward to working with you to capture your family portraits. Our children grow up so fast, which is why I think family portraits are so special and important.


We take lots of photos on our phones nowadays, but those still can’t replace the quality of professional portraits. They are the kind of heirloom photographs that we want to hang in our home, send off on holiday cards, and use for those future senior spotlights.

Thank you for trusting me to capture these special memories for you.


You may have noticed that I have a particular photography style. I tend to shoot with an elegant editorial-style with all of those fun candid shots too. That style is not only achieved through my approach to photography, but also the styling and fashion choices of my subjects.



With that said, here is a style guide to give you some guidance. These are just suggestions, if you have a particular vision in mind, let’s collaborate to make your visions come true!

PREPARATION


  • What shots are most important to you? Think about those important heirloom photos that you want of your family. These might be images you have in mind for holiday cards or to print for your home. If you have specific requests, please don’t hesitate to ask.


  • Make it fun! - Doing something together can make your photos tell a story. If this interests you, I recommend bringing props. You could bring books, board games, footballs, bubbles, or we could even set up a picnic.


  • Bring extra clothes - just in case - If you have booked a full session, you will have the option to change. Even if we booked a mini session, extra clothes for your child(ren) may come in handy.


  • Retouching - I do gentle retouching for every shoot. This includes a little skin smoothing, removing lint, etc. I will not be photoshopping bodies though. If there is something that makes you feel insecure - please let me know and I will try my best to highlight only your favorite features.


FAMILY PREP


Getting ourselves ready is one thing, but preparing our family for a shoot is a whole other ballgame. Here are a few tips for making sure your family is ready.


  • For a stress-free shoot - Don’t worry about putting pressure on your family to “perform” for the photo shoot. The more we let things happen organically, the better the outcome. The best family portraits are not those where everyone is stiff and posed, but rather interacting with each other - having fun!



  • Get ready for an adventure - Try to get your family excited about a fun photo adventure at the beach or park. The photography comes secondary to your experience enjoying time together.


  • Food and sleep - Make sure everyone is well rested and fed. Bring snacks in a pinch. Try to avoid foods that could stain teeth.


  • Phone free - It can be distracting and take away from the photo to see a phone imprint in dad's pants become the focal point. Please remind everyone that phones should be put away (I recommend leaving phones in the car or you may even put them all in a bag that I can carry for you on the shoot).


  • Pack your bags - Plan all outfits well in advance, at least a few days before.


  • Let your children be the stars - I have found that we have the most success when adults get on a child’s level and make it about them. So, get down in the sand with those sand toys and have some fun!

GENERAL


Dos and Don'ts


DO

  • Dress your best.
  • Wear dresses that allow for movement and have flow to them.
  • Men - wear solid colors.
  • Accessorize with simple jewelry (statement earrings can be fun too).
  • If you would like to add a print, I recommend a floral print on one dress (on a child or parent).
  • Dress for the weather - in cooler months, layering with trench coats, blazers, or wool coats can look very chic.
  • Make sure nails are polished, clean, or trimmed. Nail polish should be neutral - or at least not neon bright!


DON'T

  • Wear denim with holes or tears
  • Wear an Apple Watch or hair tie on your wrist
  • Keep your phone in your pants pocket
  • Dress too matchy-matchy
  • Wear loud colors or prints
  • Wear clothes or shoes with lettering or obvious branding
  • Over accessorize
  • Wear baseball caps
  • Mix too many prints

STYLING TIPS


A few reminders to...

  • Remove lint, fuzzies from clothing
  • Iron, if necessary
  • Make sure you are not wearing bright or mismatched socks
  • Wear clothing flattering to your body type
  • Practice wearing your photoshoot outfits - make sure you love the way you look and that your kids are comfortable too

COLOR PALETTES


Gone are the days of everyone in the same color tee-shirt and jeans.


Instead of matchy - matchy, I recommend sticking to a color palette of three or four colors. Think light colors, blues, greys, and earth tones. All earth tones and a little pop of color is fun too!


Here are a few suggestions:

EXAMPLES

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