What to wear

I cannot stress enough how much the colors, and styles of the wardrobe change the outcome of the photograph. I know that choosing an entire look for the session can be incredibly stressful, so I'm hoping this guide helps make this easier. Best way to start - Pick out one must have item and then build the rest off of that.

I do have some size small-medium dresses (maternity as well) for use. Click here to be directed to that link after reading through this wardrobe guide.

Colors - Which colors photograph well?

“Yes” colors

Above, you'll see colors that I think photograph beautifully. These really create gorgeous tones for the final images.

“No” colors

Colors like you see above can dramatically change the overall tone of the image. In my opinion, these colors do not photograph well. Stay away from bright colors, unless it's a white tone. These colors will cast the color onto the face/skin of anyone who is surrounding you.

Textures, Style, and Sizing

Now let's discuss textures, and style and sizing. Mixing textures can add dimension to your photographs. For example, Mom could wear a flowy Rayon/Cotton dress, while her son wears a linen textured button up. Her daughter could wear a lace and cotton blend dress. Dad could wear a blue chambray shirt.

Some styles of clothing do not photograph well. Such as cargo shorts. They tend to look bulky, and they make the photos no longer timeless. Tight or short dresses are also something you should stay away from. Not only do they limit me with posing, but you'd have to worry about things like underwear lines, bra lines, and more. Overly colored/patterned busy button ups can make the photo look chaotic. I love pattered button ups, but I would look for muted or dark colors with a less busy design. A popular style here is fishing t-shirts. I personally think they "cheese" up a photograph. Almost as if Dad just found it in his closet and threw it on.

Clothing items with large logos should be avoided as well. Ladies, please make sure your bra straps are not hanging out. I recommend strapless bras, or sticky bras. Editing out bra straps is a long process, and that wouldn't fall under basic retouching. Jeans are okay to an extent. If jeans are something that you really want to incorporate into your wardrobe - I recommend dark wash, fitted jeans without a distressed look. Light wash jeans don't photograph well. Polo T-shirt is something else I'd recommend staying away from. Athletic shoes should also be avoided.

I know children are ever growing, and normally we like to size up so that they can wear the item longer but I really recommend not doing that for photos. Fitted clothing looks much cleaner and provides a better end result. “Fancy” dresses (I call them Easter dresses) tend to look bulky, and stiff. Light moveable fabrics are ideal.

Large head bands and bows are extremely distracting. Try a cute wide brim hat instead or head wrap.

Suspenders are a wonderful way to spruce up an outfit. For little ones - they could even go shirtless with suspenders, and cute jeans.

I know it’s hard to let go of, but it’s okay to wear something that you wouldn’t normally wear.

When in doubt please don’t hesitate to reach out!

To sum up:

No crazy patterns, stick to light moveable fabrics on the “yes” colors list

Ladies: Maxi dress | High waisted skirt with a crop top

Men: Fitted/Tailored chinos | Button up | Chino shorts | Relaxed t-shirt

Little girls: Maxi dresses | Rompers | Midi/Maxi skirts

Little boys: Shorts | T-shirts | Button up | Suspenders

Dressing for locations

Dressing for locations is also important. If we’re shooting in a forested/green locations - I would stay away from any colors that will blend in. Stay away from green and white. Mustard, rust, and rose all look great in green locations.
If we’re shooting at the beach - most recommended colors above go. In fact, all of them go. There are just a few that tend to make the blues in the water come out. Burnt orange, rust, yellow, lavender, and white look great. (you can see examples at the very bottom)
Fields are just like the beach - there are just a few colors that are better. Such as maroon, mustard, navy, and white.