Why are outfits that important?
The outfit you choose to wear is just as important as the lighting and location of your session! To break this down, understand that colors play a big part in photography (as you may already know) and when the subject is the obvious focus of the photoshoot what colors/ patterns/ designs they choose to wear play a big factor into the overall mood of that session. You wouldn't wear a bright yellow sundress to a shoot that you wanted to be primarily moody? You also wouldn't wear attire that does not match the location, if you want deep woods as your location stiletto's definitely look a little odd when you're trying to look a part your scenery. Above all however, make sure you are COMFORTABLE if you do not feel good in your clothing it will always show in pictures. Make sure what you choose is something you can move around in for all sorts of poses and movement, you like the way it fits on your body, and feeling confident in your attire is easy! Below are a few details and insightful things to think about when planning your attire for your session, whether its just you, your family, or your significant other, take into account your colors, patterns, and location! These are all things I have learned from years of taking photos and knowing there are certain outfits that can make or break your photo!
When to go all out!
Above you see two different sessions but during the same time of year, Justice in the Navy gown Jodi in the Gold. Both shoots were a frigid day in February, the landscape was moody and drab, the green of Summer is swept away, and all that remains in the woods is deep browns from the bark of trees and the snow still heaped all over the ground. To anyone this would not be an ideal time or place to take photos , BUT it would be the perfect time to do something over the top! While pulling out an over-the-top gown in the Summer for photos is an analogous experience there is something to be said for wearing something glitzy, eye-catching and thrilling in contrast to an otherwise dreary or plain background. It leaves all the attention to the model and can almost enhance the subject's dominance of the image! Plus, lets be honest, its fun to dress up and run around in something wild for a change, I am not even one to love gowns on myself but it can give you the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and escape reality (how often do you get to run around the forest in a sequin gown?)! This look can also be achieved with a fun pattern, bright colors, metallic accents, or a multicolored piece! Next time you have a session of any kind, think if you might be up for a pop of fun from your attire!
Sweet & Simple, why something cozy might be right for you
We again have two different session, a family moment with Katie & Carson and their sweet newborn and a couple session/ surprise engagement with Tristan & Jette. Both of these sessions the subjects opted for a cozier casual look, simple jeans or pants and tops made for a great way to focus more on the emotion of these images! The men in each session wore a flannel/ plaid design shirt and the women wore a neutral toned sweater. However notice one VERY important detail between both outfits other than the difference in concept, the tones of the attire. They each have an interchangeable color scheme to their attire, the family even though they are all wearing completely different pieces and patterns the hue among them is comparable, the olive green in his flannel, the rust color of the babies onesie, and the warmer light grey of her sweater makes the family all stand out uniquely yet all go together! You don't have to all wear the same color, or even pattern to relate to one another in your photos you can mix and match and play with pattern and simple colors. Diversely if you changed his green flannel to an evergreen, her sweater to bright white and the babies onesie to a more tangerine orange this would be a VERY different image and I would argue it would take away from this sweet parental moment of the image, your eyes would be thrown off by the colors and the emotion would feel unconnected. Picking up on the couple, while their choice in attire may be similar to the family notice a few key details in accessories, while the overall sentiment seems casual, with ripped jeans, a flannel and a sweater notice the accessories. You do not have to dress overly simple to seem relaxed and Jette and Tristan display this with their attention to detail, his visually interesting bracelet and metallic watch topped with a textured beanie, her boho hat and synonymously colored nails, all make for a harmonious look! Dressed casually in pieces they can easily move around in does not mean you have to sacrifice a little pizazz, I would even argue the look these two wear would look a little unfinished without the hats and jewelry, and can we give her an A+ for those nails? So if you feel a relaxed look is right for your session take into consideration colors and tone, patterns and accents, accessories and making sure you don't look too matched or too crazy.
Patterns, Designs, and Textures oh my...
First up, take a minute to take in some of these amazing outfits each of these models wore, I chose to only show images of one subject instead of couples or families so you can really focus on the attention to patterns and how they are used! Starting with Lena in the diner with the red & white outfit I chose to show you this image so you see how matching your surroundings can be a creative idea! We knew going into this session the diner was primarily cherry red and bright white instead of trying to come up with something to break away from this theme, matching the colors was actually a better way to both appear a part of her surroundings yet be the star of the show! The floral red pattern on the top accented with matching red sunglasses and handbag being her only color against bright white fabric and flare bottomed denim pants played perfectly into the scene, ask yourself if instead of trying to break away from your location, blending in is the better option.
Next up we have Rachel wearing probably one of my favorite pair of overalls I've ever seen! This collage of color really made her photos pop, and the patterns were just the right amount of wild, her outfit made sure she was the center of attention even in the midst of a visually appealing location. Notice distinctly that the overalls are not one modge podge of neon but only two colors are a bright effect while the rest are muted, this allows her to easily color match a turtle neck under the piece and convey a moodier appeal to her images instead of bright and excessive. Don't be afraid to play with bright colors but make sure you have a base to fall back on when planning your outfit!
Thirdly we have Sarah, this outfit is an absolute win for me! It is a perfect collection of understanding how to match all the avenues of collecting an outfit, comfort, style, and mixing textures, patterns and designs. She looks super at easy in her attire which always keep in the back of your head, it is very important, the tones and hues of everything she's wearing even though they are different colors are grouped together wonderfully. Starting with the staple grey shirt with a mini button down moment, leading into the heavily textured olive jacket, and then the neutral colored abstract mini floral pattern on the corduroy pants, the use of each piece accents and improves the other. Do not stray away from adding pieces that seem like they can stand alone altogether, as we learned from the family above, incorporating a variety of pieces as long as they have the same hue and or tone can work together very nicely!
Lastly we have Alison, wearing these splashy black & white pants with a simple top layered with a cami. This is a perfect example of using a piece that's a wild pattern but has zero color paired with simple pieces with fun color, her pants being black and white allow her to pair with any color top and accessories, you can imagine her wearing ANY color on top and it works! If you know you want to play with wild color but don't want to miss out on an interesting design or pattern maybe lean towards picking a striking piece in black & white so it leaves the option open for your other pieces to be any array of color and tone, you could play with neutrals, neon's, and so much more!
A special thank you to a local boutique in my hometown, New Vogue, a lot of these gals are wearing pieces from this shop as a way to shop local, if you are ever interested in wearing items from this store make sure to reach out!
When Clean Color is the go-to
Sometimes you may not want to mess with wild patterns, flashy textures or layers and layers of accessories and pieces, and a simple outfit with flat color is your go-to. In all three of these photos my clients opted to wear apparel that leaned simpler on the design and was all one color, the family session, senior session, and maternity session depicted here thrived from their choice of clothing! The girls all wearing matching dresses (which is very popular now) with simple white tights and mom in a orange dress and warm toned cardigan makes for a fun family moment. Notice that the colors are not especially wild but are definitely not leaning simple, the yellow in the small dresses is just the right amount of bright without being neon, allowing mom to grab you with a brighter coral color on her dress, but toning it down to their level with the cardigan. Imagine if the girls wore a BRIGHT yellow, the image would be overwhelming, but instead mom was very smart in choosing just the right amount of playfulness with the colors the session translated as sweet, lighthearted and wholesome. Lizzy in the black dress was a very exciting session at one of my favorite waterfalls in Wester NY, that being said her decision to go with a simple black dress to enrich that moodier look instead of trying to compete with her surroundings with a bright or overly patterned garment was the best decision! She both blends in and stands apart and her choice for a flat color best refined that concept! Tianna in the blush gown for her maternity session gives such a warm and serene feel to her images. Her photos wandering around the sweeping river bed at dusk were a beautiful way to capture her excitement and expectance of motherhood, the blush gown being her subtle warm tone made the images look at ease and relaxed. She is a great example that choosing a clean color does not have to be super contrasted or a statement color, but sometimes choosing something that is leaning neutral is the best option.
