Frequently I’m asked by my  clients “what should we wear for our family portrait?” or “how should we prepare?”.  I’m always excited to know my clients want their portraits to be awesome, just like I do!  Preparing and dressing for your family portraits is pretty simple.  When it comes to deciding what to wear, the goal is to make the people stand out in the portrait.  So here are some tips and suggestions for preparing and dressing for your portraits to help make your photos rock!

 

• Consider solid colors or faint patterns.  Busy, loud patterns or logos tend to draw too much attention to the outfit.
• Try to avoid wearing all white or fluorescent colors since it can be distracting, throws off camera exposure and makes a person stand out from the others in the photo.  (This is ok for a Bride, of course!)  Wearing a vest or jacket over a white shirt helps break it up and is fine.  Also, fluorescent colors can reflect on your face.  So, unless you want to be bright orange, it’s best to stay away from those.
• Textures and layers always look nice.  Knits, scarves and sweaters for the fall and winter portraits look great on camera!
• Ladies – hide those bra straps!  Wear a bra that hides well under your outfit.  Consider wearing dresses or tops that partially or fully cover your arms.  Bare arms tend to stand-out in a photo and can expose more skin than your face, thus drawing attention to your arms and not your beautiful face!
• IRON YOUR WARDROBE!  I can’t stress this enough.  Every detail will show up in your portraits, so be sure to iron out any wrinkles.
• Don’t over do the makeup or accessories.  (See below for makeup tips!)  No sunglasses, large watches, or bulky jewelry please.
• Men – Be clean-shaven or beards and mustaches trimmed.   For clean-shaven guys, you may think a little stubble won’t be seen on camera, but it totally shows in close-ups, so spend the extra time to shave and put  your “handsome” on!
• If you wear eye glasses all the time, feel free to bring them, but if you can do without your glasses or have contact lenses, this is a better option.  Eyeglasses sometimes reflect images and light.  If you have no other options and need your glasses, don’t worry, I’ll work around it with some little tricks of the trade!
• Make hair appointments at least 2 weeks prior, if possible, so new cuts or styles relax a bit.
• And finally …. Smile and have fun!!!

For group photos:

• Everyone should dress in a similar-style, for example:  All casual or all formal.
• Shirts and dress colors should be within the same color palette or be complimentary colors, rather than identical colors. Identical colors tend to look too “matchy”.
• Pants and skirts can be similar or identical in color, for example  light denim, dark denim, tan khakis.
• Women always have more clothing  and color options than men.  Consider the guys in more neutral colors and gals in brighter colors.  Super cute when Moms and daughters throw a splash of similar color with an accessory like a matching scarf or headband.

Below are some color combination ideas, but feel free to come up with your own.  Contact me if you have any questions and remember, you can always email me photos of the outfits you’re considering if you need some help with selecting!

 

 

Makeup and Additional Tips for the Ladies!!!!

Face – a light application of non-SPF foundation helps smooth out the skin and cover any blemishes.   Hit up the makeup counter for the best quality you can afford .  The goal is for a matte finish, not a glow, so avoid foundations with bronzer, shimmer, or mineral makeup.
Note:  The reason to avoid foundations with SPF or shimmer is because it reflects light and will affect the exposure of the photo.  If you can’t find a non-SPF foundation, then just go for the lowest SPF amount offered.  Finally, brush a light translucent powder all over to cut down on shine.

Cheeks – light blush to add some color.  Avoid bronzers or glittery blushes.

Eyes – brown eyeliner and a little waterproof mascara to bring out the lashes is fine.  A soft brown always looks nice and compliments most eye colors.  Avoid eye shadows with shimmer or glitter.

Eyebrows – be sure to trim or pluck if needed.  The camera and lenses are very powerful, so even a rogue hair will show!  If waxing, be sure to do it at least 2 days prior to avoid having redness.

Manicure/Pedicure – It’s really is amazing the detail the camera can capture, so be sure to get a fresh manicure and coat of nail polish and pedicure, if you’ll be wearing open toed shoes.  Who doesn’t feel fab after a mani/pedi!