1. COORDINATE—DON’T MATCH Current trends have left behind the group photo where everyone was wearing the exact same thing (i.e. blue jeans and a white shirt) and changed to a coordination mentality. This means that you may have a few colors in your color scheme and the group chooses their clothing based on those colors. This method allows for more creativity and individuality. For a family photo, mom may want to choose what she is wearing first and ask the rest of the group to coordinate around those colors. See below for some color guides.

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2. AVOID SMALL PRINTS & LOTS OF WHITE—Small, tight prints and stripes do not photograph well. The camera reads them and creates its own unique pattern called “moire” and it isn’t desirable. Lots of pure white is also best to avoid. Pure white is difficult to expose for and can distract from the people in the image. 

Avoid anything with logos, graphics, characters, labels, etc. These tend to take the “finished” look of a professional portrait down a few notches, can be distracting (who wants people to first notice the Nike or Gap logo before the smile?) and will date a photo quickly. Note: There are a few instances where a more stylized graphic on a shirt can look good if it fits the vibe of a photo.

 

3. COMPLIMENT THE WEATHER&LOCATION—Spring/Summer: Summer trends such as sun dresses, nicer sandals (not casual flip flops), lightweight light colored pants and a lightweight button up on the men are great examples for a solid summer session outfit. I love lighter colors in the summer such as pastels or light neutrals. So often in summer we end up shooting surrounded by greenery, so staying away from wearing greens, or darker colors are usually best to make you stand out from the background.

Fall: Time to layer up! Whatever you decide to wear, layers are your best friend. We are talking a cute top, jacket or sweater, little neck scarf, whatever you want to add more depth into your outfit. Fall is perfect for that. Tones during this time of year are typically yellows and oranges outside. So try to get tones and outfits that go well with this. I would not recommend wearing bright floral or major distracting prints during this time of year since the fall leaves already bring so much to the photo.

Winter (snow sessions): Layers like the fall session example are perfect as well! For winter I also love a cute beanie, some mittens to throw on for a few shots, be creative and have fun with it! Just remember…If there is snow, do not wear white or creams if you can avoid it. If we are going to be in a heavy snow area, you can still wear lighter colors just make sure they contrast against white enough so you don’t disappear into the photos.

 

4. PUT THE ELECTRONICS AWAY—I know you wear your Apple Watch so much that it is basically a part of your body, but please take it off for your photo session- you can always replace it with a classic watch. I promise it will look so much better in photos! Phones should also not be in pockets, as this could be captured in the photos, even if it’s just the outline.

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5. MOVEMENT—Movement is awesome in photos, not only in the poses we do, but in the clothing you wear. We want those flowy movement/candid shots- and a tight fitting outfit won’t do that for us. So try for a beautiful flowy skirt or dress, hair down and curled to get movement captured. The more that is moving in the photo, the better!

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6. BE UNIQUE—Be YOU! If you and your significant other go fishing every week together, you should bring your fishing gear with you for the shoot. If you guys play music and sing together, BRING IT and we can have a show while I capture that. Bring what you want to show off or something that is special to you. Whatever makes you guys unique PLEASE bring it along so I can capture you being you together.

 

7. SHOES—Ladies, while I love me some good high heels, keep in mind that a lot of walking and sometimes hiking happens during sessions. If you plan to wear heels for your photos that is perfectly fine, but bring a side pair of walking or hiking shoes for between shots.

Please don’t wear sneakers – unless we’re talking about some funky Converse that go with the feel of the session. The choice of shoes can make or break an outfit. Slipping on a pair of hip, distressed boots or some colorful ballet flats can tie everything together and complete the feel of the session. Think about coordinating those bright and colorful shoes with other accessories and clothing in the photo.

 

8. ACCESSORIES—Don’t over accessorize. Overbearing or heavily noticeable accessories can be a major distraction. Simple and minimal works best.

 

9. GLASSES—Eye glasses can be worn if necessary. I prefer it when clients can wear contacts instead. This request is due to the editing process- glasses can sometimes distort the outline of your face/eyes. It can be very challenging and sometimes impossible to edit out distortions, glares on glasses, or the “Transitions” style lenses that turn into sunglasses in the sun. If you don’t wear contacts and always wear glasses, that’s okay. I promise to do the best I can! 

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*Tip—Lay out all the clothing onto a bed. Shoes, socks, stockings – everything should be included…shoes, too! Then, take a careful look at everything. If your eye goes to any one item in particular, you can be certain that the same thing will happen in a photograph. 

 

*How will the images be displayed?—Think about the primary reason you are doing the session and dress accordingly. For instance, if it’s for Christmas cards you might want to dress in wintry, seasonal clothing. For a gallery canvas in the living room, think about coordinating with the colors and feel of your decor.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me before your session.

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Sources: Vivid Imaging, Pretty Presets and Actions, Kortney J Photography, Paint the Moon