Styling Your Session: Why It Matters

Choose colors that help you stand out and compliment  the environment.

Start with your location-earthy, neutral, rich, and warm tones generally work best. Avoid neon or overly bright shades, and instead focus on colors that complement one another rather than match exactly.

• Rule of Thumb: No two people should wear the same exact color.

•  Neutrals help balance your palette and prevent color overload.

•  Limit cool tones (like icy blues and certain greens), and avoid light gray-it often photographs flat and washed out.

•  The colors you wear also affect how my editing style looks on your final images-trust me, it matters more than you think!

Texture and pattern add movement, dimension, and visual interest to your images.

Incorporate a variety of textures like:

• • Chunky knits, linen, gauze, corduroy, flowy dresses (bonus if they're translucent), velvet, fringe, or layered jewelry.

When it comes to patterns:

•  Aim for one patterned outfit for every three people.

•  Stick to medium-sized prints-stripes and florals are fantastic.

•  Avoid buffalo plaid, ultra-thin stripes, or teeny tiny prints-they tend to distract or look pixelated in photos.

Layers give your photos a cozy, relaxed feel and create depth.

Cardigans, denim jackets, overalls, shackets, and vests are all great additions-especially for dads or teens. 

Don't forget about oversized scarves or blankets for cuddling shots. 

• Bonus: layers also help with quick outfit changes or versatility during the session.

Avoid the monochromatic blob effect.

Contrast helps each person stand out. You want your outfits to have varied tones-light, medium, and dark-so everyone is visually distinct.

Here's an example:

If both people wear black, they blend into one dark shape in the final edit. But if one wears dark and the other wears light, they'll pop!

• Try to mix tones like this:

•  If one person wears a dark top and light pants, the person next to them should do the reverse.

•  Use contrast to separate bodies and faces, especially in group shots.