What should I wear?
Welcome to my styling assistance guide!
Welcome to the styling assistance guide section of my Client Lounge, where you’ll find everything you need to know ahead of our session! I’m thrilled you decided to book me and can’t wait to meet you!
The choice of outfits is the most common question that I get asked when my clients book one of my lifestyle photoshoots. And quite rightly so. The clothes you wear on the day of your photoshoot should be a big consideration since they dramatically impact on the overall look and feel of the photos. To make it easy, I’ve outlined a few things that you need to consider when planning what to wear to your outdoor photoshoot.
1) How and where are you planning to use the photos?
This is often something that can be forgotten, but it’s actually really important to think about how and where you will display the photos in your home. If you are having a photoshoot with the intention of hanging the mounted or framed photos in your living room, then think about the colour scheme in the room. What colours would work well with your décor? Similarly, if you are having an outdoor session so that you can get some fun photos of the children and plan to hang the pictures in their bedroom, again, what colours would work well with the room’s colours scheme? Complementary colours will ensure that the pictures fit perfectly in the room and will enhance the colour scheme that you already have.
2) Seasonality.
That’s an important point to consider: certain colours and types of clothing happen to work best in particular seasons – long flowey dresses with soft neutrals or a pop of colour (such as red, blue or yellow) look amazing during summer but when autumn comes, it’s time to rock those textured knits and accessories. Overall, in naturey settings, I find that pastels, earthy neutral tones, creams, yellows, rusty oranges look great. My top tip would be to pick a base colour and consider the season when choosing this. Then, introduce contrast by wearing denim or either warm or cool neutral.
3) A cohesive colour scheme for everyone photographed.
Another really important consideration is how you will look pictured together. What you are aiming for ideally is a cohesive, consistent colour scheme without looking too ‘mitchy matchy’. The natural, outdoor photos that I will take of you will look so much better if you have thought through in advance how you will incorporate your chosen colours into everyone’s clothing, but in a subtle way.
4) Wear clothes that are smart but comfortable.
A final, but really important point! During your outdoor photoshoot, I’ll be aiming to capture natural photos. Which means that I want them to reflect who you really are. While that doesn’t mean that you need to ‘dress up’ for the occasion, anything too far the other way means that you potentially won’t look your best on camera. My top tip here would be to keep the overall look smart-casual. Anything too formal will look unnatural and will be uncomfortable for you and those involved. For example, if you have children, please don’t force them into shirts buttoned up to the collar if they aren’t used to wearing them or shoes that rub their feet. It’ll just mean that they’ll be fidgeting during the session which may make it a more stressful experience for you. And don’t wear anything that’s either too tight-fitting or too baggy. You want your clothes to be flattering, and make you look your best possible self. You’ll be looking at the pictures for years to come so choose your clothes wisely so that you won’t regret your decision later. Do choose classic cut denim jeans, dresses, plain white T-shirts (no logos), unbranded trainers, plain coloured wellies (in Autumn). Basically, simple, classic clothes work best, and this is true whether you’re having your portrait session outdoors or in the photography studio. Anything too bright, fussy or overly-detailed will put the focus on the clothes rather on you, which is the exact opposite of what we’re hoping to achieve.
5) Accessories and props.
What do you like to do during your spare time?
I love including in my sessions activities that my clients like to do – whether it’s having a picnic, playing cards and games, reading books, going hunting for bugs, playing with the dog, enjoying pizza at the beach, going camping, feeding farm animals, etc.
Bottom line: find 5 activities that you like doing and tell me about them, then we will decide on which props you can bring from home that will allow natural moments to unfold!
Also, keep in mind that if you have booked me for a platinum session, you can bring a change of outfits and accessories to make the photos more versatile. You can either complement the first look, or opt for a completely different look!
6) My client closet
When you book a session with me, you automatically gain access to my exclusive client closet. Each piece is carefully selected to enhance my style of photography. They include a variety of textures, stunning details, beautiful movement and are all very flattering on a range of different body types thanks to a clever waist cinching. In other words, these dresses are not only stunning, but they will make you feel amazing at your photo session. Finding the perfect outfits can be difficult, which is why I have put this closet together to take all of the guessing work and stress out of it for you. I generally suggest choosing an outfit for yourself first and then selecting pieces for your children (and partner) afterwards. I personally do not offer clothing for men nor children. Women and mothers are always the star of the show, and with pregnancy and post partum changes, I can understand how hard it is to want to invest in beautiful dresses that will only fit them for a short season. Men and children are usually much cheaper, and more affordable, to shop for, and in my experience, my clients have had no issues finding or shopping clothing for their partner and the rest of the family.
Oh and one final piece of advice: Relax, be yourself and enjoy this experience! Don’t worry about feeling ‘awkward’ or not knowing what to do, I’ve got plenty of tricks up my sleeve to make our session amazing and I’m known to make people feel very comfortable and relaxed! I won’t make you pose, but I will give you prompts to allow natural and emotive moments to unfold. My photography style is all about movement, emotions and relationships, and I will encourage you to interact with each other as much as possible. I love including in my sessions activities that my clients like to do – whether it’s having a picnic, playing cards and games, reading books, going hunting for bugs, playing with the dog(s), enjoying a cheeky beer, etc. I will bring my props box but do feel free to bring any props that would make the experience more personable. If you’re coming with your child(ren), bring along their favourite toys and books to include in the photos! If you have any ideas and would like to run them by me, feel free to do so!
Don’t forget that you will look amazing no matter what and I will make sure you have an unforgettable experience and receive photos that you will forever cherish!
I can’t wait to meet you!!
Constance x
