WHAT TO WEAR TO A SPRING PHOTO SESSION: SPRING WARDROBE IDEAS

WHAT TO WEAR TO A SPRING PHOTO SESSION: SPRING WARDROBE IDEAS

It’s just about March in Edmonton, and the trees will be budding soon. Spring is a very popular time for families to get their photos taken, not to mention the flood of engagement sessions at this time. Spring can make for a very beautiful backdrop – but there are ways to get the most of your spring photoshoot beyond choosing an amazing photographer and a photogenic location. Wardrobe is a big deal when you are planning your photo session in Edmonton or Lethbridge.

I like to set up my clients for success; I send them all sorts of information on what looks good, great, and horrible. My clients are almost always excited to have this information, so I would love to share it with you – the reader – as well.

1. A Spring backdrop has very different qualities than any other time of year. A wardrobe that might look great in the winter, might look completely out of place in the spring. Often I will suggest a very different wardrobe for my Winter clients than what I am about to outline for spring.

2. Wear light colours, with colourful accents. When I say light, I mean whites, creams, and desaturated colours. In the Spring, colourful accents like bright lipstick or the right earrings can look amazing in camera. One thing you want to stay away from is wearing all black. My reasoning for this is that blacks cause a much higher contrast against the green backdrop, and less detail is retained in the final images. That being said, there are always instances where rules can and should be broken. Black can often have a formal feeling – so for clients wanting a black tie photoshoot, black can be entirely perfect. Black can also have dark connotations, so for clients who want a more moody/romantic feel to their images, it can really compliment that theme.

3. Be formal. Whether it is an engagement session or a family session – you want images that will show the best version of you. For that reason – do not be afraid to dress up. This is what I consider to be the most important part of having your photos professionally done. For women, this means wearing a dress. For men, this means wearing a nice collared shirt and dress shoes. One thing that I have learned is that women who wear heels keep a better posture than women who do not. No, this doesn’t mean that you cannot get great images in flats (and in fact I recommend that all of my women bring flats to change into while walking), but it will make a huge difference in the way that you hold yourself. For women, you want something that will flatter your body type – which means that the dress you choose should hug you in all of the right places. The right dress can give you a beautiful figure in the photos.

In the spring, I especially love photographing floor length dresses with a bit of flow – the images that you can create are absolutely stunning. If you choose a long dress, don’t be afraid to wear bolder colours like bright red. Red is complimentary to green (the colour of the leaves) so they mesh very well together.

4. Get your hair and makeup done. Are you having your engagement photos done? Great: get your hair and makeup trial for that day. One thing that I have learned – from my clients and from my own experiences – is that you will never regret looking like a movie star in your photos. When it comes down to it, I find that couples who take the extra time to dress up and look great for their images have a confidence that shines through in their photos. Also – you’ll be more than ready for that closeup. When it comes to makeup, wear more than you normally would because cameras have a way of making makeup look lighter. If you are a lipstick person, lipstick can look amazing – so long as it doesn’t get all over your fiancé! In the spring a bright pop of the right lipstick can look absolutely amazing.

5. Stay away from hats. Hats have a way of absorbing light from your face, and creating dark circles. Nobody wants that. That being said, if you have a fun hat that you want to include as a prop for a few of your images – great! Let’s do it! If you must choose a hat (for my country clients out there) try to choose a lighter colour like white or cream. Rather than the light being absorbed from your face, it will reflect it!

6. Say NO to logos, large graphics & neon colours. Logos and graphics can be very distracting in an image. They draw attention away from the subject and toward the clothing. This is the last thing that we want to do – unless you are a model for a clothing company. This rule does not mean that you can’t wear prints or stripes. Stay away from neon colours – they reflect the colour that you are wearing onto your faces. Unless you want your full session to be turned black and white or your faces to look green – just don’t do it! One example of a way you can be colourful and still look great:

7. Solid colours are generally better. Solids tend to be better, only because they are less distracting. There are exceptions for certain patterns – so if you have the perfect dress with a gorgeous print, send me an image and I would be happy to let you know if it is a good choice! It never hurts to ask.

8. Let’s shoot, no matter what the weather. We can shoot with umbrellas if we must, but cloudy dramatic days are exactly the reason that I love my job. Rain drops are stunning in photos – for families or for couples. If umbrella’s are required, stay away from black because it will absorb the light from your face. If you have little kids let’s wait for nice weather –  nobody wants their baby to get sick or cold.

9. Bring props, but only if they are personal to you. I am not a photographer that brings props – mainly because I do not like to include them unless they are something personal to my clients. For lifestyle type family sessions or engagements, props can be a lot of fun. If you love picnics, bring picnic things! If you love wine, bring your favourite bottle. If your kids play sports, have them bring their glove/ball/whatever they happen to do. My ultimate goal is to capture your dynamic as a couple/family. What better way to do that then to include your favourite things?

10. SEND ME PHOTOS. I happen to love what I do, and I love to chat with my clients about anything and everything. If you have 5 clothing options and you cannot decide what looks best – send me some photos! I would love to help you out! About 80% of my clients will send me images before we go out on our shoot. Why? Because I photograph all the time, and one thing I do know is how to make people look good!

11. Check out my Pinterest board. I have dedicated a board of my favourite outfits from every season on Pinterest. If you are visual like myself, you should check it out here: https://www.pinterest.com/amyraemoedt/things-to-wear-to-a-photoshoot/

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! If I missed anything, or if you would like to start a discussion feel free to comment below!