Families are the world in microcosm, the unit by which we measure and define ourselves. They are families of friends, families of two, of two hundred. Every family has many stories to tell as it evolves over time and Mark Cowlin Pictures specializes capturing those stories in a documentary, spontaneous style. I believe that each chapter in the story of your family needs recording for future generations to enjoy. When we look back at our family story, we're often amazed at the speed of change. Click here to capture your family now! This is quite literally, history in the making. Your history.

How does this work? Typically we meet at your house or a favorite location and spend a fun, relaxed time (around an hour) just walking, playing, hanging out, capturing what comes to life in that time. Photo sessions are the most popular but small family films are also becoming increasingly sought after as gifts to relatives on far away shores who don't often get to see the energy and love of the kids in action. 

The most important thing this is to be comfortable.  Your family photo session should be relaxed and happy.  Wearing clothes that make you feel comfortable will help you enjoy the experience before you even get there!

If we are meeting in a park, surrounded by lots of leafy green foliage, wearing muted greens, browns and oranges will actually camouflage you! If it’s a dreary, overcast day, you might want to re-consider wearing whites and greys and going for a pop of colour or contrast instead. As we do most of our sessions in a park, your family would look amazing wearing a palette of violet, blues and cyans as they are the colours opposite greens and browns of the park on the colour wheel.

People often don’t think about their skin tones. Does the colour of your top alter your skin? Does it make your normally rosy complexion more ruddy? Does that grey/ pastel top make you look washed out, or does that rusted colour give your skin a more yellowy tone? Use your clothes to bring out the best in your features and skin tone. If you have dark skin the camera will want to expose for white clothes and therefore darken your skin tones. A beach tan however can be offset by a block white.

Photographing reds is not easy for digital cameras. Don’t ask me why, but unless you’re wearing red as a statement color (by all means do it if that’s the style you want) reds, oranges and bright pinks reflect onto skin and draw the attention away from your faces.

If you love prints, by all means wear them – your clothes really do help tell a story about who you are. If you do wear a crazy & loud colour and pattern, pair it with a plain block colour on the opposite end .

Please try and avoid any overly branded clothing and outfits that are too casual. While being comfortable is a priority you also want to look like the best versions of yourself. If you are wearing a button up shirt, be sure that the buttons don’t pucker.

Lace is beautiful for little girls or as an accent for a woman. Shirts with collars are fantastic for framing the face. If you are wearing a sheer top, think about your clothing underneath. Think about clothing that might slip or sit off the shoulder - bra straps can be very time consuming to remove, and expensive.

I prefer to see people in outfits that don’t match, but go together. Like those that have a similar colour palette. Do you want to wear matching clothes?  Typically I’d advise against doing this as it is a little dated now– but this is really personal preference. These photos are going on your wall in the end! I love a semi-casual look. What would you wear to an afternoon at the theatre? Nothing too dressy, but something you take pride in wearing. Smart jeans are good.

Make sure your shoes are neat and go with your outfit.  They don’t have to be top shelf, but ensure that they are clean. Kids in sneakers is ok given that our climate often leaves the ground muddy, so bear that in mind as well.

Does this help? The ‘What To Wear...’ title is a click through to a page with great summaries and some clothing options. Please do email me any further questions you may have. Take care!