There's no "perfect" outfit
The goal isn’t to look overly styled or like you walked out of a catalogue (unless you want to!). The best photographs happen when you feel comfortable, connected and like yourselves.
These tips are here to help create outfits that photograph beautifully together, suit your location and still feel timeless years from now.
And if you’re still unsure after reading through this guide? Send me photos of your options. I’m always happy to help.
Start With Your Location
Choose a location that not only feels like you, but also suits the style and colours you’re wanting to wear and the way you’d love your images to look displayed in your home. Earthy neutrals and layered textures work beautifully in natural locations like beaches, forests and sand dunes, while more polished outfits often suit urban or city settings better.
Coordinate, Don’t Match exactly
Avoid perfectly matching outfits or wearing identical colours head to toe. Instead, aim for outfits that compliment each other through similar tones, textures or overall vibe while still letting each person’s personality come through.
Texture Is Your Best Friend
Textures and layers are one of the easiest ways to make outfits feel effortless and photograph beautifully. Think knits, linen, denim, layered shirts or jackets, subtle patterns and simple accessories or jewellery to add depth, movement and personality without feeling overdone.
Avoid Anything Distracting
Try to avoid anything overly distracting or likely to pull attention away from the connection between your family. Large logos, neon colours, busy graphics or the occasional bright Apple Watch band of chaos can stand out far more in photos than you might expect.
Think About Movement in your outfits
Outfits with movement photograph beautifully and help create more natural, dynamic images. Flowy dresses, oversized shirts, coats and layered pieces all add softness and shape, especially in outdoor locations where wind and movement can bring your photographs to life.
Hair, makeup, brows and skin prep
A little prep can make a big difference in helping you feel confident in your photos. Fresh brows, tidy facial hair, moisturised skin, fresh nails or hair touch-ups are all small details that tend to show up more in photographs than you might expect.
Always, always bring a change of clothes
If you’re heading to the beach, always bring a towel and a change of clothes because there’s a very high chance you’ll end up wet. You’re also welcome to bring a second outfit if you’d love both a more casual and dressier look throughout your session.
Bring the dog, because obviously.
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.
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.
