What should I wear to my session

BriaBelle-Michaels Photography

This is a page that I expect to evolve and change as I go through sessions, lol. I hope to add some photographic ideas shortly as well.

I know a lot of people that recommend dressing for the season, which can be fine-but then again, isn't EVERYBODY already doing that? I want you to dress in something your friends are going to recognize as classic YOU, to a point. Baggy sweats and ripped t-shirts may not be the greatest thing to shoot your session in.

I usually recommend jeans for a good chunk of your session. They look great on everyone, they can really pop with some rich colors around you, and they let you move more comfortably either getting to and from your location or for all those awesome looking-awkward feeling poses I'm going to put you in :) If doing a shoot with multiple individuals, pick a style and stick with it. Basically everybody gets the memo on what style you are going with. Along this same line, dress appropriately. By this I mean dress for the environment you want-casual, classey, etc. Make sure we are aware of this in your consultation to help decide location or backdrops.

Some other key tips

1. Keep it simple. Try to avoid busy patterns that may take over in the photo and become the focal point-that is what we want you to be. Try to choose something that in a few years won't appear severely outdated.

2. Dress for comfort. If you don't feel comfortable in what you are wearing, or if you don't think you look good in what you are wearing-it will show. Wear something you KNOW you rock.

3. Moms try to get your kids involved in their outfits. The same goes for them, if they aren't happy with what they are wearing they are less likely to be happy when they are wearing it. Also, getting them involved also helps them feel more excited for your shoot. Just help guide them towards a consistent style. Trying picking an outfit for one person, and then building the rest of the family around that.

4. Wear something that highlights your key features-create that hourglass figure with a belt. Find something to elongate your neck. We recommend longer sleeves to distract less from your beautiful face. Make sure that your form fitting clothes are just that-form fitting not form tightening. If they are too snug it will actually show and create bulges rather than disguise them.

5. I love accessories, but it is a fine line between making the photo and dominating the photo. When possible keep it simple. Pay attention to your shoes and how they correspond or compliment your outfit.

6. Let's not forget personal hygiene! Sometimes images include close ups of your hands, feet and your beautiful face. Make sure nails are trimmed, eyebrows maintained, etc!

What to avoid:

1. Dominate colors (Bright red, Bright Yellow, Hot Pink, Orange) as your primary color-there is a few reasons to have caution with this. One is they may cast some of that color onto your skin, that isn't always removable. In addition, bright red does not usually come across well in photos. It is the hardest color for cameras to "get right"-using these colors as accents is fine, i'm talking your primary color from head to toe where where it colors up on your chin or from your arm to your cheek.

2. Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. If you’re wearing very very dressy clothes that maybe you don’t feel the best in then it’s going to show in your pictures. So be true to yourself and wear something you already feel confident in.

3. Be careful with the mini skirt. You’ll be sitting down sometimes so maybe you’ll need to consider where you’re shooting and bring according clothes. I’m all for the mini-skirt (my wife tells me they’re a really big deal), so just think about it a bit before you make that your primary outfit! Doing a set in one is one thing, but your primary outfit needs to be comfortable.