What do I wear for my session?

When I have to pick out outfits for my own family of six I tend to get a little stressed. What tones do I want? What styles do I want? Do I have too much of one color or not enough? Will this translate well with my photographer’s style?

I have some pro tips for how to pick out what to wear in order to make your session POP.

This mama’s dress hugged her belly and curves beautifully. The color was absolutely gorgeous on her (and is one of my favorites to photograph in general!).

PRO TIP ONE: DRESS FOR THE SESSION.

Are you booking a family session? You’ll want to think about how each family member will coordinate and shine together. At home session? Comfort and styling for your uniquely styled home environment is key. Shooting outdoors? Think about your surroundings and the seasons/weather.

Are you booking maternity? Think about fabrics and comfort to emphasize the beauty of your growing baby. Outfits specifically marketed for maternity aren’t the limit- flowy dresses or stretchy outfits can work so beautifully! I love dresses with a lot of movement so we can catch that as you move around and frame/hug your belly.

Newborn Session? Coordinating with your home environment is key! Comfort is also especially important for new moms- I caution against anything super structured or restrictive.

Birth or Fresh 48? Believe it or not some of my clients like to think ahead for this too! Mamas might want to think about comfy robes if you don’t want the hospital robe in photos (or just want something more comfortable overall). You may want to consider a nursing top or bra/bralette for easy skin to skin and/or nursing access. A common bralette I see with birth clients are the lace ones that plunge deeper to make it easy to move it back and forth for baby. For Fresh 48 you may want to also consider wraps and hats for baby that you prefer over the hospital provided accessories. Some clients like to have name tags welcoming baby, or letter boards. I usually advise not getting too prop heavy- but sometimes those little details can really personalize your session.

PRO TIP TWO: DRESS FOR THE PHOTOS YOU WANT ON YOUR WALLS.

It took me awhile to realize why I didn’t always print our family photos. I would stress and stress about how to make us match (but not TOO much, circa white shirts and blue jeans for all in the 90s). But I never thought about how we’d match when we would be printed and hung on our walls. This past year when we had family photos done I paid WAY more attention to our color scheme and styles in the room I knew I’d hang the photos. We have soft grays, warm natural wood, a touch of brass and black, and greenery here and there. I decided to go with a color palette of black, cream, soft muted brown, and a rich burnt Sienna-ish corduroy brown. When I got our gallery back I was THRILLED and immediately ordered the prints to display!

This can go in all directions. Do you want a soft palette of colors? Go with more organic colors, fabrics and textures. Do you want bold colors? Find some jewel tones that coordinate with and accent your decor. I try to keep a full collection of options on a Pinterest page filled with inspirations for color and style coordination. I even share pins of paint color swatches that go well together just as a great visual for how well certain colors blend together!

For this newborn session, bright neutrals flowed effortlessly with a coordinating bright, white, minimalist nursery. A flowy dress is also a great choice for comfort for those first days after your baby’s birth.

PRO TIP THREE: COMFORT IS KEY.

Do you hate dresses and skirts? Don’t wear them. Do your kids hate certain materials? Don’t force it on them. Can’t stand heels? Wear flats- or go barefoot! Do you hate button down shirts or polos? Wear a t-shirt. The whole point of this is- don’t force yourself into a particular outfit if you or your loved one is going to be uncomfortable or miserable in them. Trust me- this will translate into your images. You want that authentic emotion to shine- not grimaces from being uncomfortable! You want your outfits to flow and mesh well together, but you being able to be YOU during your session is a top priority.

Here is a very minimalist approach to a newborn session that I LOVE. Mama is wearing a simple robe with a lovely bohemian styled fringe that adds some texture to the images. Dad is in a basic tee with a delicate stripe that isn't so bold that is detracts but rather brings dimension in a subtle way. And baby is simply in a diaper, allowing us to see all of her brand new tiny features!

PRO TIP FOUR: EVERY DETAIL COUNTS.

One thing I pay a LOT more attention to in photos now that I’m a photographer: SHOES. My husband likes to poke fun at me while I coordinate all of our footwear but it can truly impact an image! Are your kids dressed in nice neutral and natural fabric blends but wearing athletic brightly colored sneakers? That’s going to pop out in an image, and not in a good way! Are you wearing an Apple Watch? Have a hair tie around your wrist? What about keys and wallets in pockets? I try to scan over my clients for the little things like that but every now and then something sneaks past me! You want to consider leaving as many personal items at home as you can so you aren’t worried about keeping up with things during your session that you don’t actually want IN your images. (I can always hang onto keys and cellphones for you though!)

All in the details- this floral crown added a pop of color and dimension in this gorgeous mama’s session.

PRO TIP FIVE: LAYERS AND ACCESSORIES.

This can go with the details, but layers and accessories can create SO much dimension in your images. Vests, layered shirts, scarves, hats, jewelry…each thing adds a new point of interest and texture!

You can even get creative with it and add things like greenery and florals- to wear or to hold! Bring a child’s favorite stuffed animal or lovey/comfort object. Or a family quilt. Sentimental items absolutely fit into this category as well. One session I photographed even involved a lot of bubbles! Accessories can extend all the way to things like those. A word of caution- try not to bring props that make it a posed session. Try to focus on what will add to your images in a natural and organic way!

Sometimes less is more- a minimalist and/or basic approach can be FABULOUS when intentional. Basic absolutely does not mean boring. Solid tees can keep the emphasis on you! Choosing items with unique characteristics can stand out and make an image pop as well.

This color really popped in all the greenery and complimented the very neutral colors and fabrics her son wore. The low back and bow added a unique and gorgeous dimension to this image. This was a romper style, so also very comfortable as well!

PRO TIP SIX: THERE ARE NO RULES.

These aren’t hardfast rules for your session- merely suggestions. There are so many ways to make your session customized to YOU. The most important aspect of your session is to approach it in the way that YOU love.