How to style a Bluebell Family Photoshoot with Jodie Donovan Photography

With my Spring time, bluebell mini sessions coming up in April, I've put this little style guide together for my wonderful clients to really make the best of their family photoshoot!

Here are my top tips that I always give out;

1. Co-ordinate colours, but try not to be too 'match match'

2. Try to work with a colour palette of 3-4 complicating colours, and dress the whole family in that theme. I always recommend finding Mums outfit first, find something you love and that you know you will be comfortable in, then find the colours that work well with that. Pinterest is a great resource for this! Just simply search for 'colour palette for cream clothing' for example. You may be surprised which colours work best so its definitely worth checking this out!

3. Avoid bright colours, heavy logos or character outfits, as they can really distract the eye, cause colour casts on skin, as well as date quickly.

4. I love to add texture and visual interest in the way of hats, scarfs or even a snuggly family blanket from home.

5. Consider what you plan to do with your images, hopefully you'll want to print them and have them on display at home, so think about how that room is decorated and find colours that work well with that too.

6. Most importantly, be comfortable, especially with the kiddies, my photography style is very natural for families so I want the children to be happy to play and jump around in whatever they are wearing- its the expressions and genuine smiles that I know you will really want.

Here are some colour palettes that I know work really well with the bluebells, the purple and green of the woods.

For me personally, I would go for a cream flowing dress for myself, maybe even styled with a light coloured hat, I'd put Dad in a slightly darker cream, brown or dusty blue shirt of top and I would style Summer (my 6 year old daughter) in either neutral dress, and Roman (my almost 2 year old little boy) in cream chinos and a soft linen light coloured shirt.

If you want to be more casual, then denim also works great with Bluebells!

Here is a little visual Pinterest board I created (not my images) to show how these colours work so well;

https://pin.it/306tIza

Not long to go! See you in a few weeks!

Jodie x