Wardrobe Do's & Don'ts

It may seem like such a small detail, but outfits are actually a huge contributing factor to how well your images turn out. I cannot stress this enough!

Between personal styles, wardrobe limitations, and a room full of opinions, it's not always the easiest job to get everyone on the same page when it comes to dressing an individual person, a couple, or the entire family for a photo session!

Thankfully it's not rocket science and chances are you probably already have what you need in your closet! If not, I bet Old Navy has something on sale right now that you could pick up if needed!

Here are some Do's and Don'ts when it comes to your wardrobe for your photo session!

WARDROBE DO'S

• Wear clothes that fit well - If you feel comfortable, you'll look comfortable!

• Complement the setting - Use texture and color in your wardrobe that will look cohesive with the location we'll be shooting at.

• Dress kids in clothes they love - If the kids are happy, everyone is happy!

• Wear complementary colors - Outfits should consist of a limited color palette that will complement complexions and accent other outfits.

• Wear prints wisely - Clothing and accessories with medium and large patterns are best. Try mixing with solids to balance things out.

• Dress for the season and weather - Being dressed for the season will make your photos look natural because you'll be more comfortable during the session!

• Wear clothes and accessories that reflect your style - keep it classic and timeless, but don't be afraid to add some personality!

WARDROBE DON'TS

• Don't dress teething little ones in dark solids if possible. Their drool will stand out on their clothes and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to photoshop it out.

• Don't wear busy patterns and extreme colors - Overly bright colors are distracting and will clash with the location. Small, intricate patterns can create an effect known as Moiré which looks like a rainbowing or circular pattern on these prints. I cannot fix this in Photoshop. So it's best to avoid these types of patterns.

• Don't wear poorly fitting clothes - Clothes that are too big or too small, are restrictive, or wrinkled are very obvious in photos and won't be photoshopped out.

• Don't wear anything that's too trendy - Go for a timeless look and avoid clothes that will look dated in a few years (hello, shoulder pads!)

• Don't wear distracting items - Big jewelry, sunglasses (especially transition lenses), and hair bands on your wrist are more noticeable in photos. I suggest keeping it simple. We want you to be the focus of your images, not these other things.

• Don't be a walking billboard - Don't wear sneakers with brand names, logos, characters, or words that are visible. These things can also fall under the list of distracting items.

• Don't wear underwear that is hard to conceal - Avoid bra straps with a spaghetti strap dress/top, or underwear with lines that are visible through tight skirts, or even underwear with print that can be seen through sheer fabrics. Ladies--Invest in a good nude color bra for this exact reason!

• Don't show more skin than you want to show - Only show as much shoulder leg, midriff, and neckline as you're confident in capturing for a lifetime.

I hope this was helpful and provided a little bit of reassurance that putting together outfits for the family is not as complicated as you may think, but it does require some forethought and planning. Also, one of the perks to booking your session with me is gaining accessing to my Style & Select subscription. What is Style & Select? It's a digital stylist that will show you REAL outfits in real time. It's fun, and more importantly, SO easy to piece together a cohesive look with this tool. I can't wait to see the outfits you come up with now!

How to prep your wedding day details for photos

In order to get things off to a great start, please have all of the details and momentos you want images of in one place. If these are all in one central spot and ready to be photographed when your photographer arrives on your wedding day, This will help your photographer get through the detail stuff quicker so that they can focus on you getting ready and having fun. Champagne toasts, anyone?! hehe This will also help ensure you have everything you need in one location! I suggest designating a wedding party member (or friend who will be present for the getting ready portion of the day) to be in charge of your wedding details on the day of. This will be helpful for your photographer!

• Gather all of your wedding details, including your fiancé’s. Keeping each of your items together in your shoeboxes is an easy solution.

• Have your rings and jewelry cleaned. Make sure you plan ahead for this, especially if shipping to a jeweler is required.

• Remove tags, stuffing, and plastic from your wedding dress and hang it on a nice hanger. If you've bought a personalized hanger, be sure to have it ready. Be sure to also remove tags, stickers, plastic wrapping, etc. from jewelry, shoes, and anything else you’re wearing.

• Have your dress and veil steamed. Wrinkles in either of these items will be distracting.

• Bring two copies of your full wedding stationery suite (invitations, envelopes, menus, programs, etc.).

• Ask your florist to provide cuttings of flowers and greenery that match your wedding florals for your photographer to use in styled images.

• Select a perfume or cologne that your fiancé will always be able to associate with the memories of your wedding day.
  

Having been a wedding photographer for a number of years now, I can tell you that most wedding days slightly run behind schedule. So when you take the time to prepare all of these items before the day of, you'll save yourself a TON of unneeded last minute stress. Again, consider enlisting the help of a wedding party member or a close friend to be responsible for these items. I bet you'll find they're more than willing. Probably because they'll want to make sure your day is the best day ever! If you have any other tips and tricks for prepping wedding day details, I'd love to hear about them. Drop them in the comments below!

Host: @styledshootsacrossamerica

Concept & Planning: @heatherbengeofficial

Venue: @sunstonewinery

Hair & Makeup: @sunkissedandmadeup

Stationery: @ohelevenstudio

Florals: @parkersandposies @blushbotanicals

Cake: @Lelepatisserie

Rentals: @partypleasers

Men’s Wear: @themoderngroom_

Gowns: @styled.gowns

Linens: @nuagedesignsinc

Models: @lizkoetsier @rhathon

How to bring personality into your senior portrait session

When it comes to Senior Portraits, I want my seniors to show up as their most authentic selves!

The first step in that process is for me to get to know the senior prior to our session. I want to know what interests the senior has, any sports played, a family pet, etc... The second step of that process is for me to work with the senior on choosing a few locations that showcase his/her/their personality and how we can incorporate different outfits. If you're planning your own senior portrait session, or doing some research for your child's senior portrait session, check out these tips below!

• Choose a location that reflects who you are - Are you into more urban cityscapes type places? Or more into nature? What about the ocean? We could head to your soccer field, baseball/softball diamond, or the tennis court!

• Bring a few props or outfits that reflect your interests - e.g. your cheerleading outfit, your dog, ballet shoes, cowboy boots, your guitar, drumsticks, car, letterman jacket, football helmet, converse, etc... The options are endless! Things I would have included in my senior portraits would have been a volleyball, my softball bat, mit and a ball, along with my letterman jacket. Oh, and my dog Goldie!
  

• Consider asking your photographer to capture you doing something you love - e.g. riding your horse for a few photos, in your prom dress, dancing, shooting a few hoops (uh, how about shooting hoops IN your prom dress?! YES PLEASE!), playing violin, or hanging out with your pet! I had so many 2020 seniors whose proms were cancelled. So some requested to wear their prom dresses for their sessions. My future seniors are welcome to do the same!
  

• We'll get the smiling photos for mama, but don’t be afraid to be silly! Make funny faces, laugh, have fun!! I'll use prompts to try and get you to give me those big laughing smiles. But your end of the bargain is to be open-minded about getting a little silly with me.
  

• Bring unique props, like smoke bombs or confetti! We'll make magic with either.
  

One last note for the parents of my seniors: I ask that you hang back a bit and let me work one on one with your child. I know it's hard not to stay close by and ensure that everything is going perfectly for their session. But I often find that when parents stay too close, their child doesn't fully open up or engage with me. More times than not, they're looking over at mom or dad instead of being fully present for their session. If you as a parent have any special requests, let me know ahead of time so that I can be sure get you what you want while making sure your child's true personality is coming through!

No matter what you choose to incorporate in your session, it will be uniquely yours! If there is something you were thinking of, but I didn't include on here, that doesn't mean we can't include it. Just shoot me a note and we'll make it happen!