What to Wear to Your Session

Whew! This topic is nightmare fuel for obsessive people like myself. Usually a very laid back person, I become unbearably knit picky when it is my turn to be in front of the camera, so I GET IT, guys. I know what it’s like. I once spent 3 hours straight on pinterest trying to pick out the perfect clothes for my family’s portraits, and I still didn’t have it all picked out by the time I turned off my phone.

Through my personal and professional experiences, however, I think I’ve finally cracked the code on getting the outfit thing down. Read on to see my top tips.

1. 1. 1. No tiny prints, no huge prints. This one is not a hard and fast rule, but hear me out. Have you ever been watching tv or looking at pics on your phone and a pattern started wiggling or messing with your eyes a bit? That phenomena is called moiré and it is a bit unsettling. Hence my suggestion to avoid small, busy patterns. There is also the idea to match your print to your stature, as a very large print may end up wearing somebody with a small frame and a small print may look out-of-scale on a larger frame.
      2. Avoid letters and logos. Human brains will always go to these things first, which makes it difficult for a photographer to ensure you are the subject of your images and not accidental billboards instead. A tiny gator on your polo won’t ruin your shoot, but if your shirt has a huge swoosh across it, it will be tough to not look like a Nike commercial on your save-the-dates!

   

   1. 1. Start with something you already own and build around it. To ensure you don’t completely drive yourself batty like I have been known to do, pick one piece from your wardrobe you already love. A favorite necklace, those super trendy wedges, your most flattering/comfortable jeans, etc. If you start with one piece, it will help you pick the rest. Bonus: you won’t spend a fortune buying new everything for a shoot.
      2. Contrast. This tip is more technical than fashionable, but helpful nonetheless. It also ties in with the above tip by helping you narrow things down. If you are wearing dark jeans, your partner can wear khakis or lighter denim. This ensure separation of subjects in the camera and prevents any sort of amorphous leg-blob situations. Same for tops. Find complementary colors rather than monotone.

   

   1. Think about how you’ll use your images. Are you making save-the-dates? Planning to hang some canvases in your house? Sending prints as gifts to family? All these things may affect what you choose to wear. If your home decor is subdued and neutral, an electric blue dress may not be the best complement to your walls, for example. For my last round of family photos, I chose a cool color palette for our wardrobe to complement our soon-to-be grey walls.
   2. Don’t forget the feet! Shoes are often the last thing you think of when putting together the outfit, but a worn-out or dirty looking pair of kicks can really bring an image down. So no sneakers you’ve had for 5 years and occasionally wear to cut grass, guys! They don’t have to be dressy, but they should look clean and coordinated.

That’s it! It’s by no means comprehensive, but this list should give you a great place to start! I love helping my clients with wardrobe choices, so don’t hesitate to ask! Check out my pinterest board for more wardrobe inspiration and stay tuned to the blog for upcoming wardrobe-related posts.