Outfits & Styling
Believe it or not, you have so much control over the outcome of your shoot and what it looks and feels like! What you choose to wear is a big decision that often causes some stress beforehand. However, my hope is that with a little education, you will be able to determine the style and feel you desire for your shoot which will make your outfit selection so much easier and less complicated! Let's start by debunking some very common outfit myths that a lot of people believe about what they should wear to their session!
outfit myths:
1. MYTH ONE: Avoid neutrals, they wash you out!
Whoever started this myth couldn’t have been further from the truth. There are some colors that don’t work for some people, but for the majority of people, they look amazing in neutrals and those colors shouldn't be avoided. The truth is, neutrals are the most photogenic color for portraits.
2. MYTH TWO: Always wear black or you won’t look thin!
Sure, black is slimming, but it also photographs very heavy in portraits. There is nothing wrong with black, but your location and occasion is something to consider, email me if you are considering black.
3. MYTH THREE: You two need to match!
Please don't try to match each other. Instead, try to coordinate! Coordinating is a completely different concept than “matching." Coordination means you are usually choosing different colors that look good together but are not close to being the same. I have some more tips about this concept in the following pages.
4. MYTH FOUR: Your location determines your style more than your outfit!
False! Your outfit has way more impact than your location. Your location is just a setting in the background but you two will still be the main focus of the images. If you want light, airy and an overall romantic look to your photos, you will need to wear lighter, more neutral colors in your photos to achieve this look!
5. MYTH FIVE : You have to buy something new!
False! If you know you look awesome in an outfit that you already have and it fits the style you want for your engagement session, that would be a great choice!
Deciding on your style
What do you perfer?
Bold | Neutral
Dressy | Casual
Classic | Trendy
These choices represent the three main decisions you will have to make in regards to your outfit choices. There are no right or wrong answers! Maybe you want one outfit to be dressy and the other to be casual. Maybe you want one outfit to be very light and neutral but you want to wear more color in the next outfit. These categories will hopefully help you determine what you’re hoping for in your engagement session. If you’re feeling stuck and can’t seem to determine what you prefer, that’s very normal!
Here are some general “rules of thumb” when it comes to styling during a session. Once you read through these, you may have a better understanding of what you prefer, and you can start planning your outfits. These “rules of thumb” are based on my experience and aren’t concrete rules that can’t be broken. However, if you have questions about one of them in regards to what you want to wear, just email me and we can talk about what would be best!
Things to Avoid:
1. Colors to avoid: bright reds, neons, bright oranges (they reflect color onto skin and can be difficult to edit!).
2. Avoid patterns smaller than a quarter: Tiny patterns cause something called “Chromatic Aberration” in digital images. Men’s checkered shirts are fine if the “checks” are on the larger side.
3. Alternate heaviness: When choosing outfits for your family session, think about creating visual balance by alternating the “heaviness” of colors throughout the group. Darker colors naturally draw more attention and carry more visual weight, so if one family member is wearing a dark top or dark jeans, consider balancing it with lighter colors on others. Rather than everyone wearing similarly dark or similarly light clothing, aim for a mix of tones that complement one another and create dimension in your photos. This helps each person stand out while keeping the overall look cohesive, balanced, and visually pleasing.
4. Avoid one of you being casual while the other is more dressy: This can look a bit awkward in your photos.
5. Other things to avoid: Tennis shoes, Graphic tees, Bold logos on shirts, Sunglasses & Baseball Hats.