WHAT TO WEAR?
What you wear to your custom photo session is so important for the final product, and it takes some planning. Here are some helpful tips:
Coordinate and complement – but don’t match. It helps to start out with a basic color palette and go from there. Think about having one “rock star” in the photos who carries a pattern in their outfit that the rest of the group’s clothing or accessories pulls from, while keeping everyone else’s outfits more simple. You can do this with a neutral and a few colorful brights, or try a softer palette that has different tonal ranges of the same shades. If you prefer a more neutral, natural look, consider different tones of oatmeal, blues and grays. To me, this always looks beautiful and timeless, and it goes well with an outdoor setting.
Layers and texture add detail and depth. Don’t be afraid to layer! This adds lots of interest and looks great in photos. Accessories look great, too – belts, scarves, lace, hats, a vest, bowtie, hair bows – and add to the character of your shoot.
Shoes matter! Please don’t wear sneakers … unless we’re talking about some funky Converse that go with the feel of the session. The choice of shoes can make or break an outfit. Slipping on a pair of distressed boots or some colorful ballet flats can tie everything together and complete the feel of the session. Think about coordinating colorful shoes with other accessories and clothing in the photo. Many times NO shoes looks best, especially if you’ll be sitting or in poses where the bottoms of shoes can be seen. Funky socks can add another splash of color or personality if your overall look of the session is fun and bright.
Think timeless: While being current and fashionable, still try to select clothes with a timeless look. This will extend the life of the photos and won’t make them look dated a few years from now.
Get comfortable: Make sure children are comfortable in their clothes and can move freely – we want them happy and comfortable, not grouchy and miserable during the session. For older children, this means letting them have some input in what they wear. Kids who help dress themselves will not only be much happier during the session, but it will let their own beautiful personalities shine through in the images. Also, try not to change outfits more than once – another reason layers and accessories can be handy. The same goes for you – make sure that you select an outfit that makes you feel beautiful and relaxed.
Patterns are OK! Patterns can add visual interest and texture as well as a good dose of personality. Just make sure that just one person is in a pattern with the rest of the subjects in simple, more solid color pieces – or that the patterns are subtle and complementary (for instance, a teeny tiny polka dot tie on a little boy next to his sister’s bold color blocked pattern can look great).
Think about your location: Think about your location and make sure your wardrobe complements the surroundings. For example, a little girl dressed in a simple, flowing dress with pigtails and bare feet would look great at a location in a field with a rustic barn in the background … but that same look might be out of place in an urban setting with a graffiti wall in the background. Also, consider how well the colors and patterns in the wardrobes will stand out against the backdrops of your location. A green dress might disappear into a park setting with green grass, but a coral dress would pop beautifully against the green backdrop.
Props: Props are welcome if they are meaningful to you – for example, a favorite teddy bear or a quilt that Grandma made.
A few things NOT to do…
Please avoid anything with logos, graphics, sports teams, characters, labels, etc. These tend to take the “finished” look of a professional portrait down a few notches, can be distracting and will date a photo quickly.
• When scheduling haircuts, be sure to let the hair cut grow out a week or so before the photos in order to look most natural.
• Don’t have everyone wear all the same color – matching too much is boring and dated. Coordinate colors and looks, letting everyone have their own spin on the color palette (and every person does not need to have every color used in the color palette). We don’t want everyone in khaki pants, or all in denim and white shirts. 🙂
• No bright white socks and no sneakers, please. This can detract from the finished and timeless look of your portrait.
