Photoshoot Style Guide

Welcome to your styling guide!

In this manual, you’ll find key principles and curated suggestions to help you create a cohesive, refined look, ensuring your photos not only capture your individual personalities but also harmonize beautifully together. Clothing and accessories play a pivotal role in elevating your photography session from good to exceptional.

When selecting outfits, there are several key guidelines to consider:

• Color Palettes for Your Attire
• Other Considerations to Elevate Your Style

Color Theory: Tips to Instantly Elevate Your Photoshoot Wardrobe

Color theory might seem complex, but it simply refers to how certain color combinations are more visually appealing than others and is a fundamental aspect of both fashion and photography.

Color Theory Overview:

The photos below will illustrate that it’s not an exact science! The color combinations are loosely followed, but are doing a LOT of heavy lifting to create a cohesive image.

1) Complementary Colors: colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel. When photographed together, they create a striking contrast and can make each color appear more vibrant.

2) Split-complementary Colors: variation of the complementary color scheme. Instead of pairing two directly opposite colors on the color wheel, you choose one base color and pair it with the two colors adjacent to its complement. This creates a more nuanced and balanced contrast than standard complementary colors, while still offering a visually dynamic combination.

3) Analogous Colors: colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. These colors typically share a common hue, creating a harmonious and cohesive look when used together. Because they are similar in tone, analogous colors can evoke a sense of unity and tranquility.

4) Triad Colors: set of three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel, forming a triangle. This color scheme is known for its vibrant contrast and visual interest, as it combines three distinct hues that work well together.

5) Neutrals: colors that lack strong saturation and can include shades of gray, beige, white, black, and brown. These colors are versatile and can easily blend with both bold and subtle colors, making them ideal for creating a balanced and sophisticated look. Neutrals serve as a foundation for any look, or as a standalone palette.

6) Pastels: soft, light colors. These hues are characterized by their muted and gentle appearance, invoking a feeling of peace and lightness to the photo.

7) Neutrals + patterns or pops of color: styling approach that combines neutral tones with patterned elements or accent colors, or both! Stylistically, this palette adds a level of sophistication and creativity to the look, as it requires careful consideration to avoid any clashing.

Equally important: what not to wear!

The list is short, thankfully.

• Extremely matching outfits
• Logos or large imagery of any kind
• Loud patterns (unless this is a part of your personal style and the rest of your group’s outfits can accommodate the pattern)
• Chipped nail polish

Other Considerations:

• Consider where you will be photographed: for nature settings with lots of greenery, maybe avoid wearing green as you may blend into the background. For the beach, you may want to avoid heels in the sand, instead opting for barefoot or sandals.

• For dresses, opt for medium to long lengths; short dresses may inhibit seated poses.

• For postpartum moms: wrap dresses, A-line dresses, and empire waist dresses can create a flattering silhouette. High waisted pants or skirts can provide support where needed.
  
• Accessorize and bring props! Wear jewelry! Wear a watch! Bring your child’s favorite stuffed animal for the photos! Your favorite blanket to sit on! Bring champagne or your favorite dessert to share!
• A friendly reminder: please ensure you’re wearing the appropriate undergarments for your chosen outfit. While I’m skilled in Photoshop, removing bra straps from every photo is very time-consuming, and undergarments that show through semi-sheer clothing cannot be fixed.

A few final thoughts

Most most most importantly, you should be comfortable and confident in what you are wearing. Ensure everyone’s hair and face is clean, and bring your most authentic selves to the photo session. From there, I’ll take care of bringing out the smiles!