What to wear for your portrait session.

I am frequently asked what the best clothing choices are for creating beautiful maternity, baby, child and family portraits. The choice can be quite personal based on your style and clothing preference.

The simple guidelines to follow would include the following:

1. Avoid patterns and logos that distract from the person in the photo. Plaids, stripes and small patterns are just too "busy" and compete with the face for attention. Avoid characters of any kind, words, etc. Layer several outfits for color and texture. During the winter, cable knits and wool photograph especially well and flowy summer dresses and colorful polo shirts, button downs and even large patterns work well. Coordinate the same outfit style for each child to be photographed together.

2. Please do NOT wear white. This is my personal preference as 99% of other photographers recommend white tops and khaki pants. I find this combination to inhibit my ability to create unique, one of a kind, lifestyle portraits. I don't enjoy the cookie cutter approach and am guessing that you chose Tracy Adams Photography for that reason. I very much thrive on rich vibrant colors. and prefer my subjects to choose deep purples, reds, greens and even oranges. Layering with solids, textures and adding subtle patterns in scarves, jewelry and wraps add depth and interest as well.

3. Mix and match. Come up with unusual combinations that compliment and contrast. As I write this "recommendation list" (as that is truly all it is) I am wearing a deep red shirt and olive green pants. Try other fabrics other than cotton or polyester. Tweeds, silks, taffetta, wool knits, linen etc.

4. Accessorize. Beautiful jewelery and coordinated bags, lovely pillows to lounge on, scarfs, hats (fully recommended) favorite toys, blankets, etc. and those little details create a memorable, uniquely you portrait.

5. A smile. This is the most important thing to wear. Being relaxed, laid back, having fun (or even pretending to, if things aren't going as you hoped) will show more in the portraits than the finest of clothing. Laugh, joke, jump around, be silly and have FUN. Those things are what we want to capture and the rest will follow naturally.

Check out these stores for clothing, they are:
great places to find clothes for children's portraiture


CLICK ON THE LISTINGS BELOW TO GO THE SITE

Alexandria Couture
Lily Pulitzer
Black Rabbit
Lucy Sykes New York
Tiny People
Chalk and Cheese
6 pm kids
Tea Collection
Garnet Hill
Boden USA
Chasing Fireflies
Cheeky and Swank
Janie and Jack
The Emperor's Laundry
Born Lucky
Tedda Hughes
Simple Me
Ten in the Bed
Pretty Me
Baby Style Watch
Shabby Apple
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