Sian, the Bath Studio Manager at Clifton Photographic, offers expert advice on how to make the most of a professional family photo shoot
Have you ever thought about getting some up to date portraits of your family? Worried about getting everyone together or keeping the children interested?
Here at Clifton Photographic in Bath, we specialise in getting the very best portraits for all the family and work with a range of ages every single day. We are very familiar with Baby Shark and we know all the words to Frozen! We are not too bad with our superhero and dinosaur facts either.
We are a small team in Bath with just the four of us photographing day in day out. Our family sessions last 90 minutes, giving us plenty of time to get all the shots you want and more.
Planning a photoshoot can feel a little bit of a nightmare, but our team of experts are here to help. Let us talk through some ideas of what to wear and bring along for your session.
Preparation
Before any session with us, one of the team will give you a call to chat through your photoshoot, discuss your ideas and introduce themselves! It’s important to us that you feel comfortable and confident with what to expect before coming in. We are all full of energy and absolutely love what we do, so our aim is to ensure you have a great experience from start to finish!
What to wear
Planning what to wear can be stressful. However, the most important thing about the clothes you wear, is that they should represent who you are. It goes without saying that clothing and style is a very personal choice! These are not strict guidelines but some suggestions you may want to consider.
The most important thing to remember is these portraits will be hanging on your wall for years to come so the aim is to make them timeless as possible.
It’s nice to have everyone dressed differently so you all look like individuals. Coordinating your outfits always photographs well!
Complimentary colours Picking a small colour palette of complimentary colours for everyone’s outfits e.g yellows, greens and blues or purples, reds and oranges. If you find it easier, think about warm and cool colour tones.
Neutral colours These earthy tones work beautifully in group images and create a very sophisticated finish.
Monochrome If all this colour is too much for you, why not keep it simple and opt for white, black and grey clothing for a formal and timeless look?
Avoid, lots of branded items with big logos or lots of patterns! These can be distracting from what’s really going on in the image.
The shoot itself
We want you to get the very most out of your family session with us, so instead of spending a full 90 minutes solely photographing the whole group, we branch off and capture all the possible set-ups – from portraits, siblings, parents and everything in between.
Personality is at the heart of what makes our shoots unique. We want to capture those unique characters and encourage all families to pack a bag full of your children’s favourite toys, personal items and their favourite hobbies. Dancers, musicians, footballers, avid bookworms – let them show off who they are!
Booking your family experience
Family and children portrait sessions start at £30. You can book directly with the photographers in Bath by calling 0117 2443022 or popping into the studio at 8 Walcot Buildings, London Road, Bath BA1 6AD
For more info on our sessions please visit cliftonphoto.co.uk.