WHAT TO WEAR

  1. Be yourself- My goal in capturing portraits is to grab the true personality of your family. So don’t wear something you would never wear. If you dress up wear something you would normally dress up in. If you go casual do the same. Don’t try to be something you’re not.
  2. Bring options- Bring 2 or 3 different outfit changes. This way we can mix and match to find the best combination for what is most aesthetically pleasing. Also layer your clothing. For example if you’re wearing a blouse or, shirt you could bring a sweater over it. When wearing a dress shirt you could have a t-shirt underneath. Also accessorize with hats scarves etc. The exact same outfit with a hat will look totally different without the hat. It will be better to have something and, not need it, then need something and not have it. By having options we can mix and, match till we find the best possible combinations.
  3. Solids and patterns- If you bring 2 outfits make them both solids. If you bring 3 you can add a print. Prints can work but a general rule of thumb is that solids usually look better. Prints can sometimes overpower the photo and, distract form the real subject of the photo which is YOU.
  4. Colors- A rich and, bright color can really make a photo pop. Lighter bright colors can stand out but may not be too distracting. Avoid the neon colors they are just too bright and will overpower the subject of the photo, which again is you. Whites can work and give a really clean look and feel to the photos. Dark colors can be slimming but only work on white/light backgrounds. If we’re using a black/dark background avoid dark colors. If you have a favorite color wear it. Like I said previously just make sure to bring options so we can figure out together what’s going to look the best.
    • Don’t try to make the group too matchy matchy unless this is a style you really like.
    • One way to dress the group is in complementary colors. Think football teams. I have included a diagram that I found on a craft/knitting website. These are the NFL colors.
    • Another way to go is different shades and tints of the same color. Example- a dark blue with a light blue.
  5. Trends- If you want your images to be timeless avoid wearing clothes that are too trendy. Think Throw Back Thursday. If you were wearing disco clothes in the 70’s and looked at that picture today what would you think? 30 years from now that’s what todays clothing trends will appear to be. If you do want to date your photos to give them that “throwback appearance” put on your best hipster suit.
  6. Comfort- You want to wear something that’s comfortable as well. If you bring an outfit you really like but is a size too small for you and, you have to keep adjusting it that look of discomfort is going to show in your photos. One of the biggest keys to getting a great portrait is expression. If your clothes are comfortable it will be easier for you to look comfortable. You can wear high heels if you like them but, it might make sense to bring a pair of flats so you can take those off for the closeups.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us.