I try to meet all of my clients in person before they commission me for a session. I think it’s important to make sure that we mesh well, it’s also a great time to chat about the session, what to expect, etc. The first question I am usually asked is, “what should we wear?” The answer to this questions is different depending on the type of session I am being commissioned for.
For newborn sessions – do not expect your new sweet little bundle of joy to be placed in lots of clothes for a newborn session. Clothing on a newborn does not photograph very well and can actually look more awkward and uncomfortable in a photo. That said, newborns to look super precious and sweet in knit hats and diaper covers… the following images are of newborns in knit hats found on places like www.etsy.com (just search for newborn knit hats)…
For babies- depending on the age I still like to keep it pretty simple. up to 6 months I still think a diaper cover is just fine or even no diaper cover. If you do like to use clothing for this age, I recommend keeping it as simple as possible… not too many layers. Fun patterns and textures however are great! Here are a few photos from the six month range…
For toddlers and older children- I love, love, love for a child’s outfit to to match their personality at this age. If you’re daughter is a princess, then by all means her clothing for the session should reflect this. Do find an outfit that is spunky and fun and frilly. Layering textures and colors (as long as they are cohesive) is a great idea for a fun child session. If your little one has more of a laid back personality that’s great too, there are loads of dreamy clothes out there. A few of my favorite shops for children clothing are Janie and Jack, Gymboree, Haute Baby, Vintage Couture, etc. Here are a few images of what I mean…
For preteens and teens- Again, you are going to want to dress them for this age to match their personalities. Do remember with preteen and teen girls that some clothing options out there are a little revealing and this will come across in the photos… here are some good examples…
For Families- Dressing an entire family can be tricky. My best advice is to try to find complimentary colors that are not too crazy. Avoid shorts as they are never a good idea for photographs on adults. Jeans, dresses, skirts, etc are all good options. If you need help trying to find complimentary colors try www.colourlovers.com there are loads of pre-made color pallets. You can even pick a pallet by mood/season/or other specific keywords. Try not to use more than three colors. Here are some good examples of how families can dress for a session…
These are just some ideas on the subject of what to wear for a photography session. My clients, once they book a session, are directed to a password protected private client lounge on my website with a large PDF with loads of more information including where to shop, etc.
