Where to begin:

My very best tip is to start with your own outfit! This can honestly be the hardest part because you are looking for something that makes you feel beautiful. It goes so far beyond just how you look. I really want you to feel special and amazing on the day of our session. If you choose any clothing with patterns, accessories or various colors-- you can always use those as a guide to pull from for the other members of your family. This will also help you to keep things cohesive. 

I also recommend not finding dresses or clothing for yourself that is too tight or clingy. You want to think of the way your body moves and know that we are going to capturing you really loving on your family, so you want to feel comfortable and not worry about feeling self conscious. 

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Session Tips:

SESSION TYPE — First, consider the type of session you booked. Is it maternity, family, or a newborn session? You are going to need something different depending on which session you book. If you booked a maternity session, for example, you may want to choose a garment that showcases your beautiful belly. You also want to consider the season your session is in and the weather in particular. 

YOUR PERSONALITY — These images are meant to be a strong reflection of your personality. You need to feel comfortable in your own skin. I want you to feel amazing on your day. Wearing something wildly outside of your normal style, may not always be the way to go, as it can make you feel uncomfortable and camera shy. Help you, help yourself. It's okay to be extra and daring too, but make sure that you are honoring your own unique sense of style as well. The biggest importance is you feel great in whatever you are wearing.

HOME DECOR — These images need to be hung all over your walls. The best way to do this is to really compliment some of the color scheme in your own home (and you may already notice your taste is such, that you have similar colors in your home as you do in your existing wardrobe choices.) The more neutral your home is, the more color you can typically get away with. If you have very specific colors throughout, though, you are going to want to plan for that. You also can never go wrong with earth tones and beautiful neutral tones with pops of color throughout. 

LOCATION MATTERS — You want to find harmony in the style of your location and the clothing you wear. For example, if you are shooting with a gorgeous lake landscape, pulling some of the color from the existing landscape will create a beautiful flow in your images and keep the focus on your family and your moments. Colors usually present are earth toned or rich such as hunter or jade green, browns and creams, mustard yellow, rich maroons or burnt oranges. You can absolutely also wear clothes outside of this, but anything distracting will take away from the intention of your images by pulling focus away from your moments (think neon or very saturated bright colors.) 

 

Some great things to keep in mind:

Consider timelessness —  You can absolutely embrace trendy clothing and find things that you love, so timeless doesn't always mean out-of-date. You just want your clothing choices to be timeless to you, so anything that really represents who you are in this stage of life. Colors, patterns, textures, and accessories will ensure your photos are moment-focused. Clothing that prominently displays logos or characters can be a distraction. A cute graphic tee is usually the exception to this rule, so consider something that speaks a lot about who you are as people!

Texture & Layers —  Just like patterns, textures can also help bring interest into your photographs. Think of clothing that has knitting, lace, linen, corduroy, flow-y materials or even velvet. You can even try layering as well. Layering accessories in can also really pull your outfits together!

Comfort- I can't stress this one enough, especially when it comes to kids! Make sure to avoid anything itchy or things they really dislike. By doing this you are also giving them a fun session experience and they will be more excited to participate. One of the most effective things I have found is allowing them to choose an accessory for themself-- or to give them some say or choice in what they wear (usually just by you pre-picking options but giving them some space to help) Also make sure Dad is comfortable too. 

Accessorize: I love, love detail shots in my galleries-- and accessories bring such a sweet touch and emphasis to these moments. They can also add a playful or dramatic element to your photographs. Headbands (especially for children), hats, rings, necklaces, bracelets, floral crowns and even scarves can all work to do this! If you also have a baby and baby wear, please feel free to bring your wrap or sling!

Patterns: Don't be afraid of patterns or to mix patterns! Just make sure that you have plenty of solids to break them up.

Color and Flow: The goal is to create cohesion without over-matching. It's usually best to avoid wearing the same color shirt or matching outfits exactly. There are some exceptions to this rule, but you really want everyone to show their unique personality somehow in their outfit. You do not want to show up and feel like you are all wearing a uniform!

 

 

 

 

Great Places to shop for Mom & Dad:

(All budget types so don't think you have to invest tons of money! These are just some of my favorites.)

Target (usually my go to for dads!), H&M, Zara, Etsy, Amazon, Free People, Forever 21, Anthropologie, Spell & the Gypsy, Jen's Pirate Booty, Morning Lavender, Vici Collection (Vici Dolls), Urban Outfitters, Lucy Avenue Boutique, Joyfolie, American Eagle, Lulus, Asos, Showpo, Baltic Born, Pink Lily, Shein, Torrid, Nordstrom, Old Navy, Shop Doen (pricy but beautiful), Revolve, Faithful The Brand, Lulus, Hello Molly, Shop Bohme, American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, Baltic Born Clothing, Petal and Pup, Pink Blush

 

Children's Clothing:

Old Navy, Gap, Target (Cat & Jack line is adorable!), Joyfolie, Etsy, Spearmint Baby, Fin and Vince, Zara, H&M, Knot Baby (for the cutest baby turbans you have ever seen!), Bohemian Mama, Jack and Pepper, Amazon, Reverie Threads, Alice and Ames, Maisonette, Hanna Anderson, Lily and Dre, Sugar Plum Lane Baby, Shop Nora Lee,  Maisonette, Baileys Blossoms, Strawberry Jam Kids, Bitte Shop, Rylee and Cru, Dollcake, Sweet Honey Clothing, Cheeky Plum, Indie Blue, Love and Grow

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I want you to really think about your overall comfort level with the clothing you’re choosing for yourself! It’s okay to definitely dress it up and be as extra as you like, but avoid anything that’s going to make you self conscious or de-tract from the moments you’re making with your sweet family!! 

To get started, you can browse through these shops and take a look at their offerings. If you're interested in dresses, my most popular styles for mothers are the midi or maxi dresses. Pay attention to colors that suit you and make you feel comfortable, as well as any features that highlight your favorite parts of your body or figure. Moreover, you can look for clothes that add a sense of movement to your pictures and represent the vibe you're going for. As you browse, make a note of links to your favorite items, and feel free to send them to me. I'll help you choose the best options from there. Another helpful tool is creating a color palette, which can guide you when searching for clothes that match specific shades. When you find something you like, add it to a collage along with the color palette to bring your vision to life.

 

 

Try not to stress! These images are about YOU and your family, while the clothing is just an accessory! 

 

I can’t wait to work with you!!