Deciding on what to wear for your photo shoot can be challengin . Theses portraits are going to be displayed in your home so you want to knock it out of the park!! Well worry not, I have provided tips and advice to guide you in your quest for the perfect wardrobe. After reading my tips, feel free to check out my favorite AMAZON PICKS...because honestly, ya gotta love Amazon! Happy shopping!
Coordinating solid tones, not matching
Long gone are the days of everyone wearing a white shirt and matching. I normally lean clients towards earth tones. Patterns are not the enemy, however a bold pattern will steal the show. What this means is in every photo, your eyes will gravitate first toward the loud pattern, not the connection between you. When picking solid earth tone colors, I recommend dark browns, ivory, rust, camel, muted mustard, sage, clay, deep forest greens, or muted rose colors, to name a few. They all photograph beautifully. One of the biggest tips when dressing families is to dress mom first. Then once you’ve got mom’s outfit picked out, move onto the others and coordinate based off of mom’s color palette. Another tip is to mix textures. So if mom’s dress is a smooth fabric, pick a corduroy romper for baby and a ruffled dress for older sister. A fun way to add some variety to your gallery is to bring a wide brim hat for mom.
Look at your home decor
Do you like bright bold colors? Neutrals? Since you will be hanging these photos in your home (and family will want them as well) you want to make sure you wear the colors, the colors do not wear you LOL. Hear me out, I will never tell a client to not wear a certain color, however the bold ones like purple, bright pink or turquoise can really take over a look.
Say no to characters and logos
Yes, your little one may love their Toy Story shirt or bright neon shoes, but you may want to skip it for the family photo session. Just like patterns, characters on shirts and logos can be pretty distracting.
Textures are your friend
I am a huge fan of a cotton fitted shirt. However, in photographs I like to add textures like sweaters, mens blazer, overalls or rompers for the kiddos, Hat for Mom, etc.
Avoid all white or all black clothing
If you are wearing an all white shirt then it is very easy to blow out parts of your shirt causing it to lose its detail. Same can be said with all black, it’s easy to have clipping on black clothing and the detail is lost. However if you love black, dress one member of the family in black then put the other members in neutrals.
Plan ahead
Once you book your session, start thinking of the clothes right away. You may think certain clothes will fit your kids or that one dress is clean. If you wait until the day of, or the day before you may run into an issue of clothes not fitting, being dirty or need to be dry cleaned. Make sure all outfits are pressed, tag-less and lint free!!
Accessories
A trendy hat or suspenders are my jam!! Are you or your spouse a watch person? Great! Feel free to include a formal of trendy watch and let the smart watch sit this one out. They tend to flash on and I'm always getting close ups of hands. Don't worry, I can edit your tan line if you have one :)
TIP: If a family member wears blue light glasses or transition glasses, you might want to consider an alternative. Otherwise I might request removal right before the session. Unfortunately, the reflection or darkness is too prominent.
Stores I Recommend
Online Boutiques - AMAZON / Reclamation Design / Cora and Violet / Emmry Cloth / Lulus
To-do/Self Care Checklist
+ Please check out my list of items to consider when preparing for your session AMAZON
+ Leave plenty of time for showers, baths, dressing, and grooming.
+ If the material you are wearing can get wrinkled in the care, consider hanging the close up and changing when you arrive at our location. This is essential for babies and toddles (especially if they are teething). I have a portable changing room so just let me know if you would like me to bring it.
+ If your baby/toddler is wearing a dress please include a diaper cover.
+ Be certain to eat before hand and plan around your child's nap or bedtime. Snacks are welcome for the little ones. We typically shoot at golden hour so try not to let the kids get overexerted before the shoot.
+ Consider a mani/pedi and moisturize as I will be getting close ups. I LOVE the little details, so keep this in mind for the kiddos as well (i.e. chipped nail polish, artificial tattoos.....yes I've had this happen LOL, marker, etc.)
+ I highly recommend getting your hair and makeup professionally done. There is nothing like the feeling of getting pampered for a photo shoot! So I say let the professionals do the work! Here are hair and makeup artists I recommend - Beauty by Veronica | Aliyah Artistry | Miss Marissa Artistry | Rosie Duncan
+ Give YOURSELF plenty of time so when the clocks strikes you are ready to head out the door. Feel free to arrive 10-15 minutes early so you can get the family ready, freshen up and not feel rushed.
+ IMPORTANT: Please bring a bag for water, wipes, snacks, keys and cell phones. All phones are recommended to stay in your bag (even if you have a teenager that can't live with out it). This is a big one! In order to achieve the result you see on my website, I need the family to be fully present for the entire session. Sometimes parents will take out a cell phone to get their child's attention and this tends to backfire because eventually, we have to take it away, and the tears are catastrophic. I have so many tricks up my sleeve to get their attention and ways to guide the session so I encourage parents to allow me to take charge.
HAVE FUN!
Laugh, giggle, joke, snuggle, and play! You can count on me to direct the session and doing these things will allow me to capture the natural emotion and true beauty of your family.
Finally...don't stress yourself out! This should be a fun and relaxing experience. I always suggest making a day out of it! Get the kids excited in the morning, get pampered by getting hair and makeup done, and when the session it over, take the family to dinner to celebrate! Family portraits should be a family tradition and something the kids will always love and remember.
