Style Guide for Portrait Sessions

I am not your average photographer, and my style guide will help show you why! I created this magazine to show off a few of my favorite clients and help answer many commonly asked questions. Check out the full link at the bottom, and keep reading for more details on:

• About Me
• When to Schedule
• Choosing the Right Location
• Customizing Your Session
• How Many Outfits to Wear
• Style Tips for Her
• Flattering Your Features
• Accessories
• Professional Hair and Makeup
• Combining Colors
• Coordinating the Family
• Style Tips for Him
• Prepping Little Ones
• Fall and Winter Sessions
• Testimonials from Past Clients
• The Portrait Process and Ordering
• Session Checklist

Check out the entire style guide publication at this link

I also have a special insert for Baby’s First Year. Check out the blog post for babies too!

Getting Started

I’m so excited about your portrait session! Whether I’m photographing your sweet family or your graduating senior, I want you to know that I’m honored to be your photographer and humbled that you’ve trusted me with the responsibility of helping you create memories you’ll look back on and cherish for a lifetime.

My goal is simple: for your session to be as fun and stress-free as possible! That’s why I’ve created this guide just for you! The following pages will help you get the absolute most out of your photos. By the time you’ve read through it, you’ll have all of your questions answered and feel ready and prepared for your session!

This guide is packed with my best tips, tricks, and insider secrets for scheduling and styling your portrait session –– and everything in between. Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot, have fun and let me do the rest! I can’t wait to get you in front of my camera, and I’m so excited to see you soon!

Scheduling Your Session

I photograph portrait sessions the way I would like to be photographed myself:

Outdoors, in natural light, because I love images that are clean, bright, fresh and timeless. Images that look and feel like you! That’s why I usually begin all of my sessions 1-2 hours before the scheduled sunset –– during the magical “golden hour” –– when the light in the sky is the softest, dreamiest and most flattering.

You can use a sunset calculator online to determine the scheduled sunset for the date and location you’d like to do your session. Then, just subtract two hours to figure out your approximate session start time. If you’re wearing one outfit, we’ll start your session about 90 minutes before sunset. When scheduling your date, it’s important to remember that the sun sets much earlier during the colder months of the year and much later during the warmer months, so make sure to factor that in –– especially if you have small children with a specific eating or sleeping schedule, or if you (or your spouse) will need to leave work early to get ready for the session and arrive on time. If you don’t have plans after your session, I always recommend going out for a fun night since you’re already dressed up!

My weekends fill up fast and far in advance, but my weekdays are much more flexible. So if you’d like to do your session sooner rather than later, scheduling mid-week is the way to go!

Planning Your Time

Allow yourself more time than you actually think you will need.

When you’re planning “getting ready” time before your session (scheduling your hair, makeup, etc.) please give yourself a lot more time than you think you’ll need. Make sure to account for things like traffic, getting lost, and parking, so you can prevent unnecessary stress; arrive a few minutes early to your session and be ready to start on time. I’m only able to shoot when light is still in the sky, so we’ll want to take advantage of every minute we have together before the sun goes down!

Choosing the Location

The location of your portrait session is completely up to you!

As you’ll see throughout this guide, most of my clients love showcasing the natural beauty of our area. For most of my sessions, outdoor, open-air environments are always my first choice. I love shooting in wide-open natural spaces because the light is divine, especially during golden hour. There are great options all around the area, so even if you’ve never seen me photograph in a specific place before, I’m always up for exploring a new spot together! The location of your portrait session is up to you, and I always have a few suggestions if you are not sure.

Styling Your Session

Think about incorporating some of your kids’ favorite toys and/or books and especially favorite hobbies for your teens.This is the time to dream a little bit and decide what really feels like you! Props aren’t a must by any means. Some of my clients love them and go all out. Some pick one or two items to bring. Others stick with just their outfits –– and that’s great, too! The most important things you need to bring to your session are love and laughter. I’ll take care of the rest.

Number of Outfits

Changing outfits during a session always takes more time than my clients expect, so in order to maximize shooting time and give you the highest number of photos possible, I recommend one outfit for family sessions to keep stress low with kids. but if you do want to include a second outfit, make sure it’s a quick change. I recommend two to three outfits with senior sessions.

Style Tips for Her

DRESS IT UP! There is nothing more flattering than a low, flowy dress!

Dresses and skirts tend to look most stunning on camera because they really flatter the female body — which is probably why the red carpet is always full of so many dresses and not very many pantsuits! I recommend choosing long, flowy dresses or skirts because they’re flattering on all body types, look amazing on camera and bring extra movement and dimension to your photos. Maxi (or floor length) skirts and dresses will give us the best “twirl factor,” add more romance to your walking photos and look especially gorgeous when juxtaposed with nature.

Cute, shorter cocktail-length dresses or midi skirts photograph beautifully as well. My clients who choose to bring two dresses will sometimes choose one of each Say yes to a dress (or skirt) or two! You won’t regret it!

This is your chance to do it up! Remember: there’s no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your portrait session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun! If you don’t want to spend a ton of money adding a new permanent piece to your wardrobe, a lot of my clients love Rent the Runway for their portrait photos because you don’t have to spend a lot to feel like a million bucks. Plus, you can send the outfits back when the session is over!  With my family, I often buy a lot of options on Amazon, and simply return what doesn’t work out later.

Flattering Your Features

In my experience, every woman (regardless of her size or shape) has an area of her body that she’s self-conscious about. Recognizing the areas you’re self-conscious about when selecting your outfits is key. Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos.

If you are conscious about your arms, three-quarter-length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms. If your dress has shorter sleeves (or no sleeves) consider bringing a cute jacket, blazer, cardigan, or pashmina to incorporate into your look.  For most women, skinny straps actually make arms look BIGGER. So I recommend avoiding those whenever possible if your goal is slimmer-looking arms. If it’s colder outside, I suggest bringing a warm coat (the longer, the better!) to wear when we’re not shooting so you don’t freeze in your dress.

Make A Statement

Whether it’s a necklace, belt, bracelet, earrings, hat, or scarf, bringing an accessory or two can bring great visual interest to your photos, so choose one or two that don’t compete for attention when paired together. For example, if you go with bolder earnings, you might want to choose a more humble necklace, or maybe even no necklace at all. Fresh florals in a crown or bouquet can be a really romantic touch as well!

Skip the spray tan. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, I recommend that you do not get a spray tan before your session (even a few days prior) because it tends to photograph orange even when it’s applied subtly and by a professional. Your actual skin tone will photograph most beautifully.

For shoes, keep in mind that heels elongate women’s legs and force constant tension in the calves –– which makes them look more toned. You can never go wrong with a pair of neutral pumps! If your toes are showing, you might want to schedule a pedicure before your session. If your shoes don’t show at all in the dress you’ve selected, you could always choose neutral ballet flats to make your session more comfortable. Lastly, make sure to bring a pair of flats/flip-flops to wear when moving from place to place. Your feet will thank you later!

Go Pro with Hair and Makeup

It looks amazing on camera and removes the stress of getting ready on your own. You’ll have these photos forever, so this is the time to pamper yourself! Whether it’s lash extensions or blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream.

If you’re working with a makeup artist, have her apply your makeup in natural light (if possible) so that it looks fresh and not too heavy. Plus, that’s the type of light we’ll be shooting in, so it’ll give you the best expectation of how it will translate on camera. Most of my clients feel like their makeup is “too much” at first, since it’s more than they would wear on a normal day, so if you feel that way at the beginning, don’t worry!

If you have a teen that is not used to feeling glamorous, a professional hair and makeup experience can really boost her confidence and poise! If you need a recommendation for hair and makeup, I work with the best in the business and have a go-to team! They’re sweet as pie, talented as heck, unbelievable professionals, and wonderful people. You’ll LOVE them! Just let me know and I’ll send you their information. I know they’ll take good care of you!

Color Choices

When choosing colors for your outfits, I recommend selecting lighter, neutral tones and more muted shades. Bright, bold or neon colors are distracting and take the focus away from where it should be: YOU! And how much you love each other 🙂 You can never go wrong with light neutral earth tones colors like cream, taupe, camel or light gray. The camera also loves shades of soft pinks and muted blues, mixed with sophisticated light-colored neutrals. That softer, more neutral color palette fits beautifully into almost all natural outdoor environments and keeps the focus right where it should be, on you!

The goal for coordinating a family’s outfits is to visually break up the colors and shades so that you’re not all wearing the same color on top and bottom (like everyone in blue jeans with white shirts). The more you can mix it up, the better! I encourage you to think about planning each outfit with “dominant colors” and “accent colors” in mind. A dominant color is the color that you see the most in an outfit, while an accent has a smaller piece of visual real estate. When you’re planning each family member’s outfit, if you can aim for each person to have a different dominant color, and then tie in and vary the accent colors, it’ll look great all together.

For example, if you’re wearing a blush dress and nude heels (blush being your dominant color), then your spouse could wear a camel colored coat with a white button-down and gray pants, paired with brown leather shoes and maybe even a blush pocket square (making camel his dominant color). Your daughter could wear a soft powder blue top with a white skirt (making a soft powder blue her dominant color) while your son could wear light beige pants with camel colored suspenders and a white button down (making white his dominant color).

Now each person has their own dominant color while still incorporating a few touches of the other colors that will pull all the looks together. This will visually break up all the colors and highlight each person and their individual personality. Most of my moms choose their dress first, and then build the rest of the family’s outfits based on that.

Coordinating the Family

As you’re coordinating your outfit with your family, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate, but don’t actually “match.” In fact, I recommend that you avoid thinking about “matching,” and instead think about what “fits” together. This will create more visual interest, and allow each personality to shine through.

If you have multiple children, don’t feel like you need to put them all in the same type of outfit. For example, if one of your daughters wears a dress and flats, the other can wear a skirt and booties, if that’s more of her style. If one of your sons wears a bowtie, the other can wear suspenders or a blazer. Mixing up the wardrobe pieces will bring even more visual interest to the photos.

Fashion Tips for Him

TOPS AND BOTTOMS

Remember how a dress is the most flattering silhouette for the female body? A blazer, sport coat or jacket has the same flattering effect for men. You can’t go wrong with a dress shirt, slacks and a blazer.

Long sleeves are more flattering than short sleeves on men. I’d recommend steering clear of t-shirts or polos, and instead opting for a long-sleeve button-down. The other benefit to long sleeves is we can roll the sleeves up for a slightly more casual look, which gives you two looks with one shirt.

COLORS

For colors, I recommend neutrals and soft tones. When selecting your pieces, I recommend choosing a different “weight” for the pants and coat. So for example, beige pants (darker) and a heather gray blazer (lighter). Or gray pants (darker) with a soft powder blue shirt (lighter).

SUITS

When selecting an outfit for photos, the most important part isn’t the price. It’s the fit. For men, it’s important to have a jacket that fits snugly (but not too tight). Ensure pants are the correct length and don’t have too many breaks. Bunched up fabric stacked on top of a man’s shoes makes him look physically shorter than he really is.

Solid colors will help keep the attention where it belongs. Whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye, so stay away from too strong of prints, avoid logos and opt for solids instead.

LAYERED LOOKS

The next time you walk by a store like J. Crew or Banana Republic, you’ll notice the male mannequins and models are always wearing several layers at once. Layers on men look great on camera. Even when it’s hot outside, it’s worth an hour or two of discomfort for photos that will last you a lifetime. Adding extra layers will bring additional dimension and visual interest to your photos. If the temperature permits, consider adding a v-neck sweater with a pop of color from a long-sleeved collared shirt. Or, bring a leather or denim jacket with you. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with layers!

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Long pants with closed-toed shoes is the most sophisticated and masculine look for a man. They draw attention away from your legs and feet, and place it where you want it: on your face! So, for your session, it’s best to leave the shorts and sandals at home. Dress pants, colored pants or nice dark- washed jeans work best. Brown leather dress shoes complement almost every look, whether you’re wearing slacks, colored pants or dark-washed jeans. As opposed to athletic shoes, dress shoes, help elevate your photos and will give them a more editorial look.

Prepping Your Little Ones

Setting expectations before the session is the key to great photos and happy kids.

Before your session, pack a bag with water and your kids’ favorite snacks. If they’re too young to follow directions, bring any objects that you think might help me get their attention. Look around your home for small toys or stuffed animals. Their favorite toys often help when it’s time for them to look at the camera.

It’s a good idea to prepare them for what’s to come before the session starts. Explain how much the photos mean to you, so they know to be on their best behavior. A lot of families pick something fun to do or a treat after the session. Maybe plan dinner at their favorite pizza place or an ice cream cone.

It also helps if your kids’ bellies are full and they’ve had some good rest before the session. After you do your best to prepare them, give yourself (and them) some grace! I have a lot of experience working with kids. If they’re “in a mood” or aren’t cooperating perfectly for some reason, rest assured that I’m not judging you (or them). I’ve seen it all and know how to get great photos no matter what! My goal is to make this as fun and stress-free as it possibly can be for you and your family! This season of life feels long right now, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s short.

So even if things don’t go exactly as planned in terms of your kids’ behavior, one day, you’ll be so glad you took these photos. I also like for the kids’ personalities to come out during our session. So just relax, enjoy the day, and you can trust me to wow you with the finished product!

Fall and Winter Sessions

When seasons change and temperatures drop, sometimes it’s just too cold for a dress and heels by themselves. So I have some suggestions for looking good in cooler weather and keeping your color tones camera friendly.

First, let’s talk about color palettes. Just like in warmer weather, I recommend muted hues over bold, primary colors. During fall, warm neutrals like camel, taupe, cream, champagne, and gray are still going to look great. If you’d like to incorporate color, choose sophisticated jewel-toned versions of bright primary colors. Here are some examples: mustard over yellow, crimson or burgundy over red, camel over orange, sage or emerald over green, and powder blue or navy over blue. These jewel tones will photograph beautifully in any season.

Testimonials From Past Clients

“We are so thankful for our wonderful family portraits this year. Somehow Stacy achieved in 20 minutes what we have been trying to do for 14 years – a picture where the whole family is smiling and looking great. PRICELESS! We would recommend her photography business to anyone without hesitation.” – Phil and Megan

“I loved having my senior portraits taken at a ton of different locations with lots of changes of clothes. She made me feel like a model, especially with the hair and makeup. Stacy was so wonderful the entire time!” – Marisa

“We truly enjoyed our photography experience with Stacy! Her comfortable professionalism and enthusiasm really brought out the best in us. We couldn’t be more pleased with the photographs, the custom albums, and overall presentation.” – Jerry and Jill

“My photo shoot with Stacy was so much fun! She’s clearly a professional at what she does, but she doesn’t treat the photo shoot as just a job. It was like a friend is taking pictures of us and setting us up to look our best. The results captured our real reactions. I had such a great experience with them!” – Erin

“We were thrilled with our photography experience! I have two young children, and Stacy had the skills, patience, and toys to keep them engaged in the session. I was even more impressed by the quality of products she designed and produced.” – Chad and Colleen

The Portrait Process

PRE-SESSION CONSULTATION

Now the fun begins as we talk discuss more details of your session! I love for this session to take place in YOUR home. This helps me get to know more about you, your interests, and hobbies. I also take measurements of any areas where you may be considering adding wall art. I can even peek into your closet if you are looking for wardrobe suggestions.

SESSION DATE

The most important part of the big day is to enjoy it! I don’t want you to stress.  Lay out clothes the day before. Give yourself plenty of time, relax with professional hair and makeup, and let’s make some memories together!  I highly recommend a night out to dinner or another treat afterwards!

ORDERING APPOINTMENT

Typically, one week after your session, your portraits are ready to view! We meet at my office for an in-person ordering session to pick out your favorite images. Make sure everyone who has a role in the decision making process of your household is present. I can design anything you can imagine! Everyone wants something a little different, so this is all about finding what is best for you!

I pride myself on keen attention to detail, quick turnaround time, and unique product offerings with exceptional customer service. Most products will be ready for pickup in only a few days. Custom designed products may take a 1-2 weeks after final approval from proofs.

Portrait Session Checklist

• Finalize session date, time and location
• Schedule hair and makeup appointments
• Review Style Guide for outfit inspiration
• Choose your outfits (drop off at dry cleaner if needed!)
• Get your nails done

• Pack a bag with:
• Flats or flip-flops for walking between photo spots
• Outfit two (including shoes and accessories)
• Touch-up makeup
• Props
• Water bottle
• Coat or cover-up (for colder sessions)
• Snacks for little ones
• Small eye-catching toys to grab little kids’ attention

One Final Note

I know I just gave you A LOT to think about! Just take it one step at a time. If you have any questions at any point, please know I’m here for you! At the end of the day, the most important memory is the fun we have together. The most important accessory to bring with you is joyfulness.  Just show up with a smile and I’ll take care of the rest.

Check out the entire style guide publication at this link

I also have a special insert for Baby’s First Year. Check out the blog post for babies too! As me about multiple session discounts. They are perfect for bundling High School students and baby’s first year into an heirloom album!