I have my clients come to me all the time wondering what to wear.  I think there is this confusion that everyone should match in pictures when that’s not sure.  What you want to do is match similar colors.  For example if its a fall session, maybe pick 3 to 4 warm colors like oranges, yellows, browns, and maybe a pop of deep red.  Not everyone has to wear all the colors, but if most of that family wears a few of each then it will look nice.

So before you go to a photo session, don’t worry about going out and buying new clothes for everyone to wear and blend together, just look in their closet and lay them out and I know you will be able to find a good set of clothes that will look great!

Below I have some examples for a fall session, since its fall time (woot woot) for you to get an idea of what will look good and how to blend them.  If you have any more questions or want to ask what I think will look nice, I don’t mind helping with that at all.

 

Do’s and Dont’s

DO: PLAN AHEAD 

Don’t leave an hour before your session to decide what to dress you and your family.

DON’T: SPEND A TON OF MONEY

You will everything in your closet that you need, just look and put it all out to see what looks nice.

DO: COORDINATE

Get a few colors and the same style of clothes and blend them together.

DON’T: MATCH

Matching outfits is outdated and boring.  You want to bring out the individuals personality and what fits best on their body shape.

DO: THINK ABOUT YOUR LOCATION AND SEASON

The season is fall right now so lean more towards warm colors and warmer clothes.  Also the location determines what you wear. If you are out in the country, then a sweet farm dress with boots would look nice, but sitting on the ground with a bunch of leaves some pants with a cute scarf would be more ideal.

DON’T: DRESS UNCOMFORTABLE

It dosent matter how cute an outfit looks, if you are uncomfortable then it will show in the pictures and it will not be a fun experience.  Make sure you pick something out that feels good and you feel good in,

DO: USE NEUTRAL MUTED COLOURS

If you use softer colors then the focal point in the pictures will be on you or what you are doing in those pictures.  Bright colors can also cast colour  on your skin giving you an unnatural tone.

DON’T: WEAR GRAPHICS, LOGOS OR PATTERNS

If one person wants to wear a pattern that would be fine, but when you start to get everyone in them it starts to be too busy for the pictures.  Logos and graphic tees are a no-no, so please don’t wear those.

DO: ADD TEXTURE AND MOVEMENT

Adding texture and layers is beautiful and really created interest to your photos.  Using scarves, lace, knit, wraps, etc can add a deeper dimension to the image.

DON’T: OVER ACCESSORIZE

Accessories can be a great way of adding interest and depth to an image.  Think of a sweet baby hair bow, a fur vest, a stylish necklace, a scarf, etc.  However too many accessories draw attention away from your face and to a larger extent, from you.

DO: THINK TIMELESS

Try to avoid current trends that will date your image.  By choosing solid, neutral pieces, you’re allowing your images to have a classic feel that you’ll love even years later.

DON’T: BE INAUTHENTIC

Wearing too much makeup or styling your hair in a way that you don’t normally isn’t being true to you.  These photos are to capture who you are and how you want to people to remember you.

DO: BE CLEAN, GROOMED AND PRESSED

This is one that is sometimes overlooked, but it can really stand out in an image when everything looks top notch.

DON’T: FORGET ABOUT FOOTWEAR

The choice of shoes can make or break and outfit.  Make sure you pick the style of shoes that are for the season and also with your outfit.