Family beach photography sessions in Swansea, what should we wear?
What to wear to your outdoor family photoshoot.
As an experienced Swansea Family Photographer, I frequently capture family photoshoots in South Wales at various outdoor locations such as Langland bay, Oxwich, Rhossili, Penllergaer woods, Clyne Gardens etc. And in the planning, one of the most common questions I’m asked by my clients is ‘what should we wear?’
The short answer to the question is ‘smart casual clothes that are comfortable’ as you’ll want to look good but relaxed. A good rule is ‘make an effort but still look and feel like you’ And layers as the Welsh weather can be unpredictable.
For outdoor family photoshoots, authenticity is everything. You need to be comfortable in your clothes and in your surroundings. Then you’ll relax, and that’s the point when the very best images area possible.
Though, when choosing what to wear for your family photoshoot in Swansea or South Wales, here are a few other things you might like to consider:
For your family photoshoot in South Wales think about…
the environment you’ve chosen for the photoshoot and dress accordingly. After carefully choosing your location, it’s important you look comfortable there and are appropriately dressed for the surroundings. This will ensure the images look as authentic as possible. An autumn photoshoot in woods with the dog would need smart, casual clothes in layers and wellies. For a summer beach photoshoot, a linen or maxi dress, or casual chino trousers. Shorts are fine for children, you want them to be able to run and jump and play as they would.
For your outdoor family photoshoot in Swansea remember to ….
dress the entire family for the same occasion and for the same weather. For an outdoor shoot you want to look like you’re just a family spontaneously enjoying some time together. Think more complimenting colours and tones, than a complete ‘matchy matchy’ look.
For your family photoshoot in South Wales think about…
how the images will look in years to come. Avoid high fashion and clothes with pictures and slogans on them. They will date the images. Bright orange might be all the rage right now, but you might look back and think ‘What possessed me to wear that colour?’ Also, bold prints are distracting so avoid those too. Classic styles in neutral colours work best. And as a rule, black tones and bright colours don’t work well when being photographed in the softer palette of nature. Though on a grey day a pop of colour can really add something so use your judgement.
For your outdoor family photoshoot in Swansea you should…
think about the details. Welsh weather is unpredictable so bring layers, and clear umbrellas are perfect for photographing in the rain. If you’d normally wear a hat on a country walk in the winter then wear a hat, same goes for headbands, scarves and jewellery. The details can add texture to the images and show a little of your personality. We’ll be outdoors and moving around, so for safety reasons if you normally wear glasses then wear them - plus you want to look like you.
For your family photoshoot in South Wales you should always…
try your outfits on in advance. Then you’ll be able to see how you look together, check that everybody is comfortable and happy with what they are wearing. Bend and stretch, make sure you can all sit down on a step for example.
This is especially important if you have a fussy dresser amongst your children. For them, offering two suitable outfits to choose from might be a good idea. Bring that second outfit in case anybody gets muddy or wet. But even after your preparations that fussy dresser pulls out a last-minute tantrum don’t stress. If you turn up to your photoshoot with a defiant Disney princess or superhero. We’ll run with it!
So, if you’re thinking about having an outdoor family photoshoot in South Wales, I hope this has been helpful. And if you think I could be the person to capture yours then feel free to get in touch.
I’d love to show you how we can turn a fun family walk into high quality storytelling images!
