This is the most asked question I get from families and kids to brides and grooms. As simple as it may seem, there are a few things to remember when choosing clothing and putting together your "look". Outfit selections can make or break a photo shoot and you want to look and feel your best. No matter how beautiful your photos are, if the outfits aren’t on point, it can affect the outcome of your images. Whether you are preserving your images on your living room wall, in save-the-date announcement, on fashion blogs, and Instagram feeds, you will want to sport an outfit you truly love.
Here are the best tips, tricks and lessons I've learned from behind the camera. What you want out of your shoot is totally up to you, but here are my suggestions on how to dress for your best photos yet.
WEAR SOMETHING YOU LOVE:
Wear clothes you love and feel great in. When you feel great about what you're wearing, it makes a huge difference on camera. If you're wearing something you feel slightly unsure about, it will definitely show. Photo shoots are a great opportunity to wear something fun and snazzy. Don't be afraid to get a little whimsy--just have fun with it!
OUTFIT CHANGES:
I encourage all my clients to bring a couple of options if they want to "make a change" halfway through their session. It is important to have variety when choosing your images. Usually, 1 or 2 outfits is ideal--one outfit should be more formal and the other is more relaxed and casual. Remember, the more people you add (for families), the less time you have to get everyone dressed and picture ready.Of course, this is optional and not required.
COORDINATE INSTEAD OF MATCHING OUTFITS:
I DO NOT recommend matching! I DO recommend complimenting outfits with something that coordinates or choose something that highlights the contrast between them. You can certainly wear something in the same color family, just do not make it look intentional. For beach sessions, I recommend bolder, yet soft colors: blues, greens, pinks/corals, khaki, yellow, etc...get the picture?
COLORS & PATTERNS:
Too much is too much! Don’t have competing colors or patterns. You do not want various plaids, stripes or other prints competing against each other and not showing the beauty of the people in the photo. If one person chooses to wear a strong pattern, then a simple solid top on another person is plenty. Any more than that is overkill and will not look good. And, remember to never wear NEON!!
COLORS & PRINTS:
Personally, I love BLUE! It is a nice pleasing color that looks appealing on every skin tone. Neutral colors are also nice and warm on most skin tones Of course, if you are fair skinned, white or lighter colors tend to not look that great. So, wear something that is flattering to your skin and body type. Keep in mind of the background you will be against. You do not want to blend in and become invisible. Blacks and whites are not my choice; they are typically really sharp and brings too much contrast into a photo. Bright reds are very very hard to edit, especially against skin tone and hair, so they are NOT recommended. Most often, you know what you look nice in.
LOOK LIKE YOU BELONG TOGETHER:
If you are wearing a nice formal outfit, don’t let your SO or other family members show up wearing old t-shirts and busted up jeans with flip flops. Dress so that you look like you belong together and not mismatched.
LOGOS AND GRAPHIC TEES:
I cannot stress this enough! PLEASE, stay away from shirts with writing or large logos that detract from the purpose of the session. We are not selling a brand! We are photographing a memorable season in your life...one you should be proud to display on your wall. Clothing trends fade. So, traditional dress is best.
ACCESSORIZE:
Mix up your outfit with different belts, jewelry, scarves, hats or jackets if you’d like. Whatever you would normally wear that shows your unique style. If you normally don't feel comfortable in those kinds of things, then you are not obligated to wear them. It is super important that you feel comfortable.
DON'T TRY IT!
Please do not get new hairstyle or try a new makeup technique the day of your session! You will regret it! Do a "run through" with hair, clothes and makeup beforehand (for all persons being photographed). This will give you time to make changes and adjustments. Basically, do not wait until the last minute!
DOES IT FIT?
Show up in appropriate fitting clothes! Not too tight, yet not too big. You don't want to look back one day and say, "what was I thinking when I wore that for photos?".
CONSIDER THE SEASON:
FALL/WINTER-dark and bold colors like dark red, gold, navy, black, hunter green, and plaids.
SPRING-baby blue, blush pink, cream, pastel yellow, and floral prints.
SUMMER-fun colors and prints like stripes and chevron
On the day of your session, you should feel confident and ready to rock (not stressed out). If you are not a naturally confident person, don't worry! It is my goal that by the end of your session, you will walk away feeling like you were successful and created some amazing images. Remember to follow the recommendations above to help me make you feel comfortable and confident. Don’t try to be someone you aren’t. I want to set you up to feel your best in your own skin and then show you how to pose confidently, so that you not only have a wonderful time, but so that you LOVE the photos you get back.
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