Oh, What to Wear?

OH,WHATTOWEAR? Thisisprobably the number one question I get asked before a photo shoot.It can be pretty confusing and stressful trying to decide what outfits would be best for your photography session . . .but worry not!Thisguide will help you with styling tipsand tricks to select clothing optionsfor a perfect outcome on photo day.

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C OMP L E ME NT I NGF A MI L YOU T F I T S Gone are the daysof 1 990sfamily portraitswhere everyone in the picture would wear the same outfit.A good way to start planning a photo session isto choose a color scheme.( I post paint color schemesto my What to Wear board on Pinterest all the time!Same idea! ) .

Try to choose a palette that hasa mix of neutral shadesand a bright color.Another option isa color scheme with one main color and different variationsof that color.

C HOOS EONEP E R S ONT OS T A ND OU TF ORC E NT E RS T A GE Instead of having everyone in the photo compete for center stage,you may want to choose one person to stand out from the others.They can wear one impactful piece that inspires the accessoriesand colorsin everyone else' soutfits.Typically,it' seasier to have a woman' s or girl' soutfit be the focal point of a picture.

Once you' ve chosen one person to be the focusof the photograph,use a bright color to draw viewers'eyesin.Everyone else in the photo can have accessoriesthat match the bright color, making the photo look unified and complete.

MA K EAP H OT O NI F I E D I NT E R E S T I NG&U WI T HA C C E S S OR I E S Accessoriesare often just what a photo needsto take it from drab to engaging.Don' t limit yourself to jewelry when you think about accessoriesfor photo shoots.There' splenty to choose from for both sexesand all ages—outerwear,jewelry,hats, headbands,flowersin a girl' shair,scarves,and more.

You want to usea light hand when it comesto accessorizing.Too many accessories, especially if they arebig or bright,can overwhelm a photo and takethefocusoff what is really important— you!Thisisparticularly truefor littleones.Their unique personalitiesand beauty need to beallowed to shinethrough,not beovershadowed by a giganticheadband or overdoneaccessories.Remember,accessoriesarejust thereto enhancewhat your subjectsarebringing to thephoto— their personality and beauty.

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After you' vechosen your color palett,chooseoneor two bright accent colorsthat you can usefor accessoriesthroughout thephotos.If you' vechosen a toddler girl to betakecenter stagein thephoto,look at thecolorsthat arein her outfit.Her outfit might featurea pattern with gray,teal,and salmon colors.Mom can wear a bold teal necklaceand matching earrings,Dad can sport a salmon tie,and thebig brother can wear a funky bowtieor some fun teal socks.Thepossibilitiesarelimitless!

Consider using multipleaccessoriesfor each subject throughout your photo shoot.

Depending on how many accessoriesyou have,you can do oneor two changes throughout theshoot.Thisismuch easier than doing full clothing changes,but it' senough to givephotosa wholenew feel.

Rather than making accessoriesa staticpart of thephoto,get subjectsinteracting with them!Baby can grab Mom' snecklaceduring a photo,a child can hold their hat in front of them for a picturewith a littlebit of attitude,or you can havesomeonedrapetheir jacket over their shoulder asthey turn towardsthecamera.

Look into parents'wardrobesfor accessoriesthat kidscan use.Thisplayson thejubilance of youth and createsa link in thephoto between a parent and thechild.A littleboy looks adorablewith hisdad' shat balanced on hishead,and littlegirlsoften loveplaying with mom' sjewelry.

L A Y E RY O U RO U T F I T S A N DU S ED I F F E R E N T T E X T U R E S Nothing drawsthe eye to a photo like differences.Two easy waysto add fun differencesto a photo are layersand different textures.

Layersoffer different aspectsto a photo in several different ways.Subjectscan take on and take off layersfor different looksin each photo,and layersadd a nice bit of color variation.

T H I SI SAG R E A T T E C H N I Q U EF O R B L A C KA N DWH I T EP H O T O ST OA D D D I F F E R E N T P O I N T SO FI N T E R E S T I NT H EP H O T O Different fabricsand accessoriescan give much-needed texture to a photo.

Look for piecesof clothing with embroidered details,lace collarsor accents,ribbons,ruffles,and other fun textures.These typesof different texturesshow up well in black and white photosaswell ascolor photos, giving a pop of personality to each photo.Plan your outfitsand layers to match your vision for the photo and what bringsout your subjects' personalitiesand styles.

U S EF U NP R OP ST OB R I NGMOR E P E R S ONA L I T YT OAP HOT OS HOOT I have a wide range of propsto offer that will bring a unique style to your session.

However,contributing your own propscan also add a meaningful touch to your images.

For a photo that focuseson the subjectsand bringsout their best traits,simple propsare the best way to add some fun to a photograph.Look at the location of a photo shoot and the vibe of the shoot.Isit fun? Romantic? Nostalgic? Keep your propsin line with the theme of a photograph so they enhance the photo,rather than detract from it.

A photo in a meadow can be enhanced with a handful of wildflowers.A romantic engagement photo ismade even sweeter when a couple holdsan object that' s meaningful to their courtship.For photosfeaturing children,pick objectsthat are special to them for the photo.While you may cringe at the idea of that worn lovey under your child’ sarm in your family photo,it will not only make them more comfortable,it will make you smile when you look at the photo yearslater.Asthey say,they grow up fast!

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Y E ST HA TI NC L U D E SS HOE S! Everything that isworn or used in a photo shoot affectsthe look and feel of each photo.Thisincludesshoes.

Don' t let shoesand footwear be an overlooked part of your outfit planning.A pair of shoesthat doesn' t fit in with the rest of a photo can detract from the picture.

Choosing a pair of flatsthat fit in with the color scheme isa great way to make a photo look great and add a burst of color.Shoes,when matched with accessoriesthat other subjectsin the photo are wearing,can tie a photo together.

Bright yellow ballet flatscan match a man' syellow tie or a little girl' s headband.Thiscreatesa unified feel in a Unlessyou have tennisshoesthat photo without making it too cutesy. are unique and fun enough to fit in Consider going barefoot if the shoot with the vibe of a photo shoot,you allowsfor it.Bare feet can create a may want to consider other footwear rustic,casual feel that better showsoff optionsfor your pictures.For women, the natural personality and interaction of ballet flatscome in almost every color. the subjectsin a photo.

K E E PI TC L A S S I CF ORAT I ME L E S SL OOK Whileyour preferencesmay bedifferent,many photographersand subjectsalikeprefer to dressin timelessand classiclooksthat will last through theyears.Wearing clothesthat are too trendy might mean that thephotoswill look outdated in a matter of monthsof years.If you chooseclothesthat havelooked good for years,thephotoswill likely continueto look good and up-to-datefor yearsto come.For a classiclook,choosea soft color palettewith a coupleof bright colorsthat arerepeated in accessoriesthroughout thephotos.Sticking to timelesslookswill let your subjects'personalitiesshinethrough.However,if a family wishesto usetrendy,modern clothing,that istheir prerogative.Either way,you can make a beautiful photo!

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Asyou plan out a photo shoot,remember to think about whereand how pictureswill bedisplayed.If you areplanning on displaying photoson your living room wall,tiethe colorsand setup of your photosto thecolor schemeof theroom.Photosthat will go up in a child' sroom should emulatethefun,playful spirit of children and capturetheageof your children.Picturesthat will beused for invitations,Christmascards,or announcements,keep thesmaller display sizeof thephoto in mind.Small detailsmay get lost in a smaller photo,so usebold accessoriesthat will show up in a 4 x 6 photo.

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Adultscan be comfortable in just about anything for the length of a photo shoot.

However,choosing perfect children' s clothing isof the utmost importance for a good photo shoot.Kidscan be made itchy or uncomfortable by the smallest inconvenience—a tag in the back of a shirt or a fabricthat rubsagainst the skin wrong.Choose free-flowing clothing for kidswill allow them to move easier and stay comfortable throughout the photo shoot.For outdoor photos,consider bright,free-flowing clothing that will move with the child and add movement and life to a photo.A dressthat twirls not only enchantsa little girl,it make a photo exciting and engaging.

A superhero cape hasthe same effect for a boy—they feel excited about the photo and that enthusiasm showsin the photo To ensure that the children are happy and at ease during photos,let them pick their own clothing.They' ll pick something that showsoff what their preferencesand interestsare.If you are worried about what they' ll choose,try selecting three or four main outfitsthat you would be happy with your child wearing for a photo.Let them choose from the outfitsyou' ve selected; they' ll still feel like they got to make the decision.

P A T T E R NE DC L OT HE S Patternsare like bright colorsand accessories in photos—they are great when they are used with a light hand.One person wearing a patterned top or dresscan break up the picture into visually interesting chunks.To avoid overwhelming a photo,have just one subject in a photo wear a bold pattern.In the rest of the photo,have small burstsof patternsto draw the eye through the photo.

For instance,a little girl dressed in a bold patterned dresscan look great next to her mother who iswearing a subtly patterned scarf.

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Asyou plan your photo shoot outfits,keep thelocation in mind.You want theclothing choicesand thephoto setting to complement each other,not look likethey don' t match.

Imaginea littlegirl with a vintagecotton dress,sporting pigtailsand holding a handful of flowersshepicked herself.Thiswould look great in a meadow or a farm setting.

However,thesamelittlegirl would look a bit strangein an urban photo setting.

You also want to makesurethat thecolorsand patternsyou choosefit well in the environment you' veselected.If a subject' sclothing isthesamecolor asthebackground, sheor hemay blend in.It may beeasier to first choosethelocation for a photo shoot and then plan outfitsaround that location.If you' reshooting in an area with lotsof patterns and visually distracting elements,bright,solid colorsmay bejust what your subjects need to stand out.

DO’ S&DON’ T S*T I PS&T RI CKS Avoid outfitsthat mean that everyone iswearing the same color or pattern.This makesa photo look dull and outdated,not to mention taking away from your subjects' unique personalitiesand preferences.Choose a color palette and let everyone have their own take on it.Thiswill create a photo that iscoordinated and classy without being cheesy or overdone.

Don' t choose clothing that haslarge pictures,labels,logos,or wordson it.Thisoften lookstoo casual for a photo shoot and detractsfrom the overall feel of a photo.People who look at the photoswill notice the logo on your child' sshirt before they notice your child' sbeaming smile.Logosand graphicson clothing can work in somecases.

Themed photo shootsmay call for these items.In general,however,try to stick with more classicclothesthat will show something other than what clothing brandsyou favor.

If you choose a stylish,modern look for a photo shoot,make your clothing choices wisely.Choosing something that isoverly trendy and doesn' t have any classic featureswill make your photoslook out-of-date long before they need to.

Stay away from white socksand sneakers.Neither bring anything to a photo,and both can actually detract from the overall look of a photo.If sneakersor white socks are part of a modern look,they may have their place.

If photo subjectshave jewelry or accessoriesthey wear all the time,make sure that they fit in with the look of a photo before wearing them in a photo.Watches,earrings, necklaces,and other accessoriesmay need to be removed for a photo shoot.

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