What to Wear for your Photo Session | Wisconsin Photographer

What to Wear for your Photo Session…Making it easy!

So what should you to wear to your photo session?

This is such a great question and truly I think wardrobe tops the list of client concerns when they book a session. After I set a day and time with a client, it is usually the next question asked. I’ve been on the other side of the camera, I know how overwhelming it can feel to pick outfits that coordinate, make sure everyone is comfortable, and at the same time pick something that makes you feel confident and beautiful. I am so excited to tell you that I help make it super easy for each one of my sessions!!

I have an amazing client closet. I have beautiful dresses and skirts/tops for ladies in a variety of sizes ranging from xs to xxl. I have also started a client closet for children. These are pieces you can wear for session. It’s a great way to wear something special but not have to buy a piece that may not be an everyday wear for you. I pick gorgeous pieces that I know will photograph beautifully either because of their color, movement, or detail.

Another thing I offer is wardrobe assistance for my clients. I always tell my clients to text me photos of their outfits, either single ideas or all laid out together. Together we can make sure everyone looks their best and pick pieces that are going to photograph beautifully! 

I also offer my clients exclusive access to a website that takes all of the guess work out of coordinating outfits! Whether it is a family session, a couples engagement session, a senior photos, really any kind of session - this website is a lifesaver! With a special client code you will access the website, pick the color pallet you’d like to try, and pick the over all style (flowy, urban, casual) and it automatically generates outfits that coordinate for each person. You can use this to guide you to similar things you may already have in your closet, something you want to purchase at a favorite retailer, or there are links to purchase the exact outfit online. It literally does all the work for you! The result is a perfectly coordinated collection of outfits you love, that look great together, and photograph beautifully!

Speaking of photographing beautifully, did you know some fabrics, styles, and colors can take your photos to a new level? While I want you all to look and feel like yourselves, I also want your photos to sing. Styling your session thoughtfully can do just that. 

A few examples of great stylizing and the “whys”:

This client and I talked about her couples session, where we would be shooting, and the goals. We knew we would be shooting in the trees and by the water. We wanted a romantic vibe but also a beautiful pop of color. So we chose this beautiful flowy skirt in yellow. The movement of the fabric creates a romantic feel both as it flows and how it drapes in the water. The pop of yellow against the green in the trees uses the color theory which makes it visually appealing. We chose to keep her husband right between dressed up and casual in jeans and henley tee, the blue in the tee that was a complementary to her yellow skirt.

This client and I were planning photos after their new baby was born. I always want new mothers to feel comfortable and beautiful. We talked about something that would do both. She has a beautiful kimono paired with black leggings and a tank top with subtle button details. From there a blue collared shirt was chosen for her husband and we pulled colors from her kimono when choosing her daughters shirt. I always suggest keeping newborns in something simple and classic. We accomplished creating a look that was both cohesive but also felt very natural for them during an in-home session.

This client had her family of 5 we were going to photograph outside her childhood home, on the land she grew up on. We knew we would be moving around so we wanted everyone comfortable but we also wanted this to have a very pulled together feel. For this session we let the website do most of the work! We chose rust orange and blue for our color pallet, thinking of how beautiful that orange would pop against the green background. From there we chose to keep the boys in solid colors and have her daughter be the pop of pattern in a beautiful striped romper. 

This client let me style them from my client closet. These skirts are just magic! The flow and the pop of color is always a game changer in photos. She pulled a few black tops she owned, but we decided the lace bodysuit in my client closet was the winner. We chose a green pant for her husband so it wasn’t as casual as jeans.

Sometimes our love of a photo can be (at least partly) because of how it is stylized. It creates a narrative of it’s own and even taps into the part of our brain that reacts to color and patterns. The beauty of this, is when done right, most may not even realize the session was stylized, it looks effortless! Even though a lot of thought can go into making sure everyone is coordinated for your session - with the tools I offer my clients it can be one of the easiest things you’ll do all day!

Whether you are using my website service or we are working together and bouncing ideas around here are a few of my what to wear for photos tips:

• Think about your surroundings when choosing a color pallet. Is your session going to be in a field, out by the rocks or water, is it going to be in home?

• Keep everyone coordinated but not necessarily matching. It’s best to keep everyone in the same color family, I tell people to pick three colors from the same complimentary family and tie them together with a neutral.

• Add a pattern or a beautiful detail like lace for a pop of visual interest. 

• Dresses and skirts with movement photograph so BEAUTIFUL

• Think about adding layers and accessories to add dimension and interest (but don’t let them take over). Adding a hat, a vest, a bow, or even suspenders are a great way to add interest!

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