Picking out what to wear (or attempting to organize your family’s clothing) for a photo shoot can be an enormous pain! If you let it, it can even overwhelm you to the point of freaking out!  My #1 rule is that when it comes to what to wear for your photo shoot, just DO YOU!!  Wear what you consider to be your style and what you feel most comfortable in.

Even if the shoot requires a dressier look, you can still pull that off while being comfortable.  Here are a few ideas that will hopefully made the decision process a little easier.

Keep your location in mind

Is the shoot going to be indoors or outdoors? Is the location paved, muddy, rocky, or grassy? What kind of colors would look best in that setting? If you’ll be outside, it’s a good idea to wear clothes you would be comfortable sitting on the ground in.

Step your shoe game up 

It’s best to bring a couple of options. Ladies: even if you are a t-shirt and jeans type of girl, where shoes with a little lift. Heels can be so uncomfortable but they sure do make your legs look amazing! They also have mystical confidence boosting powers!

Fellas: You love those comfy loafers you got 11 birthdays ago but they are tattered.  If you’re not quite sure you remember what color they were when you bought them, then consider them a lost cause!  A sleek, clean pair of shoes free of logos (if possible) are best.

Are Chuck Taylor’s or Vans your signature style?  Again, do you ,but just clean them up a bit because stains and scuffs tend to stand out.  You don’t want to wear shoes? Sure, no problem! We can rock that look too, as long as its safe.

Hats

To all my die-hard sports fans out there, I understand that dedication to your team! Those of you who know me know that I TRULY understand that dedication!!!  If you want to sport that team love, or even if you’re a country boy/girl and have a Stetson you absolutely can’t live without, that’s cool!

Be aware that hats tend to cast shadows on your face (especially during outdoor shoots on sunny days) so I think for the sake of the pictures, it’s best to mix it up and take some with the hat on and some without.

Kids

I’ve learned that grown up clothing on children can look adorable in photos. Button up shirts for boys, dresses for little girls, vests, simple jeans or linens. If you have multiple children think about what their outfits would look like together.

While your child might love their friends Elmo, Dora, Batman, etc, those shirts are something to consider leaving at home.  They will draw attention from the most important subject, your child!  And newborns are the easiest to coordinate because they can be in their birthday suit!  Accessories such as headbands, neckties, hair clips and such can add some personality to the shot.

When in doubt

For full sessions I typically like to do an in person consult where we can talk about the shoot in general and toss around ideas for locations, poses, and of course, clothing. You can also feel free to give me a call and run an idea past me or shoot me a question or twelve via email. You can even lay potential outfits out on your bed and take a photo and text it to me and see what I think! I’m always willing to offer up some advice based on my experience and my knowledge of what kinds of clothing are better for certain situations!

DOs & DON”Ts

• Do pick clothes that you are comfortable in.
• Don’t worry about bringing too many clothes, as long as you bring a variety.
• Do try on ALL the clothes before coming to a photo shoot.  Nothing like finding out something doesn’t fit at the shoot.
  
• Don’t worry if you don’t like something, you can always go on to the next option.
• Do remember that you want contrast
• Don’t bring clothes that show stains or wrinkle easily.
• Do consult your partners or family members outfit selections. You don’t want to look like identical twins but you don’t want to clash.
• Don’t be scared of color
• Do pack the night before.  If you’re bringing clothing changes, organize them the night before.  You don’t want to rush the day of the shoot only to realize that you forgot something when it’s too late.
  
   As always, thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me this week.  If you like what you’ve read here, please subscribe and share via the social media links.  You can also find MTM Photography on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram so be sure to check out those pages!  I’ll see ya next week!