Have fun choosing your look

Whether you’re a fashionista or not, our goal is for you to feel at ease for your session. That being said, there are some best practices when it comes to choosing what to wear. On the one hand, your session isn’t about your outfit - it’s about YOU. On the other hand, what you’re wearing can either enhance or detract from us really seeing YOU. 

This post offers ideas for striking a balance that will lead to photos you’ll love. The most important thing is that you feel like yourself, so keep in mind that these are guidelines, not mandates. 

Read on - and have fun choosing your look!

Be yourself

Wear something you love, something that makes you say “Yes!” when you look in the mirror. Make sure you’ve tried on your outfit in advance, so that you know it’s something you feel comfortable wearing. If you feel comfortable, you’ll look comfortable. 

Photo by Danielle Tait Photography, edited by Isabella Dellolio Photography.

Let it be fun! 

If you’re doing a family session, it helps to give some guidance and direction to your people - but don’t force anyone to wear something they don’t love.

coordinate, don’t match

Focus on coordinating, not matching, your outfits. Think in terms of a color palette that compliments both each person’s complexion and each other’s outfits; we’re talking 2-3 colors within the same family, in addition to neutrals. 

compliment the location

By the time you’re choosing what to wear, we will have chosen a site for your session. It’s important to keep this in mind as you select your outfit. What textures and colors best compliment the location and time of year?

Think in terms of cool or warm tones. For example, an orchard in the fall has yellow, orange, and red warm tones; a field in the spring has lots of green and cooler tones.

When it is so so green outdoors

Choose 2 or 3 earthy colors max, and stay with them! 
Earthy is key here!

Best not to use white, black, dark blue, bright red, bright orange, bright colors in general, as main color. Too much contrast with the green background.

Basically, we are back to: stay with earthy colors!

Dress for the weather

Dress for the weather and time of day. This has to do both with appearance and comfort. If you’re too cold or too hot, it will be apparent, especially if there are children involved. Layers are always a good idea.

Colors

When choosing neutrals, opt for a brown tone for a warm color palette, or a gray tone for a cool color palette. Especially for family sessions, avoid wearing bright white because it will act as a light reflector and draw the eye to whomever is wearing it.

Now, here is where I’m going to get bossy just for a moment, so listen closely: DO NOT WEAR NEON COLORS OR BIG PATTERNS. These can clash with one another and the background, alter skin tones, create color cast on neutrals and skin tones, and generally detract from your natural beauty. Less critical but also worth noting is that thin stripes on clothing can look warped and create a distracting optical illusion.

pops of color

Small patterns can work well when they are used sparingly. A good rule of thumb is to reserve patterns and pops of color for small accessories such as scarves, belts, and hats.

More about patterns!

Limiting patterns to accessories, like the scarves in these two photos, creates variety and texture and can also bring out more of your personality. The main thing is to keep them in moderation.

please NO

For the love of all good things, please SKIP THE LOGOS. Even if we’re doing a casual shoot, avoid athletic sneakers or apparel with brand names, characters, or words on clothing. All of these distract from your face and interfere with creating authentic portraits.

does everything fit right?

Among the many reasons to try on your outfit(s) a few days in advance is making sure everything fits. Kids have growth spurts, adults have weight fluctuation, and sometimes things just don’t fit the way they used to. You want to give yourself time to choose something different or even buy something new if necessary.

If possible and appropriate, it’s very likely I’ll ask you to sit on the ground at some point during our session. Keep in mind that tight clothing and very short skirts and shorts can make this rather uncomfortable. If you have to tuck, pin, or squeeze into an outfit, if the outfit rides up or down, shows underwear lines or bra straps, or wrinkles easily, it’s probably not the best choice. These things will show up in photographs and can be difficult to edit out.

Again, if you feel comfortable, you’ll look natural and at ease.

layers

The weather will probably change 10 times during our session - after all, this is New England! 

Plan an outfit that looks good with and without an extra layer. Scarves, hats, shawls, and light jackets are great accessories to play with, no matter the season. Don’t make that extra layer an afterthought so that you end up covering up your beautiful shirt with the one ratty sweatshirt you keep in the trunk. 

Photo on the left by Merrisa Caroline Photography, edited by Isabella Dellolio Photography.

accessories

Shoes, socks and accessories do show up in the portrait, so make sure you choose them purposefully. Aim to find a balance between using these to express your personality without letting them run away with the show. They play supporting roles and shouldn’t take center stage.

skin

How much coverage your outfit provides is largely a matter of personal comfort and preference. However, be aware that exposed skin does tend to draw attention and can detract from the overall portrait. Of course, this is dependent on what kind of session we’re doing! If you are a dancer or a swimmer, for example, it may make sense that we are seeing more of your body. The main thing is to be intentional about it.

extras

Sometimes less really is more. Select your “extras,” if any, with an eye towards pieces that truly bring out your personality. If sunglasses or signature jewelry pieces are part of your look, that’s all good! We just want to make sure that these add to your portraits. 

Remember to empty your pockets to keep from wrinkling and bunching! This includes phones, keys, tissues, wallets, and change.

YES!! Bring layers, hats, scarves, and one extra outfit!

Go barefoot as often as you can!

Black, white and dark blue

Black, white and dark blue are best used as accent colors. If they are your main colors, break them up with accessories, jackets, scarves, and small prints. These also tend to work best in urban settings and winter months.

There are exceptions, of course

button down shirts just look so much better than T-shirts :)

They can be very casual, no need to be super dressy, but they are still more interesting than T-shirts adding some texture to the composition.

I am totally available to consult with you

Everything you just read is meant to help guide your choices as you prepare for our session. If you feel at all overwhelmed, have questions, or just want to talk through some possibilities, I am totally available to consult with you!

My personal style may be different from yours, but I will look at your outfits with a photographer’s eye. Plus, I’m Italian so I have really good taste (my friend made me add that part).

Don’t stress about this too much. Keep it simple. Being yourself, happy and relaxed, during our session is the most important thing.

It’s going to be great - I can’t wait to see you!

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