Planning a session can get a little nerve wrecking… From deciding if you want to shoot outdoor or indoor, hair and skin care…
With all of the planning, there is always one thing that most people leave last on the to-do-list that is pretty important: what to wear.
The most important thing to remember is… Keep it Simple!
CLOTHING
Stick to solid colors, pastels or jewel-toned colors always work best. Remember, the stars of the portraits are the people in it, not clothing or accessories! I want you to shine and and look your best as well!
Now, that doesn’t mean that it has to be plain and boring! I want each person to show their personal style so I suggest to leave the color punch to accessories. The key is to use least patterns as possible in clothing, to be coordinated with the rest of the subjects in the session and to avoid clashing.
Another thing to remember is that patterns can be less forgiving and less flattering. Have you looked at an old album and you were able to immediately tell which decade a photo was taken? Right! I want to make sure that your photos are timeless and that you proudly display them on your wall for many many years to come!
Also, dark colors are slimming. Dark-shades are also used on more formal shoots.
Light colors are used on more playful and airy-style shoots, like family outdoor shoots. Light-color clothing is flattering also, if used correctly with a background that will not entirely blent in with the clothing, as seen in the photo above.
ACCESSORIES
Accessorize with items such as scarves, hats, hair bows, bow ties, flowers in the hair for girls, sweaters, jackets, vests, and even funky shocks. Make sure to use accessories in a color that compliments everyone else’s, preferably in the same color family. Avoid glittery, highly reflective accessories as it can be distracting in the image, creates unflattering reflections on the subject faces and interfere with the lighting.
One small accessory is more than enough. Remember, less is more!
SHOES
Plain comfortable casual shoes in a plain dark color are best. Avoid heels if outdoors and also gym shoes unless they are one solid color. If you can’t decide, contact me and we can go over the details.
HAIR AND MAKE UP
No, you don’t need a boring hair style! Just a simple hairstyle that shows your personality but that doesn’t cover your face or features. I do not want you to hide behind your hair, I want to see your face and your eyes! Let’s discover your best side together! 🙂
Makeup should look natural and light. What we want to accomplish is a light, youthful look! Makeup can be full coverage if necessary in combination with a contour, blush, eyeshadow and lipstick in a nude, earth-tone, or natural shade. Avoid shimmery eye shadows, blushes, highlighters or lotions.
For the skin, if you want your skin to look moisturized and youthful, I highly recommend Burt’s Bees Radiance Body Lotion With Royal Jelly and Natural Mica to Enhance Skin Tone. Not only does it has a light shimmer to it that is non-reflective but is has a wonderful light scent and silky non-sticky consistency! It makes your skin look and feel super soft and youthful! It is a bit on the pricey side at about $10 for a 6 oz tube, but well worth every pennie! You can easily find it at any major retailers, online stores like Amazon.com, department stores and pharmacies! Thank me later, you will loooove this lotion!
PROPS AND BACKGROUNDS
This one is one of my favorite things to plan about a shoot and another way your personality and theme can shine! We can use nature scenes outdoors as our backdrops or we can use a studio setup.
For example, since I am in Chicago, a lot of people who live in my city will prefer a city background because they love to be outdoors or because they want to represent Chi-city! That shows who they are and its part of their lifestyle. Some people would ask for shoots in a barn or farm because they grew up in the country and want to show that is part of who they are. Others play sports, an instrument, or are in ballet and want to use some props related to their hobbies or passions as well.
For small children, I like to use props that are not so oversized where it may be too heavy or where the child can get lost in the photo or over powered by the prop. I use the same guideline for head pieces and hats for them. Children have a natural beauty and simplicity! Honestly, they really don’t need much in the photo but themselves!
Just keep in mind that above all, is to have fun, feel confident and comfortable in the session!
I hope these tips were helpful!
Once we meet to discuss your needs and ideas for your session, we will go over these details also so that we can create magic together!
Dee Nelson Photography 