WHY DOES IT ACTUALLY MATTER TO Prepare and STYLE YOUR SESSION?
Your choice of clothes should absolutely reflect your personal style, however the colors, the textures and style play a big part in the outcome of your photos. Coordinating outfits and getting fully prepared for your session can be overwhelming so this guide is here to offer simple tips. I'm here to tell you what works best to create the photo gallery of your dreams.
THE Colors
When choosing your outfits, color is one of the most important thing to consider. You want the colors of your outfits to make you stand out but also compliment the surroundings.
Coordinating is essential, but it doesn't necessarily mean everyone should wear identical colors. Instead, consider a color palette depending on your choice of location, and work around it. Ensure that no color, especially vibrant ones, clashes with the scenery. In general, neutral, earthy and muted colors all work well.
Ideally you would also want to add a light contrast in your outfits, meaning one person should wear a brighter color, the other one should wear a darker one, play with bright top/darker bottom and reverse. This way everyone stands out in the image and you will avoid having a big color block.
TEXTURE & PATTERNS
Texture and patterns are a great way to bring visual interest to your images.
The outdoor places I usually shoot at call out for a more casual look, therefore I usually advise to wear natural fabrics. Light cottons on long dresses and skirts will catch the light, linen on shirts or shorts will give a beautiful texture with their natural creases, cotton gauzes are popular at the moment for a comfortable and casual look. In the colder season or at home, chunky knits are amazing. For a more sophisticated look, satins look beautiful at home or outdoor, just make sure they are ironed as the creases will show a lot!
Patterns add a very nice visual effect to your images. I usually recommend the lady to wear it and then coordinate her partner with solid colors, that way you will avoid too much visual noise.
SHAPE
The shape and flow of your outfit is also strategic. A flowy dress will add movement and a romantic mood to your session, especially if we can play with a breeze outdoors, while a more form fitting option will give you a sophisticated look and is also great for showing off a baby bump.
It is crucial that you wear comfortable clothes that will allow you to move around and also sit without being constrained, and in that sense be careful with short dresses and skirts.
Pay extra attention to possible misfunctions on your clothes, like falling straps, or visible bra straps, I'm not always able to edit them out!
a few extra tips
Throughout my years of experience shooting with couples and families, I've learned a few things that insure the smoothest sessions.
LONG HAIR AND WINDY DESERT
I myself prefer to wear my hair untied, but sometimes the wind makes it very challenging. I always suggest to bring a nice hair tie to the session for anyone having long hair, in case the wind really picks up. The same way, large flounces on the shoulders and around the neck can become a real challenge in windy moment!
SHOES or bare feet
Don't forget to coordinate the shoes to your outfit as they will be included in your gallery. For a more casual look, I usually recommend to go bare feet in the desert and the beach, but it is up to you. The rule though is to have everyone wear them or none!
A LITTLE EXTRA MAKE-Up
My rule for photo sessions is to present a beautiful version of yourself, so don't hesitate to put that extra bit of make-up. For a very simple and elegant look, focus on a light foundation to unify your skin tone, loose powder to avoid shine, and a bit of blush for a fresh look. The eyes of course are very important as they are always the focus in portraits.
Don't forget your hands as they are also a focus of attention in every session.
If you're used to wearing more make-up, try to stay with light textures when shooting outdoor as it can get messy while we are walking around under a warm weather. Avoid at all cost foundations that tend to add some orange to your skin, as it will stand out compared to your partner, and will be very difficult to edit.
Finally, beware of thick fake lashes that can prevent from capturing beautiful catch lights in your eyes, I always recommend to go with the lighter versions.
ACCESSORIZE
A piece of jewerly, rings, earings or a necklace always add some character to your images.
You can also play with hats and scarves, the possibilities are endless!
PHONES & SUNGLASSES
Just like shoes, I don't say no to sunglasses but everyone has to wear them!
Have a little bag we can carry around to put some water, and keep your sunglasses there when we are done shooting with them. Also put your phone in the bag when we shoot, you are welcome to take a few shots once in a while, but remember to never put them back in your pockets as this will abviously show in your photos and can't be edited out!
NOW you're almost set !
Don't forget to fill the questionnaire that was sent to you, I need all the information to prepare the session on my side and ensure you're having the best experience during the shoot along with a beautiful and meaningful photo gallery.