Clothing & kids. Tips & Tricks for your photo session.

So I get the question a lot:

What should we wear for our photo shoot? Do you have any tips?

Well, I thought I'd share some tips on the blog. Some are borrowed from Leeann Marie, whom I have recently met, because they are fabulous, great tips to share!

So here we go:

-Try to wear something that flatters the part of your body you love the most.
-Get dressed up a bit more than you usually do.
-Large, bold patterns can be distracting as can text on shirts.
-Wear your favorite colors.
-If body conscious, try wearing 1/4 or full sleeve shirts instead of tank tops and tube tops. It is easier to push up a sleeve if warm.
-Avoid clothes that are too tight, showing panty lines, etc.
-Girls, accentuating your waist with an accent belt or A-line shirt/dress can be very flattering.
-If you want your pictures to appear timeless, try not to be too trendy.
-Layers can be flattering on both girls & guys.
-Wear something you are okay with getting dirty. (You never know).
-Makeup looks best when natural, especially when it comes to foundation and bronzer. It's best to accentuate your eyes and lips with some great eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick.
-Avoid clothes that look too casual, with fraying, tears, short shorts, words, etc.
-Slightly darker shades will ensure that the focus is on your face, not on the bright shades in the photos.
-Bring fun props with you if you'd like. Anything that represents you or your family! I'm always up for any ideas you have to make your session unique.

I have put together this ensemble for my little family of 6. It took many hours of searching and shopping, but I'm loving it!  You don't have to buy all new clothes either. Try to pair something you already have with something new. We are all wearing pants we already had.  As you can see, almost every outfit has layers. In my youngest boys outfit, (bottom right), I layered stripes with checkered. And they are totally different colors, but it still looks good, in my opinion, (you may not all agree!). Don't be afraid to experiment. Hold up different pieces of clothing next to each other to see how it looks. You may be surprised at how easily things come together when you're not trying to match everyone's outfit perfectly!




Okay, next, I'd like to touch on family sessions with kids.

When I do a shoot that involves kids, (specifically younger kids) they, at one point or another, are often threatened, scolded, nagged, or even yelled at by their parents to "be good and smile at the camera!" At which point you might get the "Chandler Bing" smile like this:

It's forced, and it's un-natural. Most people don't want their kids smiling like that in their family picture.

You might also get the super-happy fake smile, where their eyes are closed tightly and they are giving you the best grin they've got. Bless their hearts.

The minute you threaten the kid, is usually the minute they check out. They think "this is not fun for me anymore", and it will be a lot more difficult to get a natural smile out of them.

So my tip to you, is to please let the photographer do their job, and stay under the radar a little bit. Try to stay quiet, and let the photographer do the talking.

Sure, you can "encourage" your child to look at what the crazy lady behind the camera is doing, and you can even bribe them with a treat. But don't get angry at them. They're kids, and that's just the way they are. It makes for a not-so-fun experience for everyone involved. If the photographer and the parents are both trying to guide the children to do something all at the same time, they'll just get confused and you probably won't end up with the result you're looking for. Try to stay calm.

If you are looking for more candid shots, where everyone is not looking at the camera, let your photographer know ahead of time. If you want the "posed" shots where everyone is looking and smiling at the same time, and you've got young children, it is absolutely imperative that you have patience, and you will most likely get better results.

:)