Monday, October 29, 2012

Wondering what to wear at your photo session? Try these tips!

When booking a portrait session I think it is almost always a given that the client is going to ask for suggestions on what to wear. I struggled with this question when I was first starting out. My clients would come dressed in matching outfits or in the same color head to toe.

I knew that I had to change my clients way of thinking when it came to choosing outfits for their portraits. I personally believe that is part of my job to help style a session. This gives my clients another reason to hiring me over going to a chain portrait studio. I always tell them to choose items with good color, texture (ie, knits, ruffles, denim) and accessories. I tell them to think coordinating not matching. I even go as far as offering to come to their homes and dig through their closet with them or tell them to bring a trunk full of options and we can put together outfits on location.

Kids are much easier to work with when they are comfortable. When they are stuffed into an outfit they are not allowed to get dirty in they tend to be more anxious and are easy to frustrate. Parents in turn get frustrated because their kids are not smiling like they want them to, or misbehaving. It's much easier to dress them in something comfortable but looks nice. I remember my mom sticking me in a turtle neck when I was a kid. I hate them to this day! They were itchy and I felt like someone was choking me. I never had a real smile in those photos when I look back now at them.





Babies are the most fun to dress up but you are lucky to get an hour with a baby before they are done, and I mean really done! They will let you know too! Sometimes just simply a diaper can take a beautiful portrait, from newborns all the way to 12 months.

Portrait sessions are so much fun to style! I always suggest my clients to bring a few different outfits, so we can change up the look mid session. I like my clients to dress up like they are going out on the town for the night when we are shooting downtown. Casual or very formal is always fun in the park. Again I mention think coordinating not matching. You want your outfits to flow well with one another but not match from head to toe.

Making the right fashion choice for your photo shoot is important. The life of your image can be extended by choosing classic styles. Trendy clothing choices will quickly date the image, as fashion trends change quickly. Below are tips and things to consider when preparing for your photo shoot:

1. The most universally flattering neckline is the V-Neck. The deeper the diagonal of the V the more slimming the effect. A wider V-neck can especially flatter women with narrow shoulder or pear shaped figures.

2. Long sleeves flatter everyone. Bare arms will compete for the viewing attention. By choosing long sleeves the focus of the images remains on the face. Long sleeves should fit snugly, but not tightly, and should taper to the hand.

3. Solid colors work best. Graphics, text and busy prints will distract the eye away from the face. Some colors that tend to work well on most everyone are eggplant, periwinkle, royal blue, aqua, red and coral pink. Avoid flesh-tones and very light colors. I would highly suggest that you avoid all white, it's very hard to photograph and it tends to not look good in photographs. If you want to wear white that's fine, but I would suggest accents of white instead of full white. It tends to wash out skin tones and usually blurs in photographs very easily. Sometimes it can appear as a halo around a clients body.

4. Avoid wearing contrasting colors like a black top with khaki bottoms as it draws a visual line across the body usually at the waist. Further, because of their lighter color, the khaki bottoms would also draw the eye away from the face. Instead, choose a darker tone on the bottom. If you prefer a lighter bottom, choose a lighter color top.

5. I love the look of the light as it reflects off of silk and the visual texture of tweed, suede or leather. Solid colors are great but don’t pass up an opportunity to show your unique personal style, it will set you apart from the dark suit, white shirt of others.

6. Keep your hair style and jewelry choices simple. Small earrings with a fun (but not overpowering) necklace can add a nice personal touch. If you are going to get your hair cut or colored, do this 1-2 weeks before the photo shoot.

7. Please look closely at your personal grooming needs. Retouching photos take time and cost money when a simple pluck of the tweezers or snip of the scissors can make all the difference.

8. And finally, get a good night’s rest the night before, and dress yourself with a positive attitude and happy disposition. Your goal is to feel good inside and out!

Here's some great examples of coordinating outfit ideas you can use for inspiration on your next photo shoot! Think outside of the box! Layers are awesome and bright colors are in! if you have any other suggestions please post them here! Thanks!

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