'What am I going to wear?' is one of the things that everyone worries about when they’re going to have their photo taken! To try and help make the process as easy as possible I’ll be writing more in depth ‘what to wear’ guides for each of the types of sessions I do over the next few weeks, but for now, here’s my back-to-basics guide!
Be comfortable!
Firstly, and most importantly in my opinion, make sure that you’re comfortable in whatever you decide to wear. If you don’t normally wear short skirts then now’s not the time to experiment with them! You’ll spend the whole session pulling the hem down, rather than relaxing and enjoying yourself! Ultimately, if you’re uncomfortable in your clothes, you’ll look uncomfortable in your photos and no one wants that!
Co-ordinate and complement
You don’t want everyone to match in your group photos (so don’t have everyone in jeans and white t-shirts) but you do want to make sure that you’re not clashing with each other. In this photo, for example, Mum and Dad are in quite neutral clothes while the girls are in lovely, bright outfits with colours that complement each other.
You can add interest to your photos and express your personality through accessories. If you’re a hat wearer then by all means bring along your favourite hat! A treasured piece of jewellery can also add interest and meaning to your photos. You can also use accessories to tie your outfit in with what the rest of the family are wearing, like how Sarah’s scarf picks out the pink in the clothes her girls have on!
How will you display the images?
It can be a good idea to think about how and where you’ll display your photos. If you have a beautiful red living room then you don’t want to be dressed in pink in a big canvas hanging over the mantel piece! But a striking red dress like this one that Menna chose would look perfect in that same room.
Prints and patterns can be your friends!
Plain, block coloured clothing can be great in portrait photos but don’t feel that you have to avoid prints and patterns. In a maternity session, for example, if the Dad-to-be is dressed in plain, neutral clothing then you can really add interest by wearing a patterned top. And stripes can be fab on pregnant tummies! Just avoid big logos and labels which can be quite distracting.
If this has inspired you to have some portrait photos taken with me in Swansea, then please get in touch, I'd love to hear from you!