This is our recommended clothing & preparation for portrait sessions:

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Each suggestion has the reasons why!

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• Wear solid-colored clothing

  • so that we see all of your faces and no individual stands out. If you wear stripes or flowers, you will stand out from the rest of your group.​
     

• Choose muted tones that are a bit subdued

  • so that you are the subject, not your clothes, and so you don’t stand out from the group. Bright colors project (especially reds, oranges, and yellows), which makes you look larger.​
     

• Choose similar tones for the top and bottom (both dark or both light)

  • A white top and dark pants will make your top look bigger. White pants and a dark top will make your butt look bigger.​
     

• Choose one to three colors for your group portrait, colors with similar tones that go nicely together. Then have everyone work within that color palette. For example, a group could wear dark green, navy, and burgundy, which are all dark jewel tones. Or a group could wear tan, a lighter olive-green, and denim, all of which are lighter, softer tones.

  • This is so we see people first and your portrait looks stunning. Wedding group photos look so good because they’re all wearing the same colors and the people stand out!​
     

• Choose a top with sleeves at least to the elbow

  • because your arms take up more skin area than your face and will draw attention. It may also make your arms look larger.​
     

• Choose long pants for men/women or a skirt below the knee for women

  • so that your legs don’t take attention from your face, and you will be able to sit and bend without showing too much leg.​
     

• Choose dark socks and footwear (unless it’s a barefoot photo on the beach)

  • because white sticks out like a sore thumb and that’s all you’ll notice in your portrait.​
     

• Keep jewelry simple and minimalistic

  • because too much jewelry takes attention away from your face.​
     

• Have your hair the way you’d normally do it while wearing these clothes.

  • This is because your portrait will be more timeless and represent more closely who you are, not just what you look like.​
     

• If you're planning to get a haircut or new hairdo, make the appointment at least two weeks prior to your portrait session

  • Fresh haircuts rarely look their best the same day or the next day. Allow some time to live with your new look before your portrait session.