What Should I Wear?!

What should I wear?! And other helpful portrait session tips…

Hello! If you’re reading this, you’ve most likely booked a session with me and I’m so excited and honored you did! I put these tips together to assist my clients (you!) in preparing for your upcoming shoot. You’ve made an investment in me and my work, so I want to do all that I can to help you get the most out of your session. If you have any questions at all or would like to brainstorm with me about ideas for your session to personalize it, please ask away! I’m here to help. Let’s dive right into it…

What to wear?!

Let’s start with what not to wear. Please don’t feel like you all have to match in every respect! White tees and khakis on everybody is a bit boring, am I wrong? In my opinion, it’s best to instead pick a theme or a style for your shoot, and then arrange everyone’s outfits around that concept.

Don’t be afraid of color, mix and matching, textures and accessorizing! Accessories can be your best friends; add a button up cardigan, fun headband or great chunky necklace to mix things up mid shoot to create a whole new look quickly and with very little effort. Have fun with what you wear! Essentially, make sure that what you choose makes you feel confident and comfortable.

To help you visualize and get some ideas for your own shoot, I’ve put up some examples at the end of this post of families I’ve worked with who have done a great job styling their shoot.

What to Expect at Your Shoot 

Lots of natural light! Unless I’m shooting a wedding where I don’t always have my choice of where to shoot, I will make sure the timing and setting of the session is conducive to getting the best natural light as possible. If you need help choosing a location, I’d be more than happy to suggest some of my favorite spots.

Don’t expect to just sit in one place for a half hour and smile (this is mostly a heads up for the dads:) Be ready to move! Movement relaxes people. I’ve found that when I ask people to do something specific, even something as simple as taking a walk, it puts them at ease because they know what they are to be doing, rather than just sitting there feeling awkward. I’m a big believer that movement creates emotion and inspiration and thus better photos.

Lastly, my goal is to tell your story, not only through images but through words as well. I was an English major in college and I’ve always been a lover of words and stories. The use of well-written words coupled with genuine, unique and personal images can make for a powerful presentation of who you are as a family or couple or friends. So if you’re willing to tell me who you are, I’m more than ready to listen and tell your story.