What to Wear

Adults and Families:

Solid colors and simple clothing choices are best for creating classic portraits. Mid-tones are best and clothing items with interesting textures are favored. White is generally best avoided as it does not photograph well unless it is paired with black in an interesting pattern. Please avoid logos, characters, pin-stripes and large patterns; these choices draw attention away from the most important part of the photo: the face and eyes (or baby bump if that if the focus). If having a session as a family, try to add interest to the photos by wearing complementary outfits rather than ‘matching’ outfits.

Toddlers and Older Children:
Have more than one outfit in case the primary outfit is ruined. Changes of clothes are welcome, but depending on how they do we may not end up using them. Consider simple and/or trendy or retro clothing. Logos and characters, again, are best avoided, but bright colors, large graphic stripes or anything that exhibits the child’s personality is highly encouraged. Rubber galoshes, tutus, leg warmers and wooly caps that you may have are just a few great examples of props that can transform ordinary photos into fun, captivating keepsake portraits.

Newborns:

Newborns are best photographed bare or with as little clothing as possible. If you have any cute headbands, hand-made or hand-knit items for the baby, feel free to bring them along as they can make delightful additions to the newborn or infant’s portrait. Some other examples might be hats, booties and bloomers (if you’re uncomfortable baring baby bum.)

In General:

Accessories such as hats, scarves and vests are encouraged as they create wonderful detail and texture in photographs. Clothing changes are also welcome for variety in your final images. If you’re unsure in your outfit choices, feel free to bring multiple options and I will be happy to help you decide which outfits are best for your session.

Layers add great visual interest and texture to your outfit. Many popular online retailers have sample outfits which work well for photos. Or try going to your favorite retail store online for ideas you may just have in your closets already! Wear clothes that fit – baggy clothes add weight and volume; tight clothes add rolls and lumps that are more evident in photos than in real life. Sheer outer shirts are rarely flattering.

Below are some examples of great ensembles to draw inspiration from.