Want to Know What to Wear for Your Beach Photography Session?

The focus of your portrait should be you and your family! Not what you are wearing. So, your clothing choice should never take away from the beautiful faces that are you! No one wants to show a portrait of their family to a friend and she says “oh, those are cute clothes” and nothing else! You want to hear, “all of you look so beautiful, look at those happy smiles and you picked great colors.” People, that is what a family portrait is all about, YOU! Your smiles, your happiness, your love! Not the dang ‘ole outfits that you are wearing. Yes, I want your clothes to look great too, but I don’t want them to take over your portrait. So here are my best pointers to get you going in the right direction:

Keep it simple, comfortable and cool! Soft, light and bright! I love color on the beach. You will too. I know it takes a bit of work to coordinate with multi families, but I hope I’m about to help you out with that too

SAY NO TO PATTERNS! SAY YES TO FLATTERING COMFORTABLE STYLE!

SAY NO TO PATTERNS! Bold geometric patterns, stripes, and chevrons; patterns are distracting and take away from the subject which is YOU!

The beach is windy. You know those cute, adorable dresses and shirts and skirts with all the multilayers and lacy flounces? I love that look, but not on the beach! It’s windy and all those beautiful layers will drive you crazy trying to make them stay still and flat.

Tight-fitting, short dresses…you know those that make your curves look awesome but tend to ride up on those same curves and you are constantly having to adjust it back into position? Just remember that you will at some point be sitting on the beach and well, you might have issues keeping things covered, so just remember that when you pick out your dress!

I hear this from lots of women! I don’t like my arms, tummy, legs… can you hide them? Can you photoshop them? Well yes, I can hide you behind your children or your husband. No, I will not spend hours in photoshop trying to make you into someone you are not. But I will tell you what to do to look your best!

The upper arms. As we get older, we lose muscle tone and we get the dreaded flab. Easy fix, wear sleeves! Sleeves cover that area and firm those jiggles right up! IF you don’t like your upper arms, do not wear sleeveless shirts and dresses and you will love your arms once again.

Those hips and thighs:  But first let’s discuss how to camo those little areas. Flowy maxi skirts are so nice when paired with a loose top to combat that dreaded tummy area that we will talk about in a minute. I’m also loving leggings with a mid-thigh length tunic shirt, very beachy! Ideally, don’t wear tight-fitting clothes that show off and accentuate any area that you consider your problem areas.

That tummy bulge, spare tire, jelly rolls, “baby fat” This is a problem area for men and women alike. Literally. I will cover you with your other family members and that tummy won’t even be a glimpse in the image. However, I can’t hide you in every single image, I mean that would look kind of crazy. So, for those images that I must have you front and center for, dress for the part. If you want to hide that tummy bulge, don’t come get in front of the camera wearing spandex!  Ok, so that example was a little extreme but sadly, it has happened. People, Spandex will compress, Spanx is making a fortune with it. But let’s get real, spandex belongs under your clothes! Want to look great in your images and hide your problem areas? Listen to me. Wear loose clothing in light soft colors that flatters your form. Don’t wear a tent dress that has no form at all, try out your outfit in front of a mirror, stand and sit and see if the areas that you are “shy” of look flattered or look pronounced. If you want my opinion, shoot me a picture. I will tell you honestly what I think, I promise!

WHAT COLORS SHOULD WE WEAR? My Number One FAQ!

Color makes everyone happy. Color makes you smile. Color makes you feel beautiful. Color makes this Destin Photographer so very, very happy. Ok, as you can see, I love color, therefore, I always recommend my clients wear color! I love combinations of pink, blue and yellow, lime green and PINK, teal, soft, soft peachy coral, not bright coral, it washes people out unless they are very tan and PINK. I could go on and on, but hopefully you are getting the picture. Colors are good……. Pastel colors look amazing on our beaches and make your beach portraits just pop! And best of all, almost everyone looks good in a soft pastel color!

So, what should you wear? Dare to be different and break the tradition of everyone wearing the exact same color and pattern. Check out Pinterest Boards for awesome clothing ideas!

Everyone does not have to match or wear the same color shirt or same style shirt! Think coordinate instead of matching. Choose 2 or 3 colors and go from there. Choose a style that is flattering to each person. Let everyone’s personality show and mix it up.  So, rather than making everyone wear the same color, find a palette of colors that all work well together and then let each person express their personality in the style of the clothes. Choose a color palette that is complementary to the skin tones for your family. Everyone does not look great in every color, you know what you like and what looks good, go with it. Also think of comfort! It can be hot/cold outside, and you want to choose clothing that is appropriate for the weather and that you will be comfortable in.

Men, please wear a cotton undershirt under your “picture taking shirt” to absorb the sweat! If we are going to a location that requires a bit of a walk out, wear a different shirt and wait to put your “picture taking shirt” on once we are ready to start shooting. Your wife will be much happier if you don’t have sweat spots all over your shirt! Also bring a cloth to pat your face with as needed! And women, as we don’t sweat, we only glisten…just keep the above in mind if you tend to “glisten” in the heat too.

I REALLY, REALLY HATE TO SAY THIS ONE…. But if you want to wear the traditional white and khaki or jeans? That’s ok too. I know it’s easy, especially if you are a large multifamily group. But soft sweet baby PINK is easy too! I love soft baby pink. Let the guys wear the all-white. Girls hop in that PINK! seriously, just remember that everyone doesn’t look great in white and choose accordingly and remember, if we are on the beach, our Destin sand is white too…that’s a lot of white!

If you are unsure about your colors and want my opinion, please feel free to shoot me an email with attached pictures of your clothing choice. I would love to help you out!