What Should I Wear for my In-Home Photo Session?
J’aime and J’adore Photography – Northeast Ohio Family and Wedding Photographer
In home sessions are one of my absolute favorites for so many reasons!
- For one thing, it takes all of the stress of getting to a session off the table? Worried your toddler will fall asleep in their carseat and wake up grumpy or that they will spill a snack on their clothes while you’re driving? Not a problem!
- You’re already in your comfort zone! Kids especially feel more comfortable and warm up quickly when in their own environment. Instead of being surrounded by new, exciting things and people, they are in their element.
- You can capture more of your child’s true personality. Zachary’s favorite toy at 8 months old was a stack of red solo cups, and now his parents have a record of this unique time in his life! Whatever your child’s current favorite (read as obsession), it can be part of your photos, and as such, part of the record of this time in their lives.
That all sounds great! I would love to do a session like that. But what do I wear for my in-home family session?
When planning to do a session in your home, I would give almost the exact same advice I would give for an outdoor session. If you want to see all of my best tips and tricks, you can check them out in my other post: https://jaimeandjadorephotography.com/what-to-wear-for-spring-family-photos/
The quick version boils down to a couple of basic elements though:
- Choose clothes that fit well and that you feel comfortable in. If you are uncomfortable, it will show in your face. If you spent half an hour getting into your favorite pre-pandemic jeans and now you can’t breath, you may want to try another pair. On the flip side, if you are hoping to hide areas you aren’t thrilled with behind baggy clothes, it will only hide the shape and curves you do have.
- Go for coordinating, not matching! If you are looking for an in-home session, I would imagine you value authenticity in your images. You want to capture your family in your natural setting, playing and interacting in natural ways. Putting everyone in the same white t-shirt and khakis is not going to create that look.
- Be the best version of yourselves. You want to showcase who you and your family truly are, but if you are investing in photos, you want to be the best version of that family. Wearing your favorite comfy sweats might be your natural state, but probably isn’t the version of you that is going get hung on the wall.
Now for the Specifics of an In-Home Session:
- In my post about family sessions in general (https://jaimeandjadorephotography.com/what-to-wear-for-spring-family-photos/) I suggest dresses for the ladies and dressy clothes for the guys. If that truly is your style, then definitely still go for it. But in my opinion, in home sessions are a little more relaxed. Jeans and a nice sweater feel authentic while still looking realistic while relaxing in your home.
- Be careful with colors. Neutrals are key for in home sessions. I always recommend staying away from super bright colors or graphics, but when shooting indoors, this becomes even more necessary. For one thing, houses tend to have less light available than the great outdoors, so the bright colors of your clothes have a higher likelihood of projecting onto the skin tones of those near you. Your house also is full of beautiful and personal details you’ve curated to create a space you love, and you don’t want your clothes competing with them.
- Layers and accessories are still key. If you really want to add in pops of color or add dimension to your outfit, try adding jewelry or another layer to your outfit. It can help spruce up what your wearing, make it feel more like yourself, and still keep the focus on your family instead of your clothes.
If this post has you feeling not only excited, but also prepared for an in-home family session, let me know at www.jaimeandjadorephotography.com/contact and we can make these beautiful memories a reality for you!