How Many Outfits
You don’t have to bring two looks if it’s too stressful to coordinate or if you’d rather just stick to one fabulous look. If you stick with one outfit, you won’t have to spend any of your time changing half way through the session, so we’ll be able to sneak in a few more photos. I recommend only one outfit for the Petite Collection.
Choosing Colors
When it comes to my style of photography, it matters what you wear. If you are drawn to my work, it’s because I have a sophisticated and elegant style. I recommend selecting jewel tones for outfits. Black, grey and cream are great options as well, but mix it up with a print pattern to brighten things up.
Sample colors for jewel and earth tones.
You can mix and match solid colors with prints. Pops of color can be added in your jewelry, scarves, lip color or even in fingernail polish.
To maintain a timeless look, AVOID ultra-bright, neon colors, and graphic tees and lettering/words on clothes. They are so distracting! Check out my Pinterest board for some inspiration.
Flattering Your Features
In my experience, every woman, regardless of her shape has an area of her body that she’s self-conscious about, so recognizing that area in advance is key. Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos.
Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve. You could also bring a cute jacket, blazer or cardigan along, too. Skinny straps or strapless dresses have the opposite effect on arms on camera, so I recommend avoiding those whenever possible if your goal is a set of slimmer-looking arms.
Heels elongate women’s legs, making them look fabulous. If heels is not your forte, please don’t feel like you have to wear them. Ballerina flats are a great alternative. These little tricks make all the difference. I also adore moccasins with dressier outfits. If you like, bring extra shoes like flip flops for walking between locations.
Make a Statement
Pairing an accessory or two with your outfit can really help bring some extra dimension to your images, and be a nice tie-in when you’re coordinating with a group. Big statement necklaces like squash blossom bring a lot of pop to the photos, while the smaller, delicate ones are not as noticeable on camera.
Hair & Makeup
Professional hair and makeup looks amazing on camera and removes the stress of getting ready on your own. Mamas, this is the time to treat yourself and go pro. If you’re working with a makeup artist, have them apply your makeup in natural light, if possible, so that it looks fresh and not too heavy. Plus, that’s the type of light I’ll be shooting in, so it’ll give you the best expectation of how it will translate on camera. Good makeup artists know how to get it just right for the camera — and my clients always love the final result. If you need a recommendation for hair and makeup, I recommend Trish for hair and makeup at LaBelle Artistry To book please email LaBelleArtistry@gmail.com
Style Tips for Him
Long, fitted pants and closed-toed shoes are the most sophisticated and masculine looks for men. They draw attention away from his legs and feet and place it where you want it: on his handsome face. So, for your session, it’s best to leave the shorts, sandals at home as well as any pants that are loose or baggy. Fitted dress pants or fitted colored pants work best on camera. Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong complement to most women’s outfits, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye. I also recommend staying away from graphics and logos. Denim jeans with a plain solid tee is another great alternative.
Layered Looks
Adding another layer will bring extra dimension and visual interest to your photos. Blazers, vests and coats up the level of any look. If the temperature permits, he could even consider adding a v-neck sweater with a pop of color from a long-sleeved collared shirt and tie underneath. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with layers.
Mix It Up
Many of my fellas love to mix a suit coat, blazer or sport coat with a dress pant or jeans. It adds some extra visual interest, and breaks up the color tones. I'm a big fan of this fresh take on a timeless classic.
Details
Brown leather dress shoes complement almost every look, whether he’s wearing a full suit or a blazer and dress pants. Ties, bowties, bolo ties, colored socks, belts, tie clips, suspenders, vests and watches are sharp complements to any outfit for men and boys alike. If you bring two outfits to the session, you can start with a traditional necktie and belt, then switch to suspenders and a bow tie for your second look. If two looks are too stressful, no problem. One will do the trick. You can still mix and match accessories to complement both of her dresses without doing a full change during the session. So, either way, it's a win! Remember to polish your turquoise jewelry and steam iron your outfits a few days before your session.
How to Prep Your Man
Most men aren’t overly excited to take photos, because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower your guy. Tell him why you chose me and my style of photography. Show him your three favorite sessions that I’ve done, explain why you love them and express to him how much it means to you. Trust me, once he knows it’s important, he’ll light up the camera for you. By the time we’re done, he won’t believe how fast it went and just how much fun he had.
Prepping Your Family
As you’re coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate. Avoid thinking about “matching,” and instead think about what “fits” together. This will create more visual interest, and allow each personality to shine through.
How to Mix Colors
The goal for coordinating a family is to visually break up the colors and shades so that you’re not all wearing the same color on top and bottom. That will “cut” the image in half. Instead think about how we can mix the colors up, bottom and top. I encourage you to think about planning each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind. A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate. When you’re planning each family member’s outfit, if you can aim for each person to have a different dominant color, and then tie in and vary the accent colors, it’s going to look great all together.
For example, if you’re wearing a blush dress, soft blue earrings and nude heels (blush being your dominant color), then he could wear a navy coat with a white button-down and gray pants, paired with brown leather shoes and maybe even a blush pocket square (making navy his dominant color). Your daughter could wear a soft blue top with a white tulle skirt (making a soft blue her dominant color) while your son wears light beige pants with navy suspenders and a white button down (making white his dominant color). Now each person has their own dominant color while still incorporating a few touches of the others that will pull all the looks together. This will break up the color visually and highlight each personality. Most of my moms choose their dress first, and then build the rest of the family’s outfits based around that.
TIP: You can also have one person wear a pattern outfit then everyone can wear colors from that pattern to balance the look.
Mixing Up the Pieces
If you have multiple children, don’t feel like you need to put them all in the same type of outfit. For example, one of your daughters could wear a dress and flats, while the other wears a skirt and boots. One of your sons could wear a bowtie, while the other one wears suspenders. Mixing up the wardrobe pieces will bring a great visual interest to the photos.
Prepping Your Little Ones
Before your session, pack a bag with snacks, water and any small objects (such as a favorite toy) that might help me get their attention when it’s time for them to look at the camera. If they are old enough to understand you, it’s a good idea to prepare them for what’s to come before the session starts. Explain how much the photos mean to you so they know to be on their best behavior. A lot of families discuss and pick something fun in advance as a treat after the session if they’re good listeners, like an ice cream cone, for example. It also helps if their bellies are full and they’ve has some good rest beforehand. Once you prepare them physically and mentally, then feel free to give them (and you) grace. They’re little, and I know that some days don’t always go as planned. I’ve seen it all and will make sure to get you great photos, regardless of their moods. My goal is to make your session fun and stress-free as possible for you and your family!
Pets Welcomed
I love photographing pets especially dogs. All I ask is you bring a dog “wrangler” who will not be in your session. It will be way less stress and worry when your wrangler has one job, your doggie. Don’t forget to bring treats and/or their favorite toy.
Keep it Simple
I created this guide to help make your family session experience something you’ll look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. Your future memories are the most important thing to me, and I want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it. Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And I’ll take care of the rest!