What to Wear & Bring for Your Family Portrait
Relaxed, timeless photos of everyone together. The trick with family portraits is simple: coordinate, do not match. Pick a palette and dress everyone within it.
A good family photo is one you still love in ten years. That comes from everyone looking like themselves, comfortable and at ease, rather than posed and starched. Get the wardrobe working as a group and the rest looks after itself.
Start here
The basics
Coordinate, do not match
Pick two or three complementary colours and dress everyone within that palette. Matching outfits flatten a photo, a shared palette lifts it.
Layers and texture
Cardigans, scarves and knits add depth and interest, and give everyone something natural to do with their hands.
Skip the uniform
Everyone in identical white shirts and jeans flattens the group. A little variety within your palette keeps it alive.
Keep little ones comfy
Comfortable children stay happy children. Familiar, easy clothes mean fewer wobbles when the camera comes out.
Plan it the night before
Dress for the season and the setting, then lay all the outfits out together the night before to check they work as a group.
Wardrobe
What to wear
Great choices
Coordinated tones and layers
Soft, simple patterns
Complementary plain pieces
Best avoided
Big logos or cartoon slogans
Clashing bright prints
One person in a totally different palette
Colours that work
Earthy, soft palettes photograph warmly and never date. Pick a lead colour, then two supporting tones.
Checklist
What to bring
Snacks and drinks for children- A favourite toy or comforter
A spare outfit for little ones
Hairbrush and wipes
At the studio, or on location
My studio is at Base Business Park in Rendlesham, about 15 minutes from the A12, with plenty of free parking. There is a private changing room, a mirror to get ready, and toilets on site. Family sessions can also be photographed on location, a favourite park, the beach, or your own home. Just let me know and we will plan the setting together.
Good to know
Questions families ask
What if my child will not sit still or gets upset?
That is completely normal and no problem at all. We work at the children’s pace, take breaks, and often the best frames come from play rather than posing. Bring snacks and a favourite toy, and let me do the rest.
Can grandparents and extended family join?
Of course. Bigger groups are welcome, and we can shoot everyone together as well as in smaller combinations. Tell me the numbers in advance so I can plan the space and the timing.
Studio or outdoors, which is better?
Both work beautifully, it comes down to the feel you want. The studio is warm, private and weatherproof. A park, beach or your own home brings a natural, lived-in look. We can talk it through when you book.
Do you photograph newborns and babies?
Yes. With the very young we keep things gentle and unhurried, and work around feeds and naps. Let me know their age when you book so I can allow plenty of time.
Studio in Rendlesham, Suffolk · call 07884 366342 · bob@foyers.photography