Style Guide

Let’s admit it. Choosing what to wear for photos can be super stressful! It’s enough to make anyone crazy, even photographers. Finding that perfect outfit (or family of outfits!) is easier with a little bit of guidance.

I've created this style guide to help families with my most asked question, "What should we wear?!"

Let's start with what not to do, it's pretty simple:

Don't wear matching outfits! We've all seen it, a whole family in plaid shirts or jeans and a white tee. We're looking to create timeless memories and everyone in matching outfits is not the path we want to take. Instead, focus on choosing outfits that compliment each other (both in texture and tones).
Stay away from any pieces with large branding or logos on the front. They will be distracting and take away the focus from your beautiful faces.
Say "no" to neon!
Try to stay away from black as well. Black is guaranteed to dominate tonally in your images. This means they’ll be less aesthetically pleasing than is ideal. This is especially important for maternity sessions as black will mask your beautiful baby bump.

Now that we've covered what not to do, let's talk about how we're going to create the perfect outfits:

Soft, natural tones, such as pale pastels and neutrals will always photograph well.
Earthy tones are fantastic for a warm neutral feel. This includes rich colours such as burgundy, deep greens, shades of blue and mustard.
Varied textures are great, (think wool, linen, corduroy, cotton). Layering is excellent as well.
If you want to include a pattern or print it will look best in just one outfit (example: mom wears a dress with a beautiful muted pattern and everyone else wears solids). Multiple patterns can clash or take over the focus of your images, consider playing with textures instead of patterns.

For in-home sessions choose colours from your decor. Many of my family photo sessions especially newborns take place in the comfort of your own home. Is your home light, bright and airy or moody and dark? What colours do you decorate with? Taking a look around your home before choosing your outfits can help to create beautiful cohesive images that truly tell your story.

If you've made it this far and you're still feeling overwhelmed don't worry! What matters most is that everyone is comfortable. Remember this is just a guide and no matter what you decide to wear your images will turn out beautifully. My sessions are about capturing connection not just your outfits. If you’d appreciate some help and guidance feel free to reach out with questions or photos of potential outfit choices and I can help you decide what will look best!