Styling Guide for Your Photo Session in Abu Dhabi

1. Be Comfy First

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This is tip number one and the most important: wear something comfortable. Instead of rushing out to buy something new, go through your wardrobe and find pieces that are already tried and true. We'll be moving around a lot during the session, so you don't want to be worrying about something too tight or too loose the whole time — and that goes for the kids too!

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2. Dress for the Location and the Season

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Plan your outfits around where and when we're shooting. A heavy layer in the desert sun or a light dress in a chilly evening breeze will fight against the story we're trying to tell. Think about whether you'll be warm enough, whether feet will be comfortable on the terrain, and whether the look feels natural to the setting. If we're shooting at home, cosy and lived-in is exactly right.

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3. Bring a Couple of Outfit Options

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If you can, gather two or three outfits you feel great in so we have room to play on the day. This isn't about chasing trends — it's about finding the version of your family that feels most like you. Having options also gives us flexibility to adjust if a look doesn't quite suit the light or the background once we're there.

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4. Choose Your Color Palette

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When picking outfits, think about the location and environment we're shooting in. I usually recommend soft, neutral colors — white, cream, beige, light grey, and earth tones — as they pair beautifully with natural-style photography and keep the focus on your family, not the wardrobe.

For families, keep the palette to around four colors total. A simple approach: pick one "feature" color for one family member, then have everyone else wear complementary or coordinating tones around it. Rather than matching everyone in the exact same outfit, aim to coordinate the colors across the family instead.

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5. Complement Each Other, Don't Match

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This is one of the most important tips for families: coordinate, don't clone. When everyone wears the exact same color, outfits can blend into one another so the viewer can't tell where one person ends and another begins. Instead, aim for a variety of tones, textures, and small pattern accents that work together as a set — complementing each other and your surroundings, without looking identical.

 

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6. Be Careful with Patterns, Prints, and Logos

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Bold patterns and large logos tend to dominate a photograph and pull focus away from your faces. Subtle, smaller patterns — a light floral, a soft check — work best, and it's usually safest to limit the group to just one patterned piece at a time. If you're ever unsure whether something falls into the "too much" category, send me a photo beforehand and I'm happy to weigh in.

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7. Choose Fabrics with Texture and Movement

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Natural fibers like linen, cotton, and wool photograph beautifully — they catch the breeze, filter soft light, and add a cosy, lived-in texture to the image. Stiffer fabrics with structured collars can look overly formal and tend to bunch or need constant adjusting. Layering also works in your favor: cardigans, light jackets, scarves, and hats add visual interest and give us flexibility if the weather shifts during the session.

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8. Shoes

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Shoes are the finishing touch on the whole look, so choose them the way you'd choose any other part of the outfit. On the beach or in the desert, bare feet are often the best (and most comfortable!) choice. In a park or in the old part of the city, footwear becomes part of the outfit, so make sure it matches the overall style. Comfort wins over heels — we'll be moving around, and I'd rather you enjoy the session than nurse a sore ankle.

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9. Hair and Makeup

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Keep it simple and keep it you — the day of the shoot isn't the time to experiment with something brand new. For hair, loose and down tends to photograph beautifully, though a few clips in your bag are a smart backup if the wind picks up (it happens here in the UAE!). Don't forget your hands, either — a neat, subtle manicure goes a long way in close-up family portraits.

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From My Client Closet

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Choosing an outfit — especially for mum — can be the most stressful part of getting ready for a session, so I've built a client closet to make it easier. It includes a range of flowing, photograph-ready dresses in different colors and silhouettes, so you can borrow a piece rather than shop for something new:

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If you'd like to borrow a piece from the closet, just let me know ahead of time so we can arrange a size and a pickup, or try it on when we meet. Below, you'll find the dresses available in my client wardrobe, along with outfit inspiration and examples of how to coordinate the whole family's look for a beautiful, timeless session.

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Quick Recap

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• Dress for the season and the location

• Wear something comfortable that feels like you

• Bring 2–3 outfit options if you can

• Keep the family palette to around four complementary colors

• Complement each other — don't match exactly

• Natural fabrics and earthy tones photograph beautifully almost anywhere

• Go easy on bold patterns, logos, and large accessories

• Choose shoes based on the terrain (or go barefoot!)

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Choosing and coordinating outfits for the whole family can feel overwhelming, and that's completely normal! Feel free to send me your outfit ideas via WhatsApp before the session — I'm always happy to help you pull the look together.

 

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