what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
What will you do with your images?
Matching your location and outfits to your home. When you start planning what to wear or what type of location to have your photographs taken at, take into consideration your home and how you want to display your images. Just like when we talk about wearing hot pink tight fitting dresses at the beach, you also may not want to have certain colours on the walls of your as they might look a little out of place.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
The basic rule of thumb
The real basics of it, is to make sure you all look complimentary together, your outfits and location will suit the decor in your home, your images will be timeless and no ones outfit is going to really overpower everyone else's. If after having a look over this guide, you are still unsure, pop me through a photographs of your options and I will help you decide the best choices for your location.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Accessories are your friend
A great way to personalise your outfits or add colour is to add accessories or texture to your outfits, this doesn't have to be everyones outfits but it could be a couple of poeple which will create more depth in your photographs. Scarves, jackets and cardigans are great additions expescially when it's a bit cold as they complete a look as well as keep you nice and snug, creating a more intimate feel to your photographs.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Use textures to create interest
Checkered or even different colour shirts over a plain T-shirt, textured denim or a denim jacket, lace detail, knits or floral patterns are another way to create a more interesting out as well. Complementary jewellery is another way to personalise your outfits to really bring the photographs together.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
create movement with your clothing
The other thing that you can do to make your photographs more interesting is to choose outfits that have movement. A flowing skirt or a dress in a windswept beach will create movement in your images. Movement creates interest and drama compared to tight fitting dresses or clothing in the same environment. A dress cinched at the waist that flows out is a great way to create shape rather than a dress that is a tunic or boxy shape.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Always bring a change of clothing
Always, always bring a change of clothes and a towel to beach photoshoots. You will likely get wet and there is nothing worse than travelling home wet and itchy. A change of clothing can also be a great idea for little children, incase you give them snacks during the photoshoots or if they are likely to dribble on their shirts!
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Hair, makeup, brows and skin prep
Be prepared for your photoshoot. Make sure to moisturise your hands, arms and legs. Make sure to moisturise your children and husbands hands, elbows and knees especially. Although professional hair and makeup can make a huge different in photographs it isn't a must have. But, if your eyebrows need doing, do them. If your legs need shaving, do it. If your regrowth needs doing and you really don't like your hair, make sure you organise this ahead of time. These things will show up in your images and these images are going to last a lifetime. Doing these few small things will help ensure you love your images.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Avoid large logo's or prints that will date
When choosing your outfits there are some things that won't help us create timeless photographs and we should try to avoid if we can. Thing such a T-shirts with large prints or writing on the front aren't ideal. An example of this would be a pink unicorn or kitten print on the front of a T-shirt or a brand name or logo across the front of the shirt such as brandnames.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Avoid competing or too bright colours
Try going for neutral colours rather than a neon or super bright colours as they will draw the eye rather than creating an evenly coloured photograph where the focus is on the people. An example of this would be everyone being in black and whites and then one person being in vibrant red. The focus of these images would always be the one person in red. Another example would be wearing hot pink and neon green colours to an environment like a white sand beach.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Compliment rather than exactly matching
Avoid dressing everyone in the exact same outfit and colour combo like when everyone had to wear denim or black pants and the same style white T-shirt. Having character and variety in your outfits looks far better than dressing everyone exactly the same.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Yes! Bring your furbabies!
Bring the whole family. Whether it's a couple shoot or a family shoot, your furbabies are a part of the family so feel free to bring them along too! Make sure if you're bringing along your furbaby, to bring some little treats along too to ensure good behaviour.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
time of day matters
Nearly all of my outdoor photoshoots for families are taken either first thing in the morning or at sunset. This is because at midday when the light is directly above, we get really dark shadows on our faces that aren't so complimentary. When the sun is bright like midmorning or midday, you might also find everyone gets a bit squinty because of the sun reflecting off surfaces or the sand. My favourite time of day to shoot at the beach is in the last hour before the sunsets, at sunset and the half hour after the sunsets. This creates a beautiful soft light. If you plan to have your photoshoot in an environment that has little to no shade, I would recommend before 9am or at sunset. If you choose a location such as a drive way with poplar trees on both sides creating an archway, then this can be photograhped during the day as the trees will create shade for us. If you have small children and you want images at sunset it's a good idea to plan your photoshoot in Autumn, Spring or Winter when the sunset is earlier in the day if you're worried it will interrupt your children's routines.
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Choosing a Location
When choosing your photoshoot location, think about where you'll display your images. If your home has a certain colour palette or aesthetic certain locations will lend to this. My favourite types of locations are beaches, forests, fields of long dry grass and drive ways or paths lined with poplar or similar trees. You can even opt to have your family portraits taken in your own home if you wanted too! Where ever you choose, make sure that the type of clothing you want to wear is going to suit the location. For example, earthy rugged up outfits are going to look beautiful with complimentary tones like sand dunes and beaches but a hot pink dress in the same location is going to stand out like a sore thumb. High heels are going to look out of place on a beach but would look gorgeous in a city location. View the colour combos below for inspiration on locations with colours that match!
what will you do with your images?
The basic rule of thumb
Adding accessories
Use textures
create movement
bring a change of clothing
hair, makeup & skin
Avoid large logo's
avoid competing colours
Complimentary colours
yes! Bring your furbabies!
Choosing a time of day
Choosing a location
why I recommend the beach
faq
Why I recommend beach shoots
Children will often get bored if all they're doing is posing for the camera. They will also pick up on your stress if you're consistently asking them to smile or behave. Locations like the beach can allow you to just play with your children, have fun with them, throw them in the air or build sandcastles with them. Have a family water fight. All of these things will create much happier and candid images with much more natural expressions as well as a far more enjoyable experience for you and your family.
faq
What will you do with your images?
Matching your location and outfits to your home. When you start planning what to wear or what type of location to have your photographs taken at, take into consideration your home and how you want to display your images. Just like when we talk about wearing hot pink tight fitting dresses at the beach, you also may not want to have certain colours on the walls of your as they might look a little out of place.
faq
THE BASIC RULE OF THUMB
The real basics of it, is to make sure you all look complimentary together, your outfits and location will suit the decor in your home, your images will be timeless and no ones outfit is going to really overpower everyone else's. If after having a look over this guide, you are still unsure, pop me through a photographs of your options and I will help you decide the best choices for your location.
faq
ACCESSORIES ARE YOUR FRIEND
A great way to personalise your outfits or add colour is to add accessories or texture to your outfits, this doesn't have to be everyones outfits but it could be a couple of poeple which will create more depth in your photographs. Scarves, jackets and cardigans are great additions expescially when it's a bit cold as they complete a look as well as keep you nice and snug, creating a more intimate feel to your photographs.
faq
USE TEXTURES TO CREATE INTEREST
Checkered or even different colour shirts over a plain T-shirt, textured denim or a denim jacket, lace detail, knits or floral patterns are another way to create a more interesting out as well. Complementary jewellery is another way to personalise your outfits to really bring the photographs together.
faq
CREATE MOVEMENT WITH YOUR CLOTHING
The other thing that you can do to make your photographs more interesting is to choose outfits that have movement. A flowing skirt or a dress in a windswept beach will create movement in your images. Movement creates interest and drama compared to tight fitting dresses or clothing in the same environment. A dress cinched at the waist that flows out is a great way to create shape rather than a dress that is a tunic or boxy shape.
faq
ALWAYS BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHING
Always, always bring a change of clothes and a towel to beach photoshoots. You will likely get wet and there is nothing worse than travelling home wet and itchy. A change of clothing can also be a great idea for little children, incase you give them snacks during the photoshoots or if they are likely to dribble on their shirts!
faq
HAIR, MAKEUP, BROWS AND SKIN PREP
Be prepared for your photoshoot. Make sure to moisturise your hands, arms and legs. Your children and husbands hands, elbows and knees especially. Although professional hair and makeup can look great in photographs it isn't a must have. But, if your eyebrows need doing, do them. If your legs need shaving, do it. If your regrowth needs doing and you really don't like your hair, do it. Doing these few small things will help ensure you love your images.
faq
AVOID LARGE LOGO'S
When choosing your outfits there are some things that won't help us create timeless photographs and we should try to avoid if we can. Thing such a T-shirts with large prints or writing on the front aren't ideal. An example of this would be a pink unicorn or kitten print on the front of a T-shirt or a brand name or logo across the front of the shirt such as brandnames.
faq
AVOID TOO BRIGHT COLOURS
Try going for neutral colours rather than a neon or super bright colours as they will draw the eye rather than creating an even photograph where the focus is on the people. An example of this would be everyone being in black and whites and then one person being in vibrant red. The focus of these images would always be the one person in red. Another example would be wearing neon green to a white sand beach,
faq
TIME OF DAY MATTERS
Nearly all of my family photoshoots are either first thing or at sunset. At midday when the light is directly above, we get really dark shadows on our faces and everyone gets a bit squinty. My favourite time is in at sunset because of the beautiful soft light. If you plan to have your photoshoot somewhere that has little to no shade, I would recommend before 9am or at sunset. A drive way lined with poplar trees can be during the day as the trees will create shade for us. If you have small children and don't want to interrupt their routines but want sunset for your photos, then it's a good idea to plan your photoshoot in Autumn, Spring or Winter when the sunset is earlier.
faq
CHOOSING A LOCATION
Think about where you'll display your images and your homes aesthetic. My favourites are beaches, forests, fields of long dry grass and drive ways or paths lined with poplar or similar trees. You can even opt to have your family portraits taken in your own home if you wanted too! Choose clothing that is going to suit the location. For example, earthy rugged up outfits are going to look beautiful with complimentary tones like sand dunes and beaches but a hot pink dress is going to stand out. High heels are going to look out of place on a beach but would look gorgeous in a city location. View the colour combos below for inspiration on locations with colours that match!
faq
Why i love the beach
Children will often get bored if all they're doing is posing for the camera. They will also pick up on your stress if you're consistently asking them to smile or behave. Locations like the beach can allow you to just play with your children, have fun with them, throw them in the air or build sandcastles with them. Have a family water fight. All of these things will create much happier and candid images with much more natural expressions as well as a far more enjoyable experience for you and your family
Choose your colours
Think about your desired shoot location as well as where you will display your images.
Different locations lend to different colour schemes. Remember to choose colours that compliment the environment as well as each other to create cohesive looking images!
Morrinsville Recreation center
Autumn Tones
Earthy neutral tones like beiges and browns will create a deeper colour palette while still keeping with that timeless feel. It's great to create layers and depth with pops of brighter tones or textures like a waffle or knit. Earthy tones are great for beaches, sand dunes and parks in Autumn.
Papamoa Beach
EaRthy Tones
Earthy tones are great on sand dunes. Sages and beiges are another great tweak to add to earthy tones. Another way to create interest in images is to add a pattern.
Ngarunui Beach, raglan
Blues & Pinks
Timeless and classic, blues, creams and pinks is always a great team. Remember that textures and layers create interest in images. For beach shoots, I always recommend bare feet, so the bonus is you don't have to worry about shoes!
Baylys Beach, Dargaville
Candy Cane Skies
White sand beaches and black sand beaches both look beautiful with pinks and creams. The darker addition of black creates a deeper contrast in the image so make sure to tie it with different varying colours or textures. Or even add lighter tones of black rather than solid black.
Ruakaka Beach, Northland
Mustard & Sage
Together mustard, cream and sages make a beautiful combination. Especially with the sandy tones at white sand beaches with dune grasses.
Queenstown & Tongoriro
Warm Winter Vibes
Locations like this suit lots of layers. Embrace those winter vibes with rich earthy tones and textures. Warm knits, big cosy jackets and textured scarfs look great against this winter backdrop!
Queenstown & Tongoriro
SnowY Winter Vibes
Mittens, gummies, beanies and knits. Your family winter adventure can quite literally be your photoshoot and you definitely don't need to be cold during your photoshoot. Layers, textures and accessories are perfect during winter shoots!
Papamoa Beach, Bay of Plenty
Beach Winter Vibes
Locations like this suit lots of layers. Embrace those winter vibes with rich earthy tones and textures. Warm knits, big cosy jackets and textured scarfs look great against this winter backdrop!
ruakaka beach, northland
Moody beach vibes
Mittens, gummies, beanies and knits. Your family winter adventure can quite literally be your photoshoot and you definitely don't need to be cold during your photoshoot. Layers, textures and accessories are perfect during winter shoots!
hamilton city
city vibes
Every city or industrial location has a certain colour scheme. For a location like this, choose tones that are complimentary to the location and time of day you like.
Muriwai Beach, Auckland
Dark Sand Beaches
Mittens, gummies, beanies and knits. Your family winter adventure can quite literally be your photoshoot and you definitely don't need to be cold during your photoshoot. Layers, textures and accessories are perfect during winter shoots!
hamilton Gardens, Waikato
White on White
Every city or industrial location has a certain colour scheme. For a location like this, choose tones that are complimentary to the location and time of day you like.
