Clothing

  • T-shirts and sweatshirts don't look very good.

  • For headshots and fine-art portraits: I recommend simple dark clothing with long sleeves.

  • For couple/group sessions: simple, solid colors that complement each other.

  • Don’t match your partner’s look, complement it.

  • For groups/families: don't all wear the same thing (eg white t-shirt and jeans). You can pick one person (like one of the children) and have them wear a nice outfit. Everyone else will coordinate with the child but not each other. So if you have a little girl with a pretty dress with blue, yellow, and black tones, partner 1 could wear something with yellow. Partner 2 can wear something with blue.

  • Probably best to guide your children in what they'll wear.

  • People often choose a light top and darker pants. Some contrast is good, but extreme contrast is not.

  • Avoid very bright, vibrant colors and complex patterns.

  • You may wish to think about where you will display your portrait. What colors would fit that location?

Makeup and Hair

  • There may be some retouching involved, but there's only so much I technology can do. Retouching is like virtual makeup, but the results are not as natural as those achieved with the real thing.

  • In other words, everyone should pay extra attention to their appearance.

  • Even men can benefit from a little foundation!

  • As with clothing, avoid bright headbands and hair clips unless that is the intentional look.

  • A little hairspray can help control stray hairs.

  • Bring some combs, makeup, and a compact mirror in case you need a touch up during the session. Wet-naps to clean up kids.

Props

Props are great!  They will add a new dimension to your photo.  I want to reveal something about your personality, so please bring them!

  • you can find prop suggestions at my Amazon store.

  • musical instruments

  • athletic equipment

  • costumes

  • Huge Scrabble tiles like this one if Scrabble is your favorite board game.

Poses

Take a look at some posing ideas at my Pinterest Page.