What to Wear | Photoshoot

Every now and then people ask me what to wear for photos.  I'll tell you from the start, I'm not the world's most stylish person, and what I might like in terms of clothing may not be what you like.  But, here are tips I would share:

1.  I would stray from being too "match-y".

If you really want a photo with all white shirts and khaki bottoms, this photo will be in your home, and you have every right to do that.  I just feel that adding more patterns and color will add more depth to the photo.  (photo by Sarah-Beth Photo)

2.  Try to avoid neon colors.  

More often than not, the light hits those colors and leaves a cast of them on your skin - so if you have a neon orange shirt, your skin might end up having a orange tint in the photos.

3.  Add layers. 

I love the look of photos with a cardigan here, a scarf there (in the cooler months), and maybe even a little one in suspenders.  (photo by Sarah-Beth Photo)

4.  It's easiest to pick one outfit and then plan all other outfits around it.

For instance, the mom/girl is probably the one planning the photo.  Pick something you love!  A dress with a fun necklace and little booties, skinny jeans and riding boots, or even that fancier skirt you've been saving for the right occasion.  Find something you feel great in, and coordinate everyone else to your outfit!  (photo by Sarah-Beth Photo)

5.  I like to try to avoid pinstripes and checked shirts on the men/boys.  

When photographed, they can do this:

6.  Unless you are going for a completely different look than normal, I wouldn't put your family in clothing that doesn't speak to their personality.

For instance, my girls don't wear a lot of really glittery or sequined items.  So, I'll probably stay away from that for photos.  Peter will rarely wear anything but a polo shirt...and it's not worth changing that for a photo, trust me.  In our family, we might even plan our outfits around him.  Jeremy rarely wears any shoes but his boots, so I'm not going to ask him to wear flip flops just because I may like them more.  Make sense?

7.  Choose your outfits based on the style of your photoshoot.

I feel like there are exceptions to this, but what I'm mainly saying is...don't wear stilettos to trek through the corn field.  If it's an urban session, sure!  Sometimes it can look really neat to get extremely dressed up and shoot in an open field, but I wouldn't say it always works.

Like I said, I am not a professional stylist.  I just know what I like.  And, you know what you like.  

But, if you ever have questions, I'd love to help!