Fly on the Wall Photography

The Blog

Documenting my love affair with wild humans and beautiful lives

Welcome to the Blog of Fly on the Wall Photography, thanks so much for reading! My aim is to build a blog full of lots of helpful tips and advice for all things photography! Please follow along and do get in touch, with topic inspiration, I'd love to here from you.

Making memories not poses. Candid, lifestyle photography for modern, stylish families.
Natural family portraits, lifestyle, bump and newborn photography.

Outfit Planning and

Props | Family and

Couples

So I get asked a lot about what to wear on a Photoshoot. What to wear and what to bring? I totally get outfit planning for a family shoot or indeed any shoot with multipule participants needs consideration.

One of THE most important things when heading for a shoot is what you’re wearing. I know we are all busy people and planning coordinating outfits is most likely, not high on the priority list, but these images will be precious for a lifetime, so giving your clothing choice some thought is important.

LOGOS & PATTERNS – OK so *some* logos can be fine, some can actually add to a photograph (think a little boy wearing a Superman T-Shirt!) But most just distract away from the photograph, highly branded tops are generally a no go, try keep them subtle.

TIME OF YEAR – Take into consideration when your shoot is taking place, if it’s Autumn there will be lots of browns, oranges etc in your background so look at colours that either compliment or contrast against those. I personally love Burgundy, Jade green and Mustard yellow in Autumn. These colours also tend to set skin tones off beautifully. Neutrual colours that compliment the environment of an outdoor shoot will be wonderful if you are wanting to create a more uniformed feel. But, as a photographer I personally love bold bright colours, the bolder the better, I love rich vibrant tones so if your feeling brave, go for it, I will thank-you for it!

DON’T MATCH TOO MUCH – The age of dressing everyone in a matching white top is thankfully behind us! Dressing everyone in matching clothing can in fact age an image. The best advise I can give, is to have a colour scheme of about 3 colours, not everyone needs to wear all the colours but everyone should wear at least one that another person is wearing… this can even be a simple accessory like a bunch of flowers or hairband. Opting for classic pieces that suit each individual in your chosen colour palette can really pull a portrait together.

DO ADD COLOUR – Do add colour! I know I have stressed this but honestly hints of colour can really help to make those photos pop, perhaps add them in accessories such as a flower crown or necklace!

CLOTHING – You should be comfortable in what you’re wearing, but you should also wear something that perhaps isn’t your everyday clothing, I LOVE to photograph women in long dresses, maxi skirts etc (though there is nothing wrong with wearing jeans! – they are timeless!).

Be practically with your footwear. Much of what I shoot is a little off road, I will have you go stand in the weeds or the corn to surround you with the wonderful texture, be ready for that. I welcome wellies and trainers. But do bring along your 'jeweled scandals' if you wish as there are moments along the way where we can sit change shoes and get those manicures out.

Another good time is consider layering up. My shoots are quite active especially for children. Having them wear layered clothing will enable them to take their coats off if weather is not on our side or it is winter shoot and also create different looks throughout the shoot.

ACCESSORIES – Accessories are fabulous, not only do they help add colour to photographs they can be taken away and added and give your photos a different look, from cardigans / hats and scarves, to jewellery, umbrellas, teddies, blankets etc etc etc – bring them along! I want to document your life so loved items can add that personal touch.

IDEAS ONLINE - You can find outfit inspiration from some of the top retailers. They even do all of the colour matching and layering for you. A good one to check out is Zara online and Next kids, pieces are put together and styled as outfits and collections.

Newborn Lifestyle Photo

Session | What to Wear

One of the most frequent questions that I get from my clients is what to wear during a lifestyle newborn photo session. Those first few weeks after a baby's arrival can be hectic and the last thing you need to be concerned about is what to wear. I want you to feel beautiful and confident and not to worry about anything else other than loving your new bundle of joy. Once you have decided on your wardrobe, everything else will fall into place.

Here are some tips on what to wear during a newborn lifestyle photo session:

1. Stay in your "Fashion Lane"

First and foremost, I like to emphasize that your style and personality are very important. Let your every day wardrobe influence your outfit for this photo session. Staying within your "fashion lane" is basically listening to your inner fashionista and wearing what makes you, you.

2. Light and Neutral Color Palette

We want your baby to be the central focus of the session so keeping everything else simple and neutral is kind of the key. Soft pastels such as blush, grey, browns work great. If you are running out of ideas, white is always a good option but please don't exactly match with your spouse, rather coordinate within the same color scheme.

If I were to pick one color that you should stay away from, I would say to definitely avoid BLACK.

3. Play with Texture

Texture is just as important as the color that you are working with. It gives dimension to the images and can add additional softness. Layering can also help in adding more interest and can be very flattering. Many new moms feel uncomfortable with their post pregnancy bodies and it is very important that you feel confident and beautiful. A white tee with a soft grey cardigan would for example be a great choice.

4. Keeping it Casual

Lifestyle newborn sessions are photographed in the comfort of your home. Therefore you should compliment the "comfort" only a home can provide by opting for a more casual option when it comes to clothing. I would stay away from fancy dresses and especially high heels. I would even go further to suggest that bare feet look most natural in a home setting. The clothing should compliment the surroundings.

5. Movement

Before making a final decision on what to wear, I would do a what I call "movement challenge". We will be photographing you laying down, standing up, from up above, from below... the clothing should allow you to move as freely as you can. Not to forget, you will most likely be doing some diaper changes and feeds during the session. One of my go-to suggestions is a long flowy dress in a soft pastel color (white and ivory also work well). I personally love when new mothers wear dresses, it's often the easiest choice and it always garners the most compliments.

Gift Vouchers

What do you buy for the person that has everything? Did you know that we have gift vouchers. These gift vouchers can be purchased for any amount and put towards a natural light lifestyle shoot or Fly on the Wall Photography products. To have a look at the available shoots on offer head on over to the session price list page.

If you have received a Gift Voucher, please take a look at the shoots available and have a think about what you would like to book in for. If unsure you can always give us a call. We try to do all of our shoots outdoors or in home. We can also request to shoot at locations like coffee shops, bistros, museums, libraries, universities, places where couples meet, etc also. Once you have decided what type of shoot you would like, the next step is to book in and secure a date. All gift vouchers must be redeemed within 4 months of receiving the voucher. For example, if you receive a voucher for Christmas you must be booked in by April.

Please complete the form below to get in touch about purchasing a voucher or redeeming a voucher. We would love to hear from you.

Thank you!