I know a lot of people have a hard time coming up with good, solid wardrobe choices for photo session. Not only that, there's so much to prepare for before a session. It can be stressful sometimes, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some tips and lots of outfit examples for reference to help guide you through getting ready for your upcoming session.
- Steer clear of fluorescents. Fluorescent colors tend to color cast on faces, necks and hair. I always recommend versions of primary colors like yellow (mustard), red (maroon), and blue (navy, royal) and softer colors like white, beige, gray, light pinks, light blues, nude, etc...
- Patterns are awesome! I love florals, especially! But if you're wearing a dominant pattern, make sure your partner is wearing solid, so they don't clash.
- Avoid anything with logos, graphics, characters, labels, etc., unless pertinent to the session, as they can be distracting. Who wants people to first notice the Nike or GAP logo before your adorable smiles?
- Stay away from wearing a lot of green when having photos taken in grassy/wooded areas. It’s just too much green. Green as an accent color is great, though! You want to stand out amongst all the greenery you’re surrounded by.
-Don’t make everyone in the picture wear all the same color. Matching is dated. Coordinate colors and looks, letting everyone have their own spin on the color palette.
- Stay away from sneakers.
-Be sure to remove watches or jewelry not complementary to thesession’s look.
- Dress for the situation. Just as dressing for weather is important, dressing for the situation is just as important. A fancy black dress and a dress shirt and tie wouldn’t be the most appropriate wardrobe for a forest or grassy setting. More formal wear would be more appropriate for an urban or “big city”
- This is the time to look your best! So consider taking a trip to the salon for a blow out and getting your makeup done by a professional. You can still keep it hair and makeup on a more natural side, but you will feel much more confident, I guarantee!
- One thing that gets often forgotten are nails. Especially for the ladies showing off your beautiful new engagement ring, don't forget to get your nails done! And keep in mind that neutral nail polish colors will look better in picture. You'll be looking at these photos in 30 years and thanking me for not having neon blue nail polish on!
- For the kiddos: Shoes are a very important part of wardrobe. Stay away from character shoes, flip flops, crocs. My recommendation for shoes are boots, leather sandals, Converse All-Stars, Toms, and Willits. And always, barefoot is an adorable option, especially with babies. I’d much rather see bare feet than the bottom of their shoes.
- In all my Full Sessions, I allow and encourage couples to change outfits. That gives us more room for creativity during the session. However, for family sessions with children, I highly recommend sticking to one outfit. As it can be extremely chaotic trying to change everyone's outfits in such a short period of time.
-Visit my Pinterest (click here ) profile to find Photography and Outfit inspirations.
Here are some Amazon finds that are inexpensive and very handy dandy for photo sessions:
1) Dresses with patterns:
- Chiffon Summer Cold Shoulder (click here)
- Women's Strap Ruffle Cold Shoulder Floral Print Wrap Maxi Dress (click here)
- ZESICA Women's Floral Off The Shoulder Split Chiffon Beach Party Maxi Dress (click here)
- Women Summer Pleated Polka Dot Pocket Loose Swing Casual Midi Dress (click here)
2) Solid Dresses:
- NERLEROLIAN Women's Adjustable Strappy Split Summer Beach Casual Midi Dress (click here)
- Women's Dresses-Short Sleeve V Neck Button T Shirt Midi Skater Dress with Pockets (click here)
- Milumia Women's Off Shoulder Ruffles Shift Loose Mini Dress (click here)
Remember, I am ALWAYS available for outfit consultations. So if you're unsure whether your outfit will look good on camera or want to hear my professional opinion on a pattern combination, don't hesitate to email or text me anytime!
Love,
Maria.
Photos were pinned from Pinterest for reference and do not belong to the author of this blog.
