I want the only hard part of your photo experience to be getting everyone ready— and I don’t even want that part to be hard! (But trust me, the worst part of all of this is just getting everyone out of the house dressed.)

So let’s see if we can alleviate some stress. Here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Choose one person in the family to style first.

I usually suggest starting with mom and then build around her outfit. (It doesn’t have to be mom though!) I’ve found starting with one person is the best way to not add too many overwhelming patterns, use pieces you already have, and also make sure colors coordinate. (Coordinate— not match. More on that later.)

I love COLOR! Jewel tones and primary colors are my absolute favorites to photograph.

When it comes to styling a whole group, the key is to coordinate without being “matchy-matchy”.
(Remember all of those photos in the 90s with entire families wearing white shirts and jeans? Yeah, that’s what we want to avoid.)

First, I like to think about color temperatures. Pick a cool or warm temp and then stick with that, and then you can add in some neutral pieces. Warm colors would be oranges, yellows, reds. Cooler colors: teals, blues.

Also think textures! I love a good chunky sweater or layered pieces.

Warmth is the name of the game!

The warmer your kids are, the better your photos will be. Seriously. I cannot stress this enough! Dress warmer than you think you need to. If you only take one piece of advice, let it be this one. (This applies to summer sessions too!) I can’t tell you how many sessions have been spoiled because people didn’t dress for the conditions. Once kids decide they are too cold, there isn’t much we can do to keep going— and we want to do everything we can to avoid a miserable experience. For winter photos, layers are a must. (Think extra onesies, tights, sweaters, etc.) For summer photos, please think about bringing sweaters or jackets that go with your look. Many times we are shooting close to sunset, and it can get really cold.

Don’t be afraid to embrace winter gear either for your session. I really love when families wear cute coats, hats, and mittens for winter photos because it looks realistic and we can play in the snow more. Win-win.

Remember we can always take off layers if someone is getting too hot, but it isn’t always as easy to add layers.

Here I go sounding like a broken record, but it bears repeating: please, please, please dress warmly.

“Oh my God, Shoes.”

Hopefully you now have that delightful little song in your head (or I’m showing my age), but just like Kelly said in the “Shoes” video at the dawn of YouTube: “These shoes rule… these shoes suck…” Well, when it comes to trekking around in Alaska, there are definitely shoes that suck more than others.

If we are going to be outdoors, there is a good chance we will be walking on uneven surfaces, trudging through snow, and maybe even crossing small bodies of water. Please choose shoes that match the conditions! Think boots, sneakers, Xtratufs, hiking boots, and sometimes sandals. Please ditch the heels. Sometimes people want to bring shoes to change into once we get there, which is fine— but also a tad unnecessary. I have clients move around a ton, and if you feel like your shoes could hold you back, they probably will.

If you have a question about a certain pair of shoes and the terrain for our location, please feel free to ask.

“If you want to sing out, sing out. If you want to be free, be free. Cause there’s a million things to be, you know that there are…”

You may be asking yourself, “why in the world is she quoting Cat Stevens now?” And that’s a valid question. I want to end the clothing portion of this guide by saying above all else, be yourself. Do what feels good for you. There are a million different ways people feel their best and a million different things that look good on us. If you want to wear an old vintage band t-shirt, but are worried that I said no text. You can ignore me! Do you! If a flowy dress in your kitchen while holding your brand new baby is what you are envisioning, let’s do it! (Or if you also want to be wearing the hospital underwear and nothing else while you hold your new baby, I’m down for that too!)

This is a long-winded way for me to say pick and choose what you will from this guide. (Except for the warmth stuff. I’m sticking to that! Ha.) But anything else, make it your own. These tips are just places for you to start and are not set in stone. As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to drop me a line.

xoxo,
Sarah