First off, whatever you wear, make sure you are comfortable in it.  If you aren’t comfortable, you’ll likely look uncomfortable.  If you are a sandal lover, wear sandals.  Be true to who you are.  The rest of the words written on this page are purely suggestions.  Just because your favorite outfit goes against these guidelines, doesn’t mean you cannot wear it.  When I shoot a family or couple session, I aim to capture your relationship, not your fashion sense.  Don’t stress out too much about what to wear, but it’s great to think ahead.  No matter what you wear, we are going to have fun and capture moments that you’ll cherish.

Choose around 2-3 outfits, but feel free to bring more if you are having a hard time narrowing it down.  I can always offer you help in choosing the most flattering and photogenic outfits, even if it means emailing me photos of your possible outfits a month ahead of time, asking for advice.

Feels Good

During your session, I may have you sit in the grass and have a tickle-fest, or roll down a hill, or climb a tree. Choose clothing you feel comfortable wearing and allow you to have fun at your photo shoot.

Looks Good

Style is subjective, but here are a few things to avoid:

• Logos/graphics/text on clothing. Your eye will immediately jump to them in the photos, when you really want to be drawn to the faces in the photos.
• Too Much of the Same. If you wouldn’t dress your family in matching white shirt and jean outfits to head to the mall, I recommend not dressing that way for family portraits. Show off your true style, mix and match colors. In fact, if you’re heart is set on everyone in white button downs and khaki pants, I’m probably not the photographer for you.

Embrace

• Bright, solid colors. Rich colors can help you stand out from the photos background. If you are having trouble combining different colors, try building your clothing around one person’s outfit. Often times you’ll find great color combination to work with from a single outfit, which you can then expand from.
• Accessories. Using props and accessories is a good way to change up your look without even changing your outfit. Think about things that characterize you and your personality: scarves, purses, shoes, headbands, items from your line of work, hobbies, and interests.

Think about personalizing your session

• Bring a cute blanket or quilt if we’re shooting outside or at a park.
• Your dog! I know many couples who consider their canine to be their first ‘baby’.
• Tricycles, books, bubbles – any ‘props’ you can bring that might show off your interests.