SO HERE’S THE RUNDOWN…
Man oh man. I know it can feel kind of daunting to pick what to wear for photos. Here are a few tips I’ve put together so you guys can be sure to look your best, while still making sure the images capture who you are, not what you’re wearing. Don’t feel like you have to follow all of these - this is just what I’ve found to work well from trial and error from past shoots, they’re only tips, not rules!
Ultimately, I want you guys to look like yourselves. Don’t feel like if you don’t follow these tips that your photos are gonna stink. The most important thing to me is that you guys feel and look like yourselves, maybe dress how you normally dress, so you can be as comfortable as possible! A lot of people try to go shopping for a new style for the shoot beforehand but I actually recommend not going that route. Dress in outfits that you are comfortable and feel good in. An old band t shirt and ripped jeans? Perfect. A black-tie worthy outfit? Perfect. A lot of my couples and seniors will go shopping for “nicer” looking clothes which is totally fine, but sometimes they regret not just wearing what they feel like themselves in. Who cares if you look back at the photos in 20 years and laugh about what you’re wearing? As long as it represented what you guys are like right now, that’s all that matters. Plus, guys are usually not all that stoked about putting on a collared ironed button up with dress shoes if they’re used to wearing flannels and boots every day. I promise they’ll be way more happy to be at the shoot if you don’t force an outfit he thinks is annoying.
HERE’S A FEW GUIDELINES TO HELP IF YOU’RE FEELING LOST ABOUT WHAT TO WEAR:
First off, I always recommend to bring options.
To get the best results, I can pick and pull from the options you bring for you guys to change into for each location we shoot at. This way I can make sure the outfits compliment the environment so that the focus is on you, not on any distractions, which yes, can be your outfits. All you have to do is make sure you bring stuff that you feel like a million bucks in that we can pick and pull from!
Don’t bring your whole closet though. It will take too much time for me to go through everything and will take time away from your session. Most people bring about 2 or 3 pairs of bottoms and 3 or 4 tops each, then you can bring dresses, accessories, jackets and whatnot as well. Also, just know that depending on where we are shooting, you may need to change in the back of the car or in a store nearby. If you aren’t down with that, that’s totally fine and you can just bring one outfit! Just make sure to text me a few photos of the outfit options you have and we can pick it out together beforehand.
Make sure it makes sense.
Think about the conditions and locations we are going to be shooting in and plan around it. If we are going to be walking around the city for an hour, bring comfortable shoes to walk in and you won’t twist your ankles in. If we are shooting on a sandy beach, it would look weird if you’re wearing shoes (ps large heels are almost always a bad idea in most scenarios, unless you’re freakishly good at walking in them haha).
If it’s freezing cold outside, bring a couple of layers and warm clothes with boots. If it’s going to be hot, bring clothes that can breathe more so you don’t have sweaty pit stains in the photos. Be as comfortable as you can be!
Make sure that the materials you wear will keep you comfortable during the shoot not only for temperatures but also for being able to move around in. If you're in brand new jeans that are still stiff and tight, you might be distracted during the shoot trying to make sure everything stays in place. Keep in mind as well that you want to be able to sit and run and move around in your clothes.
I recommend bringing clothes that are "broken in" so that you'll be as comfortable as possible. I also love when people bring clothing or accessories that can show movement by catching wind, because it adds energy to the photos and looks great!
Movement
Colors
I typically recommend sticking with neutrals and earthy tones. Neutrals doesn't mean just grays and browns, there's neutrals of every color (mustard yellow, forest green, navy blue, burnt orange, etc). Stay away from bright, fluorescent distracting colors. The only specific colors I typically recommend to stay away from are pinks, bright oranges, and reds. If you have dark or olive toned skin it might be an exception with the light conditions, but a lot of the time it results in people looking really pink and weird in photos.
So just try and stay away from those colors if you can, but if you really want to wear something that is pink, orange or red just check with me! If you're still feeling lost, look through some of my past shoots for some color scheme inspo.
Avoid big, loud, chunky, crazy patterns. The smaller or more subtle, the better! If the pattern is too loud, it will distract from your faces. Flannels can work great, but opt for a simple colored flannel!
I usually try to avoid pairing too many patterns together because, you guessed it, it makes the photos feel a little hectic and distracting from your faces and the location. Also, be sure to iron your clothes before so there’s not huge wrinkles distracting from your faces either!
Patterns
Props
When I think “props”, my mind flashes through all of the cringe-worthy Pinterest photos I’ve seen of cheesy chalkboards and hobby lobby props brought to shoots that look really..... ehh. But props don’t have to be cheesy! Props could be a dominos pizza picnic, a motorcycle, your dog, blankets, a truck/car, a campfire, a bouquet, a skate board, etc.
If you have props you wanna incorporate, let me know and we can make sure to incorporate them in a non-cheesy way!
A lot of people ask me whether or not they should get your hair and makeup done by a pro. My answer is always “whatever will make you feel best, do that.” I absolutely don’t think it’s necessary whatsoever, but if you don’t want to worry about doing it yourself - go for it! And if you want to embrace the beachy wind-swept hair, go for it!
If you’re getting hair and makeup done, I recommend you schedule to be done at least an hour before you have to leave for the shoot so you aren’t late. Also, if you’re thinking about getting a spray tan or using self-tanner, be sure to get a suuuuper natural airbrushed spray tan rather than one from a salon/tanning place. We don’t want you looking like an oompa loompa haha (but if you have an accident, I can fix in post!)
Hair & Makeup
