Here are some of my recommendations, but please feel free to contact me with any ideas, suggestions or questions. It’s always great to come up with new concepts!
For maternity and newborn bring both solid white and solid black clothing. A men’s white dress shirt, a belly band that can act as a tube top and jeans all work well. A beautiful piece of fabric or blanket can also be used. Your favourite maternity top or dress is also a great to start the maternity session and get you comfortable in front of the camera, while giving you images you feel comfortable sending to your folks! There is never any pressure to show more skin than you feel comfortable though if you are, please wear socks and undergarments with loose elastics that won’t leave marks on the skin when removed.
Babies in a plain white cloth diaper cover (which I can supply) or a white onesie can look especially adorable. A favourite outfit or meaningful gift such as a blanket knit by a loved one will make the final image that much more special.
Toddlers and kids should be allowed to let their personalities shine. You can either keep the outfit simple, such as jean or kaki overalls for boys and solid colours for little girls. But if your little princess wants to wear a petticoat with rubber boots and sunglasses, why not? Bright, colourful and even patterned clothing can look great for some children’s portraits so by all means, bring several outfits though do try to avoid big logos. If your child has an adorable hat, shoes or other accessory/favourite toy, we can have a lot of fun with those. I do have a few headbands and hats with flowers for girls and will continue to grow my collections of accessories.
For family portraits, a neutral theme helps focus the eye on the important part – your faces – and to ensure a timeless look to the images. Ex.: jeans or kaki pants with either a white or black shirt. This is great if you want a more traditional approach. If you are looking for more a more modern look or have a room in your home where you would like to hang the resulting portraits, it is best to find outfits that are well coordinated with one another and your home’s colour palette.
For headshots and high school senior portraits, have a few clothing options available if you wish to have a bit of variety from formal to casual.
For the engagement session, be true to your own personal style whether you like dressing up or being more casual. Do try to avoid busy patterns and logos and try to coordinate with your fiancé/fiancé. If an article of clothing or object has any special significance and you want to incorporate it in the session, please bring it along!