Good clothing choices can make or break a photo shoot. Wardrobe, like location, will have a major impact on the final outcome of your images and should be considered carefully.
Teens
Teens are encouraged to have fun with their attire, but to steer clear of overly trendy or risque items, as these images will be around long after the trend is over! I suggest appropriately fitting solid colors, avoiding busy patterns or logos/words. Sometimes less is more; know what I mean? Aside from clothing choices, personality can also be incorporated into your portraits through use of stylish accessories and meaningful personal items such as a musical instrument, sports equipment, etc. Good grooming is also an important consideration. Not sure what to do? Don’t worry, we will go over all of this in more detail before your session.
Children
When in doubt, classic, timeless clothing is always a good choice, but whatever you choose should reflect the personality of your child. Personal touches such as hats, scarves, fun boots or a frilly tutu will help define your child’s style. Be sure to stay away from clothing with logos, and any type of character clothing (Disney characters, Barbie, etc.) as they can be very distracting to the photo and diminish the overall impact. Blue’s Clues is cute for playtime, but can look out of place in a child’s portrait.
If children are being photographed together, clothes that are similar in style give a more coordinated look. Bare feet are especially fun, and kids love it too. If shoes are preferred, please make sure they are in good shape.
Family Sessions
Clothing choices are just as important for family sessions as in individual sessions. I recommend coordinating the attire of each family member to match in tone, though clothing need not necessarily be of the same color. Please be wary of stripes, plaid, words and logos on your family’s clothing. These things can be a distraction from the main attraction; your family’s beautiful faces! Bare feet are fun in family sessions as well, weather permitting of course.
Ultimately, clothing choices should reflect the personality of the person or persons being photographed. Clothing should compliment the look, not complicate it.
If you would like to discuss your clothing choices in advance of your session, please let me know. Understanding what you have in mind will give me an idea of the overall aesthetic you wish to achieve in your session, and will enable me to make more appropriate location suggestions as well.
