Preparing and dressing for your photo session
I get asked more and more lately about what tips I can offer about wardrobe selection. I’m no fashion expert, but I’ve learned a few tips from experience and from fellow photographers on what to select and what to avoid when getting ready for a photo session. I love the fact that you all are reading this because I want your photo session to be just as fabulous as you! Please don’t stress about shopping for something perfect, just keep it simple and stress free (if you can!) The goal is to make you and the moments I’ll capture stand out and not so much what you select to wear. So here are some tips, color combinations (for group photos) and suggestions for preparing and dressing for your photo session.
General Tips:
- Textures and layers always look nice and add depth and detail to the photo. Knits, scarves and sweaters for the fall and winter portraits are great on camera!
- Solids colors are best. Try to stay away from busy, loud patterns or logos, but don’t be afraid to choose plaids or ginghams!
- Avoid clothes with fine, repetitive lines typically found on men’s dress shirts or suits. These detailed lines can be difficult for the camera to register and may appear as wavy lines instead.
- Avoid wearing loud or fluorescent colors especially corals since it can be distracting when looking at a photos and the colors can reflect on your face. So, unless you want to be bright orange, it’s best to stay away from fluorescents.
- IRON your wardrobe! Every detail will show up in your portraits, so be sure to iron out any wrinkles, remove lint and loose threads.
For Groups:
- Everyone should dress in a similar-style, for example: All casual or all formal. Even the shoe styles should be consistent. In other words, don’t have some family members with closed-toed shoes and others with flip-flops in the same photo.
- Shirts and dress colors should be within the same color palette or be complimentary colors, rather than everyone in identical colors. Identical colors tend to look too “matchy”.
- Pants and skirts can be similar or identical in color, for example: light denim, dark denim, tan khakis.
- Women’s clothing is more colorful than men’s clothing. I always tell Moms to start with picking a color they like best for the girls, then put the guys in a more neutral color. Super cute when Moms and daughters throw a splash of similar color with an accessory like a matching scarf or headband. Here are some great combinations!