a style guide to prepare you for your professional photo session
Hey there, fellow humans. My name’s Emily and I’m a wedding and portrait photographer based out of Providence, Rhode Island. I love working with couples and families to freeze their sweetest moments in time together through my photography. R.I. may be my home base, but I love to take photos all over the country (and world, of course) whenever the opportunity presents itself (or I create said opportunity, which happens pretty often).
Anyway, I decided to put together a blog post for you that highlights the most important parts of the “style guide” I share with my clients when they hire me. Picking an outfit should feel fun and exciting, not stressful or confusing. I figured a guide centered around outfits, colors, and patterns might help take the stress out of the getting-ready process for you all before a big photo session, so here it is.
what should I wear to my photo session?
disclaimer:
As I write this today, I fully recognize that I have all sorts of style preferences; I have favorite colors, favorite aesthetics, favorite patterns- you name it. Every human and photographer does.
That being said, I want you to remember while reading this guide that your photos are supposed to be about you, your loved ones, and what makes you feel like your best self. My goal is to capture authentic photos of you, not photos of you playing dress-up in something you feel uncomfortable wearing just because t
color choices
I'm a sucker for warm, neutral, and earthy tones; think pale muted colors. Grays, tans, browns, earthy greens, deep reds, warm yellows, rusty orange, and more.
Consider avoiding bright/harsh colors such as neons, lime green, hot pink, etc. They tend not
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add a *pop* of color
Do you love the muted earthy tones listed above, but also want to brighten up the color scheme a bit?
Consider throwing in a pop or two of color. Kate's mauve/pink-colored dress was such a gorgeous addition to an otherwise earthy toned set of outfits.
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patterns
Patterns
I absolutely adore throwing some patterns into the mix. I'm a big fan of "pattern clashing." Want to include some patterns without the clash? Have one person wear a pattern while the others are wearing solid colors that compliment the patterns.
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coordinating vs. matching
When you choose to coordinate outfits, you’ll be blending different colors (or patterns) together to make one cohesive theme (as seen above). Think about choosing colors/patterns that compliment one another, but aren't necessarily the exact same color or tone. Perhaps a combination of patterns and solids in varying (but complimentary) colors.
You don't have to" “match” to look well styled and put together!
Sure, I did mention above that matching isn’t "my thing,” but let me tell you... matching can be STUNNING if it's your thing and you do it right.
There are so many ways to match each other well. I love how the two above matched their colors, but included a slight accent by adding the tan colored pants against the theme of white.
There’s no right or wrong answer here. If you feel good, you will look good.
If you feel like you then you will look like you and that's exactly what we want to capture!
outfit types
Be sure that your clothes allow you to move around comfortably! Photography sessions tend to involve a lot of fun and movement, so be prepared for that. Otherwise, all outfits are fair game!
If you want to wear something fancy that doesn't allow for a lot of movement, that's ok too. Remember: its your photo session and your opinion matters more than anyone’s (including my own)!
Flowy garments can add a lot of flexibility for those who enjoy wearing dresses, skirts, loose pants, etc. The flowy material allows your photographer to capture movement in such a beautiful way.
Do you prefer pants and a shirt? That's great too! Jumpsuits? Absolutely! Cozy sweater and a cup of hot chocolate? I mean, why not? I'm open to it all!
Just be sure that you’re dressed appropriately for the weather and that you feel good. That’s all that matters at the end of the day- your comfort!
IN CONCLUSION
As I said earlier: "This experience is all about you, not me!"
You should feel good physically in what you wear and truly believe that your outfit suits who you are as a person. You don't have to play dress up for a photoshoot- dressing nice can be fun if that's your thing, but make sure you still feel like you- whatever that looks like!
If you're still feeling unsure of what to do next, remember that when you hire me as your photographer you can reach out to me any time at all with questions. I really enjoy helping my clients with styling and will gladly be there for you and your family every step of the way.
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-Emily W; EEW Photography-
