You’ve booked a family shoot with the photographer, but what happens next?

Here are my TOP 10 TIPS on how to prepare for your photoshoot!

1 Book a pre-shoot Zoom with your photographer

Book a pre-shoot Zoom call with your photographer so that you as a family get to know them so they are not a stranger on the day of the shoot. You can also ask questions about what to wear and what to bring to the shoot.

2 Read the preparation guide well in advance of your shoot

Hopefully, you would have been give a preparation guide in advance and I advise that you go through it at least 2 weeks before the shoot so you have your clothing, hair and makeup all prepared to avoid any last minute panics.

3 Haircuts

Book haircuts at least 10 days – 2 weeks before your photoshoot so that the hair has time to settle into it’s style and to avoid any disasters too close to the shoot.

4 Women’s clothing is more colourful than men’s clothing

When it comes to choosing outfits, I suggest that the mothers start by selecting a colour they love for their daughters, and then dress the men and boys in a neutral colour. It’s a nice touch when mothers and daughters add a pop of coordinating colour with accessories.

5 Put all the clothing on the bed

….. and stand back! That way you can see if there are any major clashes. See how your eye is drawn to certain items and so change accordingly. You want your family and your relationship to be the focal point and not what you are wearing.

6 IRON your wardrobe!

Every detail will show up in your images, so iron out any wrinkles.

7 Women

Consider wearing dresses or tops that partially or fully your arms , especially if you are concerned about how your upper arms look. Bare arms tend to stand-out in a photo and can expose more skin than your face, thus drawing attention to your arms, not your beautiful face!

Wear a bra that hides well under your outfit and hide those straps!

8 Men

Make sure you’re freshly groomed for the camera! If you’re clean-shaven, even a bit of stubble will show up in close-up shots, so it’s best to take the time to shave and look your best. And don’t forget to trim any nose or ear hairs too!

9 Melt downs – Tot & Teens

Your children might want to wear clothes that they really love and so that is fine as the photography is about making memories. I have had the odd occasion where there has been a meltdown just before the shoot so please don’t worry if your child doesn’t want to wear what you want if it is going to cause a problem.

10 Now Relax and enjoy the shoot

I often get people who are a bit nervous on the shoot but I can guarantee that if all the preparation has been done just relax and enjoy the shoot. The photographer will take charge and direct accordingly and make you laugh and you will have fun!