What should I wear during my photo session?
This may be the most common question we get once a family has booked with us at Bridge City Photography! Every photographer you work with will have different answers to this question, and it is typically based on what their natural editing style is. If you hired us, it’s probably because you liked the rich, moody, earthy feel that our photographs have. When hiring someone to take photos for you, you aren’t just hiring them to click a button and snap a picture. You should be hiring them to make your photographs have an artistic creative vision to them. This is why most photographers require you to have looked at their recent portfolio images, to make sure artistically they are a great fit for you. Since we love moody, boho, earthy vibes - here’s our guide to styling your session! Keep reading for all the details on how to look and feel your best during your session with us.
What should I stay away from in a photo session with BCP?
Please no neon colors! Neon colors or very saturated patterning can be really harsh on sunlight and can cast colored highlights on to your face and neck area, and sometimes can be very difficult to color correct out. The most common neon colors to do this are: Lime green, Neon sky blue (less saturated sky blue is okay, usually!), bright red, and hot pink. We kindly ask that we steer away from these colors during your session! We use warm vibrancy in our edits, so most other colors do okay!
Embracing neutral tones
with a pop of color!
Neutral colors serve as the perfect canvas for photography, allowing your subjects to shine without distractions. From soft or deep browns, to subtle grays and whites, neutral tones provide a timeless and elegant backdrop that complements a variety of aesthetics and themes. When selecting props, backgrounds, or settings, opt for neutral hues that enhance the mood and atmosphere you wish to convey in your photographs. If you are adding some deeper colors to your styling, we suggest these colors: Maroon, burnt orange/yellow, dark blues, teal, and black.
Coordinate, not match!
Gone are the days of perfectly matching outfits in family portraits or group shots. Instead, focus on coordinating colors and textures to create visual harmony among your subjects. We Encourage our clients to choose clothing in complementary shades within the same color palette, avoiding overly loud patterns or clashing colors. By coordinating rather than matching outfits, you'll achieve a more natural and authentic look that reflects the personality and style of your subjects. Examples of adding texture to your styling: Chunky sweaters, long flow dresses and skirts, linens/gauze, velvet, corduroy, statement jewelry pieces (necklaces and textured earrings are great!) Patterns are a great way to add some flair to your styling, but we ask that our clients stay away from harsh plaid or thin stripes. Everything else is a great way to add to your outfits! It works great if one statement item has some pattern to it.
Layering, Layering, Layering
Layering your outfits can be an amazing way to add texture, provide movement in your shots, and help us in our storytelling. Examples: Textured blankets, cardigans, overalls, vests, and scarves can be a great way to expand the layers in your styling. Sunglasses can work for some editorial shots as well. Another layer some people don’t think about is super natural.. your skin! Off the shoulder outfits, cropped outfit pieces, and whatever skin you are comfortable showing! This can be another way to “layer” in your pieces.
and things to be cautious of...
We went over a few things already to be cautious of, but there is many more things most people don’t think about in their daily life, but will be important for your session! Things like transition glasses can create shadows in the face, and make it difficult to see the eyes. If you have to wear them, we understand, but if you can live without them for an hour, you’ll have a better outcome with normal glasses or no glasses for that short time. You will also want to do pocket checks before your session, chunky pockets don’t make for the best props in photo sessions! You will want a good place to keep phones, keys, and anything else you need to bring along. A nice picnic basket can be a great prop and a great way to hide your items in photos. Lastly, you will want to check wrists for hair ties! This is a common thing people forget, and later ask us to remove.
Other things to remember during your session:
COUPLES/SOLO PORTRAITS: Even if you are “just" doing a family session with a younger child or children, we always ask our families to bring a stroller, a wagon, or blanket for your littles to hang out at so you can get some great solo or couples shots with your partner. It’s difficult to get family portraits, but it is even harder to get good portraits with your partner without your whole troop, and we always try and get a few good couples shots or solo shots for our clientele also. This can also be a cute moment to get your kiddos reaction of their parents confidence and love - We have gotten some very sweet smiles as the parents are dancing and the toddler is just totally in awe. If you know us at Bridge City Photography, you know we can get these moments done quickly and can help entertain your child in the process. Couples are something we do best, so you definitely don’t want to miss this opportunity during your session with us. If you booked a couples session with us, bringing items like polaroids, rings, special jewelry, or a shared hobby can be a great way to enhance the storytelling in your session also!
PREPPING FOR YOUR SESSION: Something that can make or break your comfort during a session outside in nature: bug spray. No matter where we are doing a session outdoors, bug spray can really never hurt to apply prior to your session. We love being off trail, in wildflowers or tall grass, and that usually means there could be some wildlife around us, the good and the bad kind! We don’t ever want our clients to leave a session with discomfort or bug bites all over, making your experience less than great. This is a huge suggestion from our team, so make sure to come covered in that aspect before you explore the great PNW with us!
Enjoy some examples of perfect outfits using our style guide and experience with photographing families and couples. Check out our instagram or Facebook for more examples! After all, you hired us for our editing style and that’s the best place to get ideas!
