What to wear

What to wear for a mother and daughter photoshoot

A shared palette rather than matching outfits — matching reads as a costume between adults. One texture in common is enough. Both should wear…

In short: A shared palette rather than matching outfits — matching reads as a costume between adults. One texture in common is enough. Both should wear something they would genuinely choose, because discomfort shows faster in a pair than alone.

What works for a mother and daughter shoot specifically

Colour. A shared palette, never matching outfits: matching reads as a costume between two adults. One tone in common across both is enough to make the pair read as a pair.

Fabric. Soft and worn-in on both. Discomfort shows twice as fast in a two-person frame because there is a relaxed face beside the tense one.

Footwear. Comfortable for both — these sessions involve walking and standing close together, and heel height changes how the pair reads.

The thing that ruins frames. One dressed up and one dressed down. The mismatch is the first thing the eye finds and it makes the picture look accidental.

In the bag. A lint roller, a hairbrush, and any old photograph you might want to recreate — the comparison frame is usually the best image of the session.

Two rules that hold everywhere

  • Steam it the night before — creases are the most expensive thing in any retouching bill and the cheapest to prevent.
  • Bring options and decide on set, where you can see the light and the background rather than guessing at home.

Next step

See if a session makes sense

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