“What should we wear?” This is the first question I often get asked by clients once they’ve booked a photo shoot, and my best piece of advice is this: keep it simple! You don’t want to detract from the baby or your family by wearing something loud – avoid bright red at ALL costs!
Below I’ve listed my top tips for what to wear for your photo shoot and also there’s a handy colour chart to show complementary tones: my favourites are neutrals, pastels and earthy tones.
- Wear solid block colours or very small prints to keep the attention where it should be: on you and your family. Keep your photos timeless by avoiding distracting prints
- In terms of colours, consider the swatches above, which illustrate complementary tones. White is timeless and complements the newness and innocence of the baby. Neutrals work well to keep the attention on the baby and away from your clothing. Pastels also have that “new baby” look and are great if you want to coordinate your outfits with the nursery. Black is best for mums who are concerned about their post-partum body, but avoid black for outdoor shoots. If both you and your baby are wearing white, try and differentiate them a little with a different texture or tone – a knit for you, cotton or linen them, for example – consider adding beige or nude tones also.
- Wear clothes that you are comfortable in. If that means one of your favourite maternity tops, wear that. Your comfort will show through in your photos. Remember the photos are more about you and your family and less about your clothing. Sometimes the simplest pieces photograph best.
- Choose pieces that don’t wrinkle easily.
- Avoid clothes that you’ll have to keep adjusting. If it doesn’t sit properly, your bra strap keeps needing to be tucked away, or the shirt is too short to stay tucked in, avoid it!
- If we’re indoors, everyone must go barefoot.
- Steer clear of clothes with words or logos on them. Our eyes are immediately drawn to words in photographs. Keep the attention on your faces by avoiding clothing with company/brand names and with words like “big sister” for family photos
- Pack a change of clothes for newborn shoots as there’s a chance you’ll get a mess on you.
- Mums, for outdoor shoots, clothing with movement – think flowy dresses, skirts, or scarves adds interest and texture. And it goes without saying – no nail varnish is better than chipped nail varnish!
- Here’s a Pinterest board with some outfit inspo: https://pin.it/1LEPj6P
If you’re still unsure after reading these tips, feel free to send me photos of what you’ve got and we can work it out together!
Photography by Kavi 