If you want perfection, here are a few things to think about... 

 

This is what we recommend for what to wear to a portrait session

    •    wear solid color clothing

    •    choose 1-3 colors for your group portrait, ones with similar tones that go nicely together and have everyone work within that color palette. For example: dark green, navy, and burgundy-all dark jewel tones.  OR tan, a lighter olive green, and denims -all lighter, softer tones.

    •    choose a top with sleeves at least to the elbow

    •    choose long pants for men

    •    choose dark socks and footwear (unless it’s a barefoot photo on the beach)

    •    keep jewelry simple and minimalistic

    •    do your hair the way you would normally do it while wearing these clothes

    •    if getting a haircut or new hairdo, make your appointment at least 2 weeks prior to your portrait session

 

 •Nails A fresh coat of nail polish will make a world of difference in your photo shoot. Pick a neutral color that wont distract in your shoot or clash with your outfits.  

 •Bloating Avoid high salt and high fat foods for two to three days in advance of your shoot. Being bloated will sap your confidence and comfort in front of the camera.

 •Undergarments Be sure to wear bra that wont show through your shirt.  Bra straps wont do anything to help your outfit look its best. Be sure you bring a set of bras and strap-adjusting accessories to work with any outfit you want to shoot in to keep those straps well-hidden.

 •Sun burns and tan lines If your shoot is booked for Saturday, don't go to the beach on Friday. If you plan to tan before your shoot, do so at least a week beforehand and don’t get burned. Be mindful of clothing tan lines, sunglass tan lines, hat tan lines, etc.

 •Ironing If you iron, iron the night before and then hang the clothes for your shoot. If you’re wearing something that wrinkles easily, don’t wear it in the car on the way to the shoot just change at the location.

 •Shoes Ladies, can’t go wrong in heels or wedges. Men, clean ‘em up! Dress shoes are best but as with most things, let the lady in your life decide for you.

 

 

Maternity/Maternity Boudoir

    •    Moisturize that belly!

    •    Gather your props to bring along ultrasound printout, alphabet blocks that spell your baby’s name, baby shoes, stuffed animals, flowers, whatever you’ve seen in other maternity photos that you like.

    •    Wear whatever you feel comfortable and pretty in a maxi skirt or dress, solids are especially nice, and strapless bras that coordinate with them.Bring a pair of regular jeans, not the belly panel ones. A button-up shirt also makes it easy to transition into showing your belly.

    •    If you’re doing semi-nude/implied nude photos, bras and underwear will create noticeable lines on your skin, so wear loose-fitting clothing to the shoot. You can add undergarments as necessary for photos later in the shoot.

    •    Do bring your significant other! They’ll make a great prop for your photos, and greatly expand on the number of different photos you can make during your shoot. They should bring outfits that coordinate with what you’ll be wearing, or a dark long-sleeved shirt or sweater and dark pants. The focus should always be on you, your expressions, your emotions, your personality, your joy and your connection.

 

 

Newborns and Babies

    •    Two Weeks or Younger: Most photographers will tell clients that the best time for newborn photos is before they are 10 days old, especially if the expectant parents are looking for that cozy, sleepy, and curled up posture. Babies that are between five and ten days old stay asleep for longer, do not mind having their clothes removed, and have feeding times on a tight schedule which makes planning for crabbiness much easier. Eating schedules can also ensure that your baby might be in a “milk coma” making it infinitely easier to put him in different poses and postures without undue amounts of stress for the infant.

• Two weeks or older: This age can also be great for newborn photos! This age can also represent different challenges than the younger babies due to the fact that babies that are two weeks or older may not want their clothes to come off, may not want to stay in a specific position, and are in general more wiggly. The benefit of waiting the two weeks or longer is that you may get a larger range of photos. Babies at this stage are awake more, more interested in their surroundings, and so you might have some pictures where baby is still cute and sleeping and also some pictures of baby awake to see their beautiful eyes.

This age group does also allow for different poses. Instead of the curled up in a womb-like pictures of the super newborns, this age group allows for pictures of Mom and Dad holding baby, the baby tucked in a basket, pictures taken from above, and pictures of baby dressed in adorable outfits. This activeness and need to switch up positions will only increase with age, so most photographers will ask that you not schedule a session for newborns past the first month or so. Instead, schedule a general baby session!

    •    Use a wash cloth to clean away flaky skin and eye boogers.

    •    Dress up paper diapers. Cloth diapers are classy and stylish, but if you don’t use them, bring bloomers or decorative diaper covers, solids preferred.

    •    Nothing on is the best for a newborn, no outfit fits a newborn well, and they often look swallowed in clothes. Accessories are good, though little hats, dainty headbands, boys in crocheted hats, etc. Bring sentimental items like the quilt that Grandma made for the baby, a baby blanket from your own childhood, they’re great for the youngster to lay on.

    •    If your baby takes a pacifier, bring it. If they’re bottle fed, bring an extra bottle to help put the baby to sleep.

 

 

Children

    •    Clean, clean, clean clean nails, clean hair, wipe away eye boogers, clean feet (sandals on kids = black feet!), wipe snotty noses, fresh-scrub teeth. The cleaner the kid, the better their photos will turn out.

    •    If your child is still in diapers or pull-ups, tuck ‘em in or wear bloomers.

    •    If your child is still of napping age, make sure they nap before the shoot.

    •    It is perfectly okay to bring bribes to a photo shoot, given a stage and being the center of attention, it’s like our kids know exactly when to act their worst. Some cereal, smarties or other candy that won’t stain teeth can help a short photo shoot go by smoothly.

    •    Avoid colorful drinks or lollypops within 24 hours of your shoot, don’t let them eat or drink anything that will stain their face, teeth or mouths.

    •    Wardrobe :For girls; you can’t go wrong with cute dresses, rompers, and dainty hats or headbands. For boys; jeans and polos or a button-up shirt, or a T-shirt with a button-up over it can be very cute, as well as overalls on the right age and personality. For siblings, the children don’t have to match perfectly, just coordinate. You can’t go wrong with dark, rich monotones, which drive the attention in photos to sweet faces and darling expressions instead of loud prints or colors. If nothing else, pick a color that compliments your child's eye color.

 

 

High school seniors

    •    The biggest tips for seniors are to have an even tan, don’t get sunburned, clean and freshly-paint those nails, and moisturize and scrub away dry skin.

    •    Bring a variety of outfits, cap and gown, something casual, something stylish, ladies-  slip a dress in there to throw folks off, fellas try a formal look to impress. Wear what you think you look best in, but take the opportunity to also try a new look, just to surprise folks.

    •    Bring props that recall your high school years band instrument, sports gear like a volleyball or baseball bat, your beloved (or cursed) high school car, letter jacket, sunglasses. Most of all, rep your style, whatever that may be. Your senior photo should be unique to your life and personality.