Style Guide

There is  no such thing  as "too dressed up"

for your photoshoot 

for her

DON'T BE AFRAID TO  DRESS IT UP

Have you ever dreamed about rocking a romantic gown, tulle skirt, or flower crown, but just never had an occasion for it? This is your chance to do it up! Remember: there is no such thing as "too dressed up" when it comes to your portrait session, so don't be afraid to have some fun!

Dresses and skirts look most stunning because they really flatter every female body, especially on camera. What's more, a full and flowing skirt is like a built-in "prop", giving you something to twirl and swirl, and adding effortless movement and interest to your photos. I recommend avoiding pants and shorts for your session and saying yes to a dress instead.

TIPS FOR CONSIDERING YOUR DRESS

COLOR

When choosing color(s) for your outfits, I recommend selecting soft, light tones and muted shades. By avoiding ultra-bright, bold colors, it will help bring all the attention to your faces.

The camera loves soft pastel colors like peach, lavender, blush, sky blue, sage green, golden yellow, mixed with light neutrals like heather gray, creams, tans, leather, denim and soft white. This soft color palette fits beautifully into all environments.

Black, though slimming, becomes very shapeless in photos. Avoid black if you can, but if you must wear it, black pants are fine.

FABRICS & PRINTS

Fabric selection has the power to add positive interest or negative distraction to your photos.

A solid-colored fabric is always a winner, buy if you don't want to wear (or don't have) a solid-colored dress, select a print that is minimalist and understated, rather than bold and design-forward. Think calicos, dainty florals, repetitive geometric motifs, checkered patterns or small stripes.

Another way to add visual interest is to opt for texture like lace, seersucker, linen, denim, chiffon or tulle.

Remember, the goal isn't to have someone look at your photo and immediately say, "Whoa look at the dress". Instead you want them to say, "Oh my goodness you look stunning".

CUT

Flowing dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos.

Consider a cut that allows for beautiful movement in the images.

If the location you've chosen might be windy, I recommend a mid-thigh or longer hemline. Wind is our friend most of the time because it creates drama and movement, but not so much when you have to keep one hand on your backside to keep the dress down.

A good rule of thumb I've learned is that: the eye is drawn to what is revealed. Meaning bare arms up to the

shoulders, bare legs in short dresses, and particularly low-cut necklines - no matter how great they look - might distract from your face in the photo.

I'm not saying don't do it... I'm saying be aware.

FOOTWEAR

Heels elongate women's legs, making them look fabulous. Closed-toed heels in particular look great on camera because they carry out the line of your leg all the way down to your toe. If you are showing in a peep-toe heel, you might want to schedule a pedicure before your session so you don't regret letting your toes show.

These little tricks make all the difference!

If there will be much walking at our photo location (or if your heels are particularly uncomfortable), you might consider packing a pair of flip flops for swapping out in between picture spots.

IF YOUR SESSION IS AT THE BEACH OR IN THE DESERT, plan to be barefoot because your feet will likely get sandy and/or maybe a little bit wet. In this case, you would wear a pair of easy-to-kick-off sandals or flats to wear from the parking lot to the sand.

GETTING READY

ACCESSORIZE!

Pairing an accessory or two with your outfit can really help bring some extra dimension to your images, and also be a nice tie-in when you're coordinating with a group.

Big statement necklaces bring a lot of pop to the photos, while the smaller, delicate one are not as noticeable on camera. Belts, bracelets and earrings bring great visual interest, so choose one or two that don't compete for attention. 

Fresh florals in a crown can be a really romantic touch for you or your girls as well.



Something to keep in mind is that accessories that are very trendy and fashionable at the moment, can put a "time stamp" on your photos. It can make them less timeless.

style tips  for him

THE BEST FIT



Long, fitted pants and closed-toed shoes are a very sophisticated look for men. They draw attention away from his legs and feet and place it where you want it: on his handsome face. Fitted dress pants or fitted solid- colored pants work best on camera. Denim looks great if it's nice denim.

Pinstripes and plaid patterns tend to distract the eye.

I also recommend staying away from graphics and logos.

HOW TO PREP YOUR MAN

Though your guy might be just as stoked (if not more so) for your session as you are, it's possible that he's not... and that's common! It might be difficult for him to get stoked to take photos for an hour if he doesn't have an expectation of what's to come and why it's so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower your guy. Tell him why you chose me as a photographer and why you like my style of photography. Show him some of your favorite sessions that I've done, explain why you love them, and express to him how much it means to you. 

Trust me, once he know it's important, he'll light up the camera for you!

The most common thing I hear from guys before photo sessions is this: because of a bad experience in the past (or a story they heard), they don't like taking photos or don't think they'll be good at it. By the time we're done, though, they can't believe how fast it went and just how much fun they had!

style tips  for families

"coordinating, not matching"

Use the tips below to make sure everyone's outfit looks amazing individually and as a group.

1) START WITH A "THREE CORE COLOR" PALETTE OF NEUTRALS & NEARLY - NEUTRALS

Before you go unloading your whole family's dressers and drawers, you can simplify this process with a plan. And the plan is to pick a palette. Start by selecting a base plus 2-3 colors from the neutral and nearly-neutral swatches below and build most of the outfits using those 2 to 3 colors.

Note: black becomes very two-dimensional and blob-like in photos, so if you want to incorporate black, keep it to a minimum and keep it on the bottom half of the outfit in you can.

2) ADD ONE OR TWO ACCENT COLORS

If you want to add a bit of variety, or if you can't find a complete outfit from your 3 core colors, add in one or two accent colors, to be used less frequently than the core colors.

These colors should complement the neutrals and nearly-neutrals that you're already using.

Finish off by adding non-essential clothing items such as wraps, sweaters, hats or statement accessories such as watches, bow ties, bracelets, hair bows and jewelry that fits the core and accent colors.

Got an infant or baby girl in your crew?

Don't forget the bloomers!

It's always a bummer to see a diaper peeking out from under a dress in an otherwise perfect photo. This is easy to fix by slipping bloomers over the diaper so that regardless of how active everyone gets, the diaper is out of sight.

Want to simplify your family outfit even more?

Go all neutral.

Does picking a palette sound like too much? You can hit the easy button and still let everyone shine by going neutral all the way. Start with cream, tan and beige for most of the pieces, then mix in a couple of nice denim, black or gray pants, and finish it off with a couple hits of visual interest like an animal print shoe or hair bow.



Simple, minimalist, beautiful.

HOW TO PREP YOUR LITTLE ONES

Don't be worried about how your kids will behave or be embarrassed if things don't go as planned. They're little, and their unfiltered, unpredictable emotions and outbursts are part of the reason you want to remember this season in life. It's my aim to help you embrace these moments with the instead of trying to make them act a certain way for an hour or more. I will make sure to get shots of everyone smiling and looking at the camera, but for the most part I want you to just be a great time and be yourselves.

My favorite thing to capture is all of those in-between moments that can't be perfectly posed anyway. If one of your children starts running away from the group giggling, scoop them up and smother them in tickles and kisses. If they are shy or upset, hold them close and tell them how wonderful you think they are while tucking their hair behind their ear. If you as a parent keep smiling and having a good time, I will be able to capture sweet moments the whole way through.

Sometimes "imperfect" situations can lead to the perfect photo.

And trust me, I know that some of your favorite photos will be of the intimate

or silly moments that nobody planned on!

ONE FINAL NOTE

I know that all of this is a lot to think about. I created this guide to help make your family session experience something you look back fondly on for years to come. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you select won't matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. Your future memories are the most important thing to me, and I want your session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy. Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And I'll take care of the rest!