Photography sessions can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. You want to look your best and make sure that the images turn out beautifully. My hope is too offer some easy styling tips that allow you to look and feel great, while remaining authentic and true to yourself and your style. While I want clients to feel free to where what they want, I am also an artist, so I know that wardrobe plays an important role in creating beautiful artwork. Wardrobe can offer photographs elements like texture, layers, line, shape, pattern, color and other visual interest. Here are some easy to follow tips and advice for selecting the perfect wardrobe to elevate the art in your photos:

Coordinate Around a Central Color Palette

The first place I recommend is to start with a color palette. When selecting a color palette, it’s best to choose earth-toned, neutral-toned, or bold colors. You can mix and match neutral colors such as gray, black, white, beige, and tan as much as you want. It’s important to avoid being matchy-matchy but do try to coordinate around a central color palette. Pinterest has great examples of color palettes that can help inspire you. Here are some sample color palettes examples and suggestions that I offer to my clients via my pinterest page.

Textures Look Great in Photos

Textures can add depth and dimension to images, giving photographs a more interesting and dynamic feel. Some great textured clothing includes cable knit sweaters, corduroy, rompers, overalls, tassels, lace-trimmed or embroidered clothing.

Patterns and Designs

Some families like to wear a solid colored clothing but I often get asked about patterns. Mixing in patterns and designs can add interest to the wardrobe. Just be sure to choose patterns that don’t clash with each other. And I recommend just one or two people have patterns while the rest of the group wear solids.

Layer + Accessorize

This may be specific to my location in San Francisco, but the weather can be variable between sunny and beautiful to quite chilly, windy, foggy and damp. They both photograph beautifully, but you need to feel warm enough in order to enjoy a photo session. So plan for layers! As a bonus, layers add visual interest and look great in photos. Great layering items and accessories include sweaters, scarves, jackets, vests, shawls, kimonos, beanies, bows, earrings, necklaces, suspenders, funky shoes, and cute hats. 

Wear Clothing That Allows for Movement

Clothing that moves and flows adds interest and emotion to photographic artwork. Maxi skirts and dresses or materials that allow light to pass through them are an especially beautiful choice.

Avoid Small Checks, Pinstripes, Words, Logos or Brand Graphics

Small checks and pinstripes create an optical effect called moiré when viewed digitally. It’s best to avoid them and stick with solid colored clothing pieces or larger patterns. Large brand logos and graphics on clothing can be distracting and take away from the overall aesthetic of the image. Words can be hard to read on clothing especially when moving during a photography session. It’s best to avoid these things altogether or at least keep them to a minimum in your photo session wardrobe.

Be True to You and Choose Clothing That Makes You Feel Good

I know many photographers that only want to photograph a certain vibe of clothing. I think how people dress is one way to express creativity and I think there are many ways of being stylish. The most important thing when choosing what to wear for your family, couples or maternity photography session is to choose clothing that makes you feel good and something that you will like when looking back on photos. When you feel good, it radiates and can be seen in the photos. So choose clothing that you feel comfortable in and that makes you feel confident.

Use a Styling Service

If you are looking for more support when preparing for your next photography session and you are my client, you can use the Style + Select a service I offer as part of your session package. If you are a current client and don’t have your free access code, feel free to email me and I will get you it. If you, like me, appreciate beautifully styled clothes in your photos but aren’t the best at designing said clothing, then Style + Select is a great service to look into.

I personally book a family photo session every year for my own family so I get it – choosing what to wear for your photography session can be overwhelming! But it doesn’t have to be. Keep these tips and advice in mind, and you’re sure to end up with beautiful images that you’ll treasure for a lifetime. I’d love to hear what your ideal wardrobe is for your family session and if you’d like to work together, I would be honored to record family memories for you. You can contact me here.