What do you wear for your upcoming engagement session?
Well... there are a lot of answers to that question but it entirely depends on the type of engagement session you are doing, in what season and YOU!
I have put together a list of suggestions, some DO'S & DON'T for when it comes to dressing for your photos. Find out the best attire for any season and what works best when you get photos done professionally.
Let's start with neutrals...
Neutrals include..
White, cream, grey, black, nudes, browns etc. Oh, and what the heck - let's throw denim in there.
These all photograph so beautifully! You can never go wrong with pairing these together with one another and they are always clean and simple.
Tip: Having you both in opposing colours (one in white and one in grey) is helpful with not loosing where one of you start and the other begin but is not a necessary thing. Try to avoid being too "Matchy-Matchy" with the same colour, same top type thing.
Denim
Denim is great! Photographs great and is a more casual every-day look. I personally love the way the lighter denim photographs with my style and a good dark blue or black denim is always clean and fresh.
Denim to avoid: Try to avoid denim with any big details, embellishments, fading and very blue died denim. These tend to date the photo and not photograph nicely.
If you both want to wear Denim, be aware of what colour denim you are pairing and perhaps one wears a denim shirt and the other wears denim jeans? Try to compliment each other rather than being the same on the top and the bottom.
Color & Pattern
YES - you can have colour and I encourage it!
We love a good pop of red and yellow! You stand out in a really great way!
When introducing colour, the only thing to be mindful of is, having it be the one and only colour you choose. Do not try and combine a vibrant red with a purple. Let that red live and thrive on its own. Pair neutrals along with the colour you choose. A great way to add colour is with a statement piece (dress, shirt, etc) or think of an interchangeable item that you can easily throw on or take off, like a sweater, kimono, cardigan, hat, scarf, etc.
Which other colours should you consider or avoid?
Deep colours are your best options, burgundy, olive/forest green and navy are great. One thing I would take into consideration before choosing one of them is what your surroundings are going to be. If you are headed deep into the green forest, maybe avoid the green, as you may blend into the background a little.
Pattern - this is a tricky one but pattern is FUN!
Florals, LOVE, bohemian, LOVE, stripes... some of them I love HAHA
Just try to avoid very busy patterns that hurt when you look at them too long.
A great little tip is: When a pattern has a variety of colours within it, try to select two from there to help with deciding what other colours you will pair or have your partner wear. They will end up going together seamlessly.
Textures + Fabrics
Believe it or not.. this does make a difference.
Shiny fabrics are tough to photograph, some of them reflect or fall weird making them both distracting and unflattering. Stiff fabrics are a huge NO NO! You just won't feel comfortable moving in them and if they are heavy or stiff they won't sit nicely.
My favourite fabrics are a heavy knit, denim, corduroy and soft flowy chiffons. They photograph beautifully and add depth to the photograph.
SHOES
Wear something comfortable!!
I am the type of photographer to have you walking, moving, playing around and depending on where we are going.. you might have to treck a bit to get there.
I want to make sure you are comfortable, happy and not in pain!
I like to suggest, bring a back-up pair! Bring the pair you want to have in photos and just change into them when we are settled in the location we want to shoot for a while.
My only tip is this, do not wear a pair of shoes that you'd be upset if they showed up in the photos. I do tend to get full-body shots and shoes in a ton of your images, so just as long as you'd look at your photos and be ok with you shoe choice.
PROPS + MOVEMENT
I LOVE MOVEMENT... and If you know me well or have seen some of my stories on Instagram, then you know I LOVE HATS. haha
What are props? I am so happy you asked.. because no, they are not cheesy items I want you to pose with. When I say props, I mean - Blankets, beers, champagne, a hat, scarf, kimono etc. Things that can be easily added or taken away to add something fun, tell a story and or add movement to a photo. Sometimes we struggle with our hands being engaged and doing something. I like to keep the connection between the two of you constant so, always touching and keeping that connection with holding hands. A hat or a piece of clothing that has movement is a great way to engage those hands!
I love to make the engagement session more of an experience as well, so popping champagne or having something unique to the two of you is always welcomed!!
Seasonal
We live in Alberta and, yes.. it gets dang cold and, yes... we do winter engagement sessions!!
Whether you are doing spring, summer, fall, or winter photos, everything above still applies. The one tip for colors is that if we have a huge snowfall and everything around you is white, wear a contrasting color, I do not want to loose you to the background in the photos.
As the seasons change, I think the biggest difference is the warmth of clothing you should wear. People are often hesitant with booking when it is cold out but honestly, a beautiful Jacket is all you need! You don't need to really focus on what you put underneath (bundle up if you want to) but choose a pea coat that you love, a nice scarf, even a big sweater, and a toque and let's go play in the snow.
Timeless and "no-nos"
This is an important one! You want your photos to have a timeless feel.
Try to avoid anything that is very unique and in-style right now to keep your photos feeling clean and timeless.
Avoid things with logos on them, they are just distracting and can take away from the photos.
I am always here
This guide is just that, a guide. Not a strict rule book of what to wear and what not to.
Ultimately, I want three things from the outfit you choose -
1- For you to feel absolutely confident and amazing in it
2- For it to be comfortable and realistic, that you'll be able to move in it and not feel awkward
3- For it to be YOU!! Be yourself and let your personality come through. I love that! You are uniquely you and you should show that
Oh and hey, I am always here.
It is often I get a text with a few photos of outfit options and I am always willing to give you my opinion and a helping hand with decisions. (Even though I am the most indecisive person ever haha)
Never feel like you cannot reach out!!
I am really looking forward to your session and I hope this helped.