Style guide
I'm so honored to help you create memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime. I’ve created this guide to help you get the most out of your photos
Be sure to wear what makes you feel the most confident and happy and THAT will always make for great photos no matter what!
Choosing colors
When choosing colors for your outfits, I recommend selecting softer, lighter tones and more muted shades.
The camera loves shades of soft pink and muted blues, mixed with sophisticated light neutrals like heather gray, creams, leather brown and white. That softer color palette fits beautifully into almost all natural outdoor environments.
Please avoid ultra-bright, bold colors, it will help bring all the attention to your faces and let the eye focus on the way you feel about each other.
For her
Long, full-length, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos. Consider softer fabrics like chiffon or tulle which allow for beautiful movement in the images.
When considering the length of your dresses or skirts, it’s also a good idea to factor in whether or not there will be little ones in your photos. If you have smaller children, i’ ll likely have you sitting or crouching on the ground to interact up-close with them.
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.
Fitted dress pants, fitted colored pants, or fitted dark jeans work best on camera. Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong compliment to most women’s outfits, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye.
Brown leather dress shoes compliment almost every look, whether he’s wearing a full suit or a blazer and colored pants. I also recommend staying away from graphics and logos.
Preparing the family
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.
The more we can mix that up, the better. 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.
Most of my moms choose their dress first, and then build the rest of the family’s outfits based around that.
Preparing your little ones
Before your session, pack a bag with snacks, water and any small objects (like toys or lollipops) 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 they’re bellies are full and they’ve has some good rest beforehand.
My goal is to make this as fun and stress free as it possibly can be for you and your family!
Final note
I KNOW I JUST GAVE YOU A LOT TO THINK ABOUT. I CREATED this guide to help make your portrait 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 for me, and I want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it.
My goal is to make this as fun and stress free as it possibly can be for you and your family!
Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And i'll take care of the rest!