What to Wear For Your Photoshoot
The three most common concerns I have heard over the years from my clients, as they prepare for their photoshoot are:
1. Will my kids cooperate?
2. What if the weather is bad?
3. What should we wear?
While some things are beyond our control, the day of your shoot, such as the weather, none of these things should really stress you out, or make you dread your session. Kids will be kids. I am very laid back, and patient, and have photographed hundreds of children over the years. I can handle silly, cranky, or energetic kids. We will get some good shots. Don't worry. If the weather is bad the day of the shoot, we can either move it to my studio, or reschedule for a nicer day. What this blog post is really all about, however, is the "What to Wear" question. So here it is. Here are some suggestions, based on experience for what tends to work well, and create beautiful, timeless photos. They are suggestions. Do not feel obligated to do these things. After all, it is your photoshoot. I am not trying to dictate what you have to wear.
When you book a session with me, I will provide you with a session guide with some tips for preparing for your session. This includes some information about what works best with the type of shoot we are doing, what photographs best, and what colors work best with my editing style. Here are a few of the highlights:
1. I always suggest that moms pick out their outfits first, and then work around that for the rest of the family.
2. Choose clothing that have a cohesive style, but that are not "matchy-matchy", meaning you do not all have to wear exactly the same color, or style clothing. Avoid the everyone in polo shirts or white tees and jeans. A white shirt and jeans looks great, but switch it up a little. Try different types of white shirts for each family member, or throw in some accessories and a splash of color, have your little one wearing jean overalls, or a denim dress. It's nice to have everyone look like they are together, but to also still have their own style/ personality. The photo above is a wonderful illustration of using a color (blue) as the common color, but using different styles, textures and tones to make it work.
3. Avoid clothing with characters or large logos. While these may be cute, they are not timeless, and can be distracting. We want you and your family to be the focus of the photos, not a cartoon character, and to be able to display these photos for years.
4. Choose neutrals or muted colors. My editing style uses warm tones, and muted colors, and bright colors may lose their tone when they are edited, and may also cast color on your skin in the photographs.
5. Don't be afraid of patterns and varying textures. It's nice to throw a floral in, or some stripes. Again, use these things subtly. Everyone in a different type of plaid is a little too much.
6. Lastly, I offer a client closet! If you are truly stumped, or don't want the additional cost of a dress you may only wear once, please reach out. I have dresses for moms, and outfits for kids up to about a 4T. I have a few girls dresses in larger sizes. You are welcome to schedule a try on session to see what I have, or I can send you photos or a video of what I have in your sizes. I have invested a lot in this and love when clients use what I have available.
I am always available to my clients for questions, or to bounce ideas off. If you book with me, don't hesitate to email me at any time. I want you to look and feel your best for your session, and I will do whatever I can to make that happen for you.
Here are a few examples of items from my client closet:
Many of the dresses I have can be used for maternity and non-maternity sessions.The photographs below are all from milestone sessions. I provide a simple outfit for these shoots. You are welcome to use the outfits for other types of sessions as well.
