Planning for a photo session can be so stressful! Let’s take the stress factor out with my

Top 10 Tips on What to Wear!

1. Think about why you’re taking photos.

Are these for your Christmas cards? Maybe you’d like them to be Christmas colors like reds, greens or even navy.

Maybe they for your favorite holiday like 4th of July or Easter? Then you’ll want to grab clothing that is red, white and blue or nice spring pastel yellows, lilacs and powder blues.

Are you wanting new photos for your home to frame and display? Then you’ll want to consider tip number 2!

2. What colors do we have around the house?

A lot of my clients want to display photos in their home. That’s why it’s really important consider your home interior.

If you’ve got a bright, airy, beachy vibe with a lot of cream or whites with greens and blues, you probably won’t want the family wearing deep colors. Instead, I would suggest colors on the pastel spectrum so you can still bring in other colors, but they’re complimenting those lighter shades already in your home.

On the other hand, if you’re house is really warm; maybe with some deep cherry woods or warm oaks and neutral colored countertops and walls, you may want to stick to more neutral colors like denim mixed with greys, beiges and whites.

3. Decide if you’re all going to wear the same thing or mix and match.

It’s not uncommon to want everyone to match. Same shirt style, same wash for the denim, etc. But don’t be afraid to mix and match. It offers variety in your images and allows each family member to express some of their individuality! Here’s some examples:

4. Once you’ve decided on a color, Google it!

Google is your friend! Title the search something like “blue family photos” and go to the images.  Click HERE to see what comes up for that. It’s also going to give you options that work together. With the blue search I’m seeing a lot of blue mixed with whites and some blues and yellows. These are great colors to work together and really make your photos pop!

5. Purchase new clothing items at least a month before your session if you need them.

Maybe your husband needs a new pair of nice slacks or dark jeans. Or you’d like a new top. Whatever the reason, it’s always ok to “treat yo self”. I recommend shopping at least 3-4 weeks beforehand. That way you know your clothes fit properly, are the right style and make you feel comfortable. It also gives you time to return or exchange items if you need to.

As I say that I think about how I did not take that advice and bought my shirt for our engagement photos literally 2 hours beforehand. Don’t do that! It was exactly what I wanted but it was too big and didn’t fit properly. I wore it anyways but I was messing with it the whole time and wishing I had planned better.

6. Try on your outfits at least a week before your session.

Again it’s ALL ABOUT COMFORT!! I want to make sure you’re comfortable!  Being uncomfortable can change the entire vibe of a session. I’ve seen it before. When you’re not comfortable, the camera can tell. It’s not uncommon for clients to get anxious when they have their photo taken. So wearing clothing that doesn’t make you feel like your best self adds to that anxiety. Trying your clothes on saves that stress of running around at the last minute to find something else. This is especially important for little ones – they’re growing so fast so make sure your special outfit still fits so we aren’t trying to mess with a wardrobe malfunction during our shoot.

8. Wash, iron and steam anything 2 days before your session.

And then hang it back in the closet and don’t touch it! This way you’re 100% sure your white shirt is stain free or your kids jeans have all the mud off them. It’s also a good idea to clean your shoes like boots and white tennis shoes. You will be able to see dusty boots or not so white shoes stick out like sunglasses on Dad in every photo so just do it (as Nike says). And yes I’ll remind Dad to remove his shades.

9. Change your little ones when we arrive at the session location.

I’ve had clients show up ready to go and then they get their little one out of the car and there’s spit up or crumbs all over their new outfit. White also tends to be a popular color for kids which doesn’t mix well with goldfish crumbs or chocolate hands. It helps keep the babies happy when they’re in comfy clothes and you can just change them real quick before we go.

10. Have fun!

Remember, these moments are forever framed in the camera for YOU to cherish! Make them some of your favorites by applying these helpful tips to plan your session. Whether you’re booked for a 20 minute session or an entire afternoon, we’ll all have fun taking beautiful photos you’ll cherish for a lifetime! Have fun with it!