What to Wear (clothing tips for portraits)

I did this post recently for Flats to Flipflops and thought I would share it here as well for any of you that are interested and may have missed it. Enjoy!


Trying to decide what to dress yourself or your family in for portraits can be somewhat of a stress...who am I kidding, it can be a HUGE stress!!! The good news is that it doesn't have to be. During my years of photographing I have learned what works best and what doesn't work so well. Hopefully this will ease a bit of your stress and help you come up with some ideas while planning what to wear for your upcoming photo session.

INDIVIDUALS & CHILDREN:

Your individual portrait is all about you. When dressing, be true to who you are and your own personal style. I recommend steering clear of large logos or character T's that can detract from you, the subject, and stick to pieces that contribute a timeless quality to your portraits. This also applies to individual portraits of your children.

I recommend clothing that has texture like knitting, embroidery, dark faded denim, and ruffles. Keep in mind that this is your time to shine so don't be afraid to wear something bold and colorful or patterned. Accessories can also add texture and show off your personality so layer up!

SIBLINGS & FAMILIES:

This can be tricky but try not to be too "matchy-matchy" while still coordinating colors. It always adds a bit more depth to the photo if children aren't in identical outfits. Try to pick a couple of colors that will carry through to each outfit and bring some fluidity to the ensemble.

Last but not least, when selecting the outfits for your portraits, keep in mind the feel of the room that you will be displaying them in. If you will be showcasing them in a very formal room you will want to stick to a more classic look to your outfits (blacks/whites/earth tones usually work well in that case).

Now that you know what to wear you have no more excuses to put off your photo session. Don't wait another second, pick up the phone and call your favorite photog and schedule your custom photography session. You wont regret it but you may regret it if you don't...but I'll save that for another post.

Keep Smiling,

-Leah