This is the process I use. It makes finding a cohesive vibe easy. If you don’t love cohesive, you do you boo. Some of my fav photoshoots have not followed any of the ‘rules’ and they are still AH-MAZING!!! I know you don’t want me to drag this out, so let’s dive in. 1. Where are you shooting and does that affect your outfits? Seeing a family in casual outfits/ at a park makes sense, you don’t really think too much about it because it’s not unusual. When your location matches your outfits, the subjects (the people) become the ‘story’ of the photo. When your location doesn’t match your outfit, it adds a tiny disjointed look, that may make your photo more interesting, but may have the viewer thinking more about what’s happening/ why they are there vs the people and their connection. ex) two fam jams taking pictures at the beach ⬇️
For the record, I said disjointed, but I don’t want to sound like I’m not into it, I’m still planning to do a photoshoot in a gorgeous gown on the Utah Salt Flats 😍... one day 🤞🏻 example of what I want below (photo cred Ashley Brook photo) Anyhoo, It is just something to think about.
2. I’ll be talking about cohesiveness a lot but this one thing we need to address before we get into planning. Everyone has to be on the same level of fancy. Dad can’t look like he’s ready to go out for wings with the boys and Mom look like she’s ready to walk the runway. Or Mom and Dad looking like they’re headed to church, but the kids look like they just wrapped up a couple of games of basketball. Everyone, fancy up, or everyone fancy down. One isn’t better than the other, but it helps to choose.
3. Ok a little bit into the nitty-gritty. If the people are the story of the photo, let’s not take away from that by adding distracting clothes. I have seen amazing photos where the fashion is bold and I love it, but if the goal is to capture the connection between family members/ couples/ whomever, toning it down can really work in your favor. SO: -no distracting logos (tiny ones are ok) -be wary of big patterns -limit the number of people wearing patterns -if you choose to wear a hat, be mindful of logos, because it’s just something that distracts from your face, especially being so close to your face
4. DO NOT CHOOSE AN OUTFIT THAT ONLY LOOKS GOOD FROM 1 ANGLE OR WHEN YOU’RE SUCKING IN. wow, sorry for yelling, but seriously, you need to be able to move, breathe and enjoy yourself without worrying about your outfit. 🥰 🤗
5. Now if our goal is a cohesive look all clothes should be in the same season. That sounds obvious but as I was getting prepared for our upcoming family shoot (in a hot and cold Saskatchewan) I was looking through all of our shoes, and it was tempting to put a cute tall boot on Stel, but I had chosen a sandal for me. (I'll be honest I don't know which ones is going to suit the weather next friday #typicalSaskatchewan.) It causes a small disconnect. I see this happen a lot in colder season or weather transitions with jacket selections. It makes for a better image when there isn’t anything that feels ‘off’.
Okkkkur! This is what you’ve come for: How I do it:
a. Pick your style/vibe
Preppy, bohemian, hippie, chic/sophisticated, formal, casual, rocker… I don’t know why I’m listing these, you probably already have an idea of your fav look
My fam Photo: bohemian/cool
b. Choose a single outfit, after you pick your vibe you may have thought of one particular outfit. Grab it out. This is your starting point.
My fam Photo: we wanted lots of texture and interest and I chose this jacket and jumpsuit for me right off the hop. The pattern is not overly subtle so I chose to be the only person wearing a pattern in the group!
c. This is your starting point for your color palette. I would suggest not introducing too many colors, less than a handful. For a smaller group I like the idea of carrying one color through multiple outfits. It just lends to a cohesive look. The fewer colors you have the more planned your photo looks. The more colors and patterns the less planned it looks. Last year we did, basically all creams, and I loved it, but it has a bit of that 90s feel lol.
When you're planning a shoot with 2 people, if one person is in a pattern ensemble, putting the other person in a color that is in that patterns works well. Example below:
My fam photo: so this was an easier one because the main colors were, cream, black and brown, which are pretty easy neutrals. I’m tempted to add in one more color, something a little more fun, just to add a pop somewhere.
(STAY TUNED FOR OUR FAMILY PHOTOS)
That’s literally it. I’m going to add family photos that I found off of Pinterest and I just want you to see, how easy it can be.
and now in application: Also taken off of Pinterest
Now here are some of my fav Pinterest photos that don't follow my rules: haha cause rules can be fun to break 🤪.
I hope that helps! Happy outfit planning! If you're one of my clients, or just needing a little extra help, feel free to message me!! xo crystal