Last week we talked about makeup tips for your photo session, so this week we will talk about what to wear for your session.
1. Consult Pinterest and Polyvore
For family sessions, we made a pinterest board just for you! You can find it here by clicking on this here sentence.
For high school senior girls, we chose awesome outfits to feature on your very own pinterest board! You can find it here by clicking on this here sentence.
For high school senior guys, we know your mom is probably going to do most of the choosing, but we made a pinterest board for you anyway (and for your mom). You can find it here by clicking on this here sentence.
A lot of the outfits you can find on Pinterest were created using Polyvore. It is both a website and an app for your iPhone. I am not sure if it is available for Android as well.
You can find ideas for all seasons, and we think these would all look great in our studio or with gorgeous Colorado as your backdrop! You don’t have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe to match what you see, but these are simply to serve as a guide as you sift through your belongings. Of course, if you want to add a few new pieces to your closet, definitely go for it! We want you to feel confident in your photographs, and the right outfit can help you shine!
2. Complimentary, not Matchy
Joanna grew up in a beach community on the East Coast, and the favorite family photo attire was white shirts and khaki pants. I must admit it’s kind of adorable to match everyone, but at the same time, there’s a lack of personality- both with the individuals in the photos and the family portrait itself.
Photo cred: http://www.jamiesrabbits.com/
Another favorite is jeans and white t-shirts
Photo cred: http://www.jamiesrabbits.com/
A good rule of thumb is ask yourself, “Would we wear these outfits together to get dinner or to see a movie?” If the answer is no, then why would you wear it for a photograph you will hang in your home and keep forever?
3. Be Yourself
Wear outfits you would normally wear on a daily basis. If you are a t-shirt and jeans type of girl, you probably shouldn’t bring three dresses to your session. However, if your mom reeeeeally wants you to wear a dress, you could bring one of her choices with you. We like keeping moms happy
If you love accessorizing your outfits, bring a scarf, bangles, and necklaces. Just remember that you will have these photographs will be around longer than the latest fad (remember Livestrong bracelets and Silly Bands?), so choose mostly timeless pieces with only one (or maybe two) statement pieces.
4. Solid colors or basic textures
A solid color top that is not revealing is best. Try to avoid obvious textures or fabrics that shine (such as sequins, velvet, glittery clothing, etc). In most cases, plain cotton or polyester blended fabrics look the best in photographs.
If you are not concerned about your upper arms and shoulders looking large (the camera tends to do that, unfortunately), then sleeveless tops are a go. Avoid very bright or bold colors if you want the attention drawn to your face. Also try to avoid shirts with brand names showing, as you want your face to be the center of attention- not AERO, BOSS, or GAP.
For bottoms, dark-washed jeans or other solid colors are usually the best. Mid-thigh or longer skirts are preferable, since they give us more mobility in posing. If you are concerned about looking slimmer in your photos, dark or black clothing that is relatively form-fitting (but not skin tight) will be the most flattering.
5. Bring variety
With your sessions (with the exception of mini sessions), you are allowed as many wardrobe changes as you would like. We recommend choosing 2-3 outfits per hour for seniors and 1 (mayyyybe 2) outfits per hour for families since changing outfits takes time and we want as much time behind the camera as possible.
Here’s an example of a good variety of outfits that I quickly made with Polyvore:
