Styling can make or break your photography session……Seriously it can!
It may sound silly to you but I mean it when I say what you wear matters! I know, selecting the perfect items for your family portraits can seem daunting. I have been there. Even though I am a Denver lifestyle photographer, I suffer the same anxiety and stress that my clients do when it comes to choosing a wardrobe for pictures.
You want those Insta worthy pictures that all of your friends have…
Let me tell you matching jeans and white button ups is NOT going to get those for you. No matter who you have photograph your images. And I KNOW you can be more creative than that! The goal of selecting the perfect wardrobe is to compliment your setting in pieces that photograph well (we will get to that in a minute)as well as choose things that everyone feels comfortable in.
Why does it matter?
The focus of your photo session should be on your sweet family and your connection to each other. Some outfits that look great in real life just do not photograph well. My focus as a Denver Lifestyle photographer is to be intentional in my images, to focus on all of the love between you and your tribe.
LOCATION, Location, Location…..
IF you know me at all, you know that I love to shoot connections. Picture dancing around in a meadow, hiking in the mountains or splashing in a creek. These all lead to beautiful connections and amazing moments between you and your family. If you intentionally choose your wardrobe to compliment the location of the session, yet fit you and your families personalities it will make for the most incredible images. I promise.
I chose this family portrait session to use for this particular topic because their styling was ON POINT. Everything about it was perfect. The color palette blended beautifully with the environment and the fabrics had some amazing texture and movement to them. The pieces selected go well together without being matchy, matchy (remember the jeans and white shirts……).
Client Closet
I just love being able to offer my clients wardrobe from my client closet! I am constantly adding pieces to the collection. The closet is full of high end pieces that best represent my style and photograph well. So save yourself some cash Mama and come check out my selection before you go buy something. We will style the rest of your family off of what you select! This service is complimentary to my clients!!
Color…..
When selecting colors, choose a coordinating palette of 3 or 4 colors and dress your family from there. The goal is to keep outfits from being super distracting and choosing the right colors for your setting play a huge roll in that. I tell my clients to stay away from neon, bright pinks, oranges, coral and red. Those colors create strange color casts and will look weird in photos. I love neutral or earthy colors. Believe it or not there are neutral shades of every color!
Give me all the textures!!!
Seriously, texture is AMAZING you guys. Think of the details in lace, knits and velvet…..I am not saying come dressed in head to toe lace or velvet, but adding in a piece or two as a layer can really make your images stand out!
Accessories can be awesome!
Seriously, you have creative freedom in choosing your wardrobe- I want you to be who you are! So if you have some funky jewelry you love, or a hat that you feel amazing in, I want you to rock it! The only thing to remember is to make sure that you can move in whatever you choose. Props can be a great addition too, if chosen wisely. Think a handful of wildflowers, blankets, quilts etc. They can all add that extra something to your images!
Don’t be afraid of a little wind!
Colorado has wind. It’s a fact and I dont want you to be afraid of it! Instead I encourage you to embrace it. Choose clothing that will move in the wind…..it creates magic you guys, I promise! Being a Denver Lifestyle photographer, I used to actually cancel sessions due to wind, now I say bring it on! Well in moderation that is. If it is huge wind gusts we will cancel. There is a difference between that amazing windswept look and hurricane force winds.
Food for thought…
I know this probably seems like information overload, but it truly is so important. Once I figured out that styling was the key piece of the puzzle I was missing in my own family portraits, they went from nice pictures to ones that I want to literally wallpaper my home in. I promise you will too!
I work hard to style all of my clients so that we not only reflect who they are but also choose items that photograph well. My clients all have access to an online styling tool that helps them choose pieces that coordinate based on a color palette that they choose and a style that reflects them as a family! It even gives links to purchase the items with the click of a button. Pretty cool huh?
If you would like to see more of my work you can hop over to my family gallery here or give me a follow on Insta here. If you would like more information about booking your own family storytelling session lets chat!
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