Outdoor | Seasonal Session Guide
"Coordinate" over matching!
if you’ve seen any portrait session from the early 90s and even some recent where everyone is decked out in black turtlenecks and light denim, or all white T-shirts and khaki shorts, you might not cringe as much as I do, but I really recommend against this because I don’t want you guys looking like one big blob with 5 heads if that makes sense? You can’t really make out where one person ends and the other begins and it’s just unflattering for everyone. The only time I say there are exceptions are for themed type shoots: Christmas jammies, plaid has actually been pretty cute in my opinion recently, or if you’re on the beach, maybe the white tops and khakis aren’t horrible, but unfortunately this is Ohio and there are no beautiful beaches super close anyways! There are always exceptions, so if you have an idea please don’t let me scare you away! You can feel free to ask my opinion, or just do it! Have fun with it and own it :) Not sure what goes? Checkout the color wheel, colors across from each other are complimentary! Some good examples of coordinating are below!
Dress for the season!
This one can be a little confusing, because sometimes we hold sessions before the season to ensure you receive your photos when you need them, so best tip is still dress for the session you signed up for! Sometimes it’s 90 degrees in October in Ohio, but for fall sessions, I still recommend wearing fall-type clothing, especially for mini sessions - you’ll only be there 15-20 minutes, and your style will match the setting! Here are some recommendations for each season!
dressing for the season:
Dressing for FALL
ahhhh the coveted photography season! That’s why I list it first :) For fall think jeans (maybe even distressed jeans if it fits your style!), plaids, scarves, longer sleeved maxi dresses (short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, long sleeve), cute vests ( or MANLY vests for the guys!), pullovers, etc…For color schemes think mustard, navy, maroon, reds, greys, etc…for more inspo, I’ve created a Pinterest board complete with color scheme recommendations, amazon links, and some really good examples of colors to stick with and how to coordinate over matching. tap the button below to head over there!
*Extra little tip - scarves and poncho type tops are great but they can sometime make us look larger or like we don’t have a neck, so when you’re shopping just be aware of how large the scarf is, how you feel in it, and for the large poncho type tops, maybe even add a belt around the smallest part of your waist to add some shape!
Dressing for SPRING
ahh…winter is over! Let’s get hoppin’! So, I typically do two different minis for these as well, one for just the little ones with a more Easter type theme, and a family spring session. As I said in the winter section, CHEESE IT UP for those little one minis, I always think it’s a right of passage to have some of those crazy outfits, instead of perfectly coordinated. complete with strappy sandals, and giant bows for 2 year olds (super guilty of this too, though!) haha! So if you want to cheese it up, dress them like a chick, put them in an adorable fluffy dress with ruffled bloomers, whatever you want! You could go either way with this one too, though, so just follow your specific style here! For the family sessions, think pastels, it’s spring, so think the cold shoulder tops, short sleeve button ups or polos for the guys, plaid or khaki shorts/pants, button ups, feel free to bust out the little button ups and ties for little guys, too, even rolled sleeves! - it’s sooo cute! Suspenders, long, but light skirts, cardigans etc… For colors, think pastels, mint and pink go fabulous together! Pastel yellows and blues, and whites! Just think about what you’d wear for Easter, that’s a great start!
Dressing for WINTER
Another of my favorites! The cold air just begging for cocoa, blankets, and cuddle sessions! There are many different options for these as well, and depending on the session you can go more for silly/quirky, or classic. So, for those Christmas jammies sessions, little ones meeting Santa, movie-themed sessions, CHEESE IT UP!! Be extra cheesy, have fun, embrace those quirky outfits, and don’t forget to get extra prints to show future dates when the kids get older, haha! For those outdoor family mini sessions, if you’d like to stay more classic some ideas are flannels - these can be coordinated REALLY well! I’ve really seen these done great, even incorporating some flannel hair bows, leaving a couple people’s flannel unbuttoned so we don’t get the blob effect I mentioned earlier, flannel dresses. etc…another suggestion would be a beautiful long/wool skirt, sweaters pullovers/henleys for the guys, red plaid, etc…Color schemes can include reds, greens, greys, blacks, etc…And you guessed it, there’s a Pinterest board for that!
*Extra tip! If it’s cold, be sure to dress for it! Even if it is only 15 minutes, children don’t tend to know or get it (I probably wouldn’t either!), so they get cranky, their little hands get red and cold, so just plan ahead and if their big snow mittens don’t really go with your outfits, be sure to take that into consideration, and maybe pickup some cuter options for hats, gloves, and scarves!
Dressing for SUMMER
I LOVE those golden hour sunset sessions sooo much! These are great for lifestyle-type sessions as well, they’re outside, we can laugh, and play, and run free for a bit, the little ones love it! However, again,- we’re in Ohio, so that humidity can be killer! That’s another reason I typically only shoot at sunset, it can still be pretty hot though, which for me, means my hair frizzes - so don’t be afraid to go natural with your hair! Mine is naturally curly, and as much as I usually like it best straight, it would turn into a lion’s mane in about 2.4 seconds flat, so just be sure to take that into account if you have that hair type! As far as outfits, you obviously don’t want to be sweating either so think light and airy, short dresses, jean shorts, khaki shorts - these can be just the flat front shorts that are either khaki, navy, or otherwise colored, short sleeve polos or button ups for the guys, strappy sandals, Sperrys, light maxi dresses, natural, and earthy colors are great as well as bright and bold for these!