When deciding what to wear for photos, pick a palette of 3-4 colors. Let this be your starting place. Think in terms of tones: blue tones, earth tones, neutrals, pastels, etc. Everyone in the family can express their own sense of style within the chosen color palette. It can be hard to know where to begin, but think of it as building blocks. Start with one outfit and then you can build upon that. My recommendation is to start with mom (or daughter), since women’s clothing tends to have more colors and prints. And let’s be honest, we are more picky about how we look, and moms are typically pulling the outfits together anyways.

My best advice is for you to wear a dress in your favorite color. Not only are dresses flattering, but you will feel good in it. If you hate dresses, think about a skirt/top combo, but choose something that is slightly dresser than your everyday look. Opt for high quality fabrics (not t-shirt material) because they hang better.

1.THINK MUTED COLORS.

Avoid overly saturated and bold colors, as they distract in the photo. Look for MUTED versions of the same color. For example, if you have a bright hot pink shirt, try a muted dusty rose instead.

2.COORDINATE, DON’T MATCH.

Choose colors that complement each other but are not overly matchy-matchy. For example, avoid wearing the same color top as your spouse.

3. ADD VARIETY WITH SUBTLE PATTERNS.

To add depth and interest to your photos, create dimension by having primarily solids with a few coordinating subtle patterns and textures. Patterns are great in small doses and add a lot of your photo. Avoid bold, large prints that can distract from the photo though.

Please Avoid…

NEON COLORS 

Neon colors can reflect onto your face, causing skin tone problems in your photos. That neon green shirt will reflect upwards on your face and cause you to look green!

ATHLETIC SHOES

White tennis shoes, athletic shoes, and character shoes (think Disney princess shoes) should all be avoided. Leather shoes, casual sneakers (think Converse), sandals, slide-on canvas shoes, and wedges are all great options. If you just can’t find shoes you love, consider having the family go barefoot for the session (just bring shoes to walk around at the location!).

BABY OUTFITS WITH DIAPERS PEEKING OUT

An adorably cute moment with your baby can be ruined by the green-lined diaper that is hanging out of a little romper or dress. Avoid baby clothing that doesn’t completely cover those little Pampers.

TRANSITIONAL LENSES

If you typically wear glasses, wear them for your session. But if you have polarized or transitional lenses, consider taking them off. Dark glasses will cover your eyes in the photos.