One of the most common questions I get after someone books a question is: “What do I wear?!” (p.s- I do send a style guide out for all of my sessions now!) This is always kind of funny for me, because I don’t really consider myself super stylish. BUT, I do have knowledge of what makes a picture look great, and since it’s now officially spring and “photography season” is upon us, I want to give a few style tips that I think take a photo from looking “ok” to something that you would be happy to display on your wall!
1. Choose soft colors!
I usually recommend light blues, pinks, cream, gray, white…Bold colors are also good in moderation (we will talk more about this below with coordinating!). These colors help to feature YOU as the main part of the photo rather than putting all the attention on the clothing. They also help prevent what we call “color casting”, which can happen when light reflects off a color and back into a person’s face. Here’s an example of my son in a green tube at the park. I LOVE THIS PHOTO – isn’t he cute?! But, the color is not technically very good because if you look at his forehead (for example, in comparison to his hand), you will see that it looks really green! This is the green from the tube reflecting back onto his skin. This can also happen if you have two people in close proximity to each other and one is wearing a very bright color. Now, there are definitely ways to fix this, but just something to think about!
2. Don’t be too “matchy”
I usually recommend that everyone has their own color and then pops of other people’s colors. Mom might have a blue dress with pink flowers. Her daughter might have a pink dress with some white/navy/dark pink accessories. Her brother might have a navy sweater. Pulling in various colors makes the picture have much more depth than everyone wearing the same color! Great examples below!
3. Don’t be afraid to dress up!
Remember, you don’t have professional photos taken every day! This is a special occasion, and these are photos that you can proudly display throughout your home. Dressing it up makes the finished product look that much more “finished!” Check out the engagement sessions under my portfolio to get some great inspiration!
