FAQ: How to Prepare for your Photo Session!

If you're anything like me, being in front of the camera may not be your favorite thing. I've put together a short Q and A to help put you at ease before our shoot; after all, we want it to be fun!!!

1). WHAT DO I WEAR?!

This is one of the most common questions I get asked. First and foremost, wear what you are going to be comfortable in. I don't want you hating the process because your pants are too tight, or hating the photos later because you're kicking yourself for not wearing the other outfit! Thankfully, if you're really having difficulty deciding between multiple outfits, we can leave some time to change halfway through our session! I promise we will make it work :) With that being said, here are a few tips to help guide your outfit choices.

-Try cooler/more "earthy" colors, rather than bright/fluorescent colors. Bright colors can be reflective and they attract attention away from the face.

-You don't have to stray completely from patterns, but stick to simple patterns. For example, a flannel over a white shirt with a pair of jeans would look nice.

-Don't worry too much about accessories, too many accessories can sometimes take away from the pictures.

-Light & plain clothing such as a white shirt and jeans look very "clean" and don't take away from the surroundings and people in the pictures. A way to spruce this up would be to wear a nice blouse or jacket over a white shirt, and some shoes to match your jacket!

-Longer pants and long sleeved shirts before shorts and short sleeved shirts.

-For group and family photos: Keep your outfits coordinated and definitely avoid loud/busy patterned clothing.

-Try to keep your hair out of your face if possible. Tuck away those loose stray pieces to avoid unnecessary shadows on your face!

2). I'm worried about posing. Will you help guide us?

OF COURSE! I wouldn't be good at my job if I didn't direct you on where you should place your hands/look/etc. With that being said, I LOVE hearing ideas from clients. I want your photos to be exactly how you want them, so if that means no posing and shooting you doing "your thang" for an hour, then that is what we will do! I promise no matter how cheesy or silly a certain idea may sound, it will look good from my end. Sometimes doing the funniest things makes for the best pictures! I promise I won't make you do something stupid just to look stupid, the photos will be worth it :)

3.) This one is for you ladies (And some guys): What should I do for hair & makeup

If you have the time and the money, getting your hair and makeup professionally done before photos is ideal. However, I know this isn't always possible, and I promise they will still look good! Here are a few tips on styling ideas:

-Make sure your hair is out of your face. You can keep it down but, as mentioned above, make sure to tuck those stray pieces behind your ear to avoid unnecessary shadows.

-Make sure to define your eyes well; we want them to "pop" in the photos. Fake eyelashes always go a long way!

-If you are able to paint your nails a neutral color or get them done, do it! Having your nails nice and uniform is one less distraction. If you don't feel like painting your nails, just make sure they are clean of old polish!

I hope these few tips helped with some of your questions, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns! I am a pretty goofy person, and I promise to make our photoshoot fun (although I can't promise you will laugh at all of my jokes) ;) Looking forward to working and collaborating with you!