Planning Your Photo Session (Part 3) - Wardrobe and Props {Terre Haute lifestyle photographer}
If you missed the first two posts in this series, you can check them out here: part one and part two.
You've already thought about why you want photos, what you're going to do with them, and when and where your session will be. The next decision, and one that stumps a lot of people, is what to wear.
For newborns, it's pretty easy: naked is fine if your house is warm and you want that, otherwise a plain onesie or a simple sleeper is great. Make sure to have a few cute blankets handy, and if you like hats or headbands, have them set out too. Save the cute outfits and ruffly dresses for when the baby can sit up.
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For older babies, anything goes, as long as the baby is comfortable. This is a great time for super cute outfits and fun accessories. When they're toddlers, they might have their own ideas, so enjoy this phase while it lasts!
For older kids, let them make some of the decisions. Changing outfits mid-session is usually not a problem for a storyteller session (but might not be possible in a short and sweet session - it just depends), so feel free to let them pick a crazy outfit that they love, then pick one you love. They might cooperate better if they feel like they've had some input in the session. Just stay away from big logos and characters. It's more important that the outfit says something about them then whether or not it really "matches."
For seniors, anything goes! I definitely recommend bringing at least 2-3 different outfits. For boys, wear something nice (khakis and a button-up shirt will do, no suit required!) and at least one more casual outfit (your favorite t-shirt and jeans is a good choice) and then if you're in a sport, bring your uniform and a ball. For girls, pretty much the same: a nice outfit, a casual outfit, and if you're in a sport or other activity, bring something for that. Prom dresses are fun too. Wear a little makeup, even if you usually don't. If your nails are painted, make sure they're not chipped. Layers and textures are great.
Trying to coordinate for families is where people tend to have the most trouble. The first thing to remember is that everyone needs to be comfortable. Basically, you want to look like the best version of yourself. So if you usually live in yoga pants and a t-shirt (like me!), you might want to step it up a little and wear jeans and a nice shirt. If you're trendy, then by all means go all out with awesome outfits. Just make sure you still look like you!
As far as coordinating colors goes, your best bet is to pick coordinating colors, not matching colors. If you want the matchy-matchy look, that's fine, but a little variety usually works a lot better. The first time we had professional family photos done, I chose my daughter's dress first. It was a cute little flowered sundress. The rest of us wore jeans and solid shirts picked from the colors of her dress. We all wore different colors, but Abbie's dress tied it all together. The second time we did a session, I chose our outfits based on the colors I want to use in my living room - grey and yellow with a little bit of blue. My husband and I wore solid shirts, Abbie had a striped shirt, Jack had a solid shirt, Jonah had a plain shirt, and Joey had a striped sweater. But it was all mostly grey and white with just yellow and blue accents, so it worked. If you're still stumped on what exactly to wear, try checking out some Pinterest boards, or shopping for the whole family at one store, like Old Navy or Gap (or Children's Place if it's just for the kids). It's usually pretty easy to come up with coordinated outfits there.
The next thing to consider is whether or not you'll want any props in your photos. I don't usually use a lot of props, and rarely use them just to be "pretty." It's really best if the prop says something about your child or your family, or has some sort of sentimental value.
In the photo on the left, we used a tractor tire because the family farms and that tractor will surely be a big part of that baby's life. In the photo on the right, I used the same antique bassinet that we used for her big sister's photoshoot at the same age.
It's also a fun idea to find a prop that your baby or child can grow with. For example, I used the same wagon for my son Jonah's newborn, six-month, and one-year photo. I love how it turned out!
Balloons are great for pretty much any kid. What kid doesn't like balloons? I'm sure there are some out there, but I've never met one. Also, if your kid is involved in any activity or sport - dance, football, baseball, scouts, tumbling - feel free to bring something to incorporate that into your session, or we can even base the whole session on that if you want.
Feel free to bring your child's favorite toy too, or anything that they're proud of. Sometimes we don't end up using it in the session, but it's always a great ice breaker, especially with shy kids.
Books (especially favorites) and bubbles are always great too.
If you're stumped, don't worry! We'll cover all this during your pre-session consultation, so if you need some ideas or help with decisions, I'll be able to help you out and make sure you go into your session as confident and stress-free as possible.
Thanks for making it this far! Check back next week for the final post in this series. That post will cover what to expect at your session and a few tips for making the day easy and fun.
You've already thought about why you want photos, what you're going to do with them, and when and where your session will be. The next decision, and one that stumps a lot of people, is what to wear.
For newborns, it's pretty easy: naked is fine if your house is warm and you want that, otherwise a plain onesie or a simple sleeper is great. Make sure to have a few cute blankets handy, and if you like hats or headbands, have them set out too. Save the cute outfits and ruffly dresses for when the baby can sit up.
.jpg)
For older babies, anything goes, as long as the baby is comfortable. This is a great time for super cute outfits and fun accessories. When they're toddlers, they might have their own ideas, so enjoy this phase while it lasts!
For older kids, let them make some of the decisions. Changing outfits mid-session is usually not a problem for a storyteller session (but might not be possible in a short and sweet session - it just depends), so feel free to let them pick a crazy outfit that they love, then pick one you love. They might cooperate better if they feel like they've had some input in the session. Just stay away from big logos and characters. It's more important that the outfit says something about them then whether or not it really "matches."
For seniors, anything goes! I definitely recommend bringing at least 2-3 different outfits. For boys, wear something nice (khakis and a button-up shirt will do, no suit required!) and at least one more casual outfit (your favorite t-shirt and jeans is a good choice) and then if you're in a sport, bring your uniform and a ball. For girls, pretty much the same: a nice outfit, a casual outfit, and if you're in a sport or other activity, bring something for that. Prom dresses are fun too. Wear a little makeup, even if you usually don't. If your nails are painted, make sure they're not chipped. Layers and textures are great.
Trying to coordinate for families is where people tend to have the most trouble. The first thing to remember is that everyone needs to be comfortable. Basically, you want to look like the best version of yourself. So if you usually live in yoga pants and a t-shirt (like me!), you might want to step it up a little and wear jeans and a nice shirt. If you're trendy, then by all means go all out with awesome outfits. Just make sure you still look like you!
As far as coordinating colors goes, your best bet is to pick coordinating colors, not matching colors. If you want the matchy-matchy look, that's fine, but a little variety usually works a lot better. The first time we had professional family photos done, I chose my daughter's dress first. It was a cute little flowered sundress. The rest of us wore jeans and solid shirts picked from the colors of her dress. We all wore different colors, but Abbie's dress tied it all together. The second time we did a session, I chose our outfits based on the colors I want to use in my living room - grey and yellow with a little bit of blue. My husband and I wore solid shirts, Abbie had a striped shirt, Jack had a solid shirt, Jonah had a plain shirt, and Joey had a striped sweater. But it was all mostly grey and white with just yellow and blue accents, so it worked. If you're still stumped on what exactly to wear, try checking out some Pinterest boards, or shopping for the whole family at one store, like Old Navy or Gap (or Children's Place if it's just for the kids). It's usually pretty easy to come up with coordinated outfits there.
The next thing to consider is whether or not you'll want any props in your photos. I don't usually use a lot of props, and rarely use them just to be "pretty." It's really best if the prop says something about your child or your family, or has some sort of sentimental value.
In the photo on the left, we used a tractor tire because the family farms and that tractor will surely be a big part of that baby's life. In the photo on the right, I used the same antique bassinet that we used for her big sister's photoshoot at the same age.
It's also a fun idea to find a prop that your baby or child can grow with. For example, I used the same wagon for my son Jonah's newborn, six-month, and one-year photo. I love how it turned out!
Balloons are great for pretty much any kid. What kid doesn't like balloons? I'm sure there are some out there, but I've never met one. Also, if your kid is involved in any activity or sport - dance, football, baseball, scouts, tumbling - feel free to bring something to incorporate that into your session, or we can even base the whole session on that if you want.
Feel free to bring your child's favorite toy too, or anything that they're proud of. Sometimes we don't end up using it in the session, but it's always a great ice breaker, especially with shy kids.
Books (especially favorites) and bubbles are always great too.
If you're stumped, don't worry! We'll cover all this during your pre-session consultation, so if you need some ideas or help with decisions, I'll be able to help you out and make sure you go into your session as confident and stress-free as possible.
Thanks for making it this far! Check back next week for the final post in this series. That post will cover what to expect at your session and a few tips for making the day easy and fun.
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