the
STYLE GUIDE
FOR PORTRAITS
Welcome to the official style guide! This guide is designed to help you prepare for a smooth session to ensure your photos reflect the timeless aesthetic we love. Inside, you’ll find tips on wardrobe selection, location ideas, and how to get the most out of your experience.
Our goal is to create authentic, heartfelt images that truly capture your story. By following these simple guidelines, we’ll work together to bring your vision to life beautifully and effortlessly.
We can’t wait to capture this special moment for you!
Prepping for Your Session
Your session is the perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy life's sweetest moments! You enjoy the time together, we'll capture the love and emotion in every image.
There isn't much to it, just show up ready to have a great time making some incredible memories and we can handle the rest. We encourage you to venture out and live your best life, this is going to make the photos that much more remarkable!
BEST TIME FOR PHOTOS
spring/summer
FOR PORTRAITS
6am-8am or 6pm-8pm
fall/winter
8am-10am or 3pm-5pm
Location Ideas
Your session is the perfect opportunity to get more comfortable in front of our cameras and better understand our work flow. It's time to get creative! Let's head to your favorite beach, climb your favorite trail and capture the moment like never before. Below is a list of some our favorite places to photograph.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
PASADENA CITY HALL
RIVERWALK PARK
CITY HALL IN SAN FRANCISCO
LAKE COMO, ITALY
OUTFIT INSPIRATION
So the real question, how many outfits should you bring to your session? You are welcome to bring more outfits or as much as time allows! We always suggest bringing in 2 outfits, but bring a 3rd outfit as a backup. You also don't have to spend all of your hard earned money on brand new outfits for your session unless of course you want to! But it is not necessary. Even just coordinating outfits you already own with some new accessories will make a nice impact. After your photos, we suggest going out on a date! You are already dressed up, might as well make an evening out of it.
For 1 Hour Sessions: Choose Any One
For 2+ HOUR Sessions: Choose 2-3 Outfits
OUTFIT IDEA #1
Casual
Your everyday outfit. Something you're most comfortable in!
OUTFIT IDEA #2
Dressy-Casual
Ladies, think light and flowy summer dresses or denim. Guys, think a dinner jacket or a collared shirt.
OUTFIT IDEA #3
Formal
Something you'd wear to a black-tie affair. Think bold, long gowns, bowties, accessories, jewelry, etc.
Color Theory
Neutral tones with splashes of color, tiles and textures will work very well together. Of course, there are also many factors that will come into play when choosing colors and we're here to show you how to pair those colors together. We find it helpful to understand your color palette using companies like colorwise.me prior to determining a fit.
If someone if joining you in the photos, coordinate your looks together, but avoid looking too matchy, matchy. Try not to wear the same colors and instead, wear colors that complement one another. For example, if someone is wearing teal, consider having the other person wear something more neutral, like gray or ivory. Or, if someone is wearing navy, have the other person wear white, etc. If your session doesn't require coordinating an outfit with someone (e.e.:a headshot or high school/graduate session), we can help you choose colors within your outfit that you can pair with other solid colors, patterns, or textiles.
Ideal color pairings
earthy
warm
neutrals
cool
colorful
pastels
bold
Casual Wardrobe Inspiration
Casual Wardrobe Inspiration
Dressy-Casual Wardrobe Inspiration
Dressy-Casual
Wardrobe Inspiration
Formal Wardrobe Inspiration
formal
Wardrobe Inspiration
for the ladies
CHOOSE:
Accessories like jewelry, scarves, necklaces, watches, flower crowns, etc.
Natural colored makeup
Textures and Tiles
Earthy Tones
Fresh Manicure
Flowy Dresses (more movement)
AVOID:
Wrinkled Blouses
Crazy Patterns
Shirts with Logos
Chipped Nail Polish
Stiff Dresses
MAKEUP, HAIR AND NAILS
Looking and feeling beautiful is part of the fun, ladies! In this section, we’re going to walk you through the steps of each glam process so that you can feel amazing and look your absolute best for your photos!
MAKEUP
You don’t need makeup to cover up your face, rather makeup should enhance the beautiful features that you already have. Hiring a beauty professional will not only save you time, stress (and money in the long run!), you will also look and feel your best. A natural and “glowing” look will enhance and bring out your amazing features for photographs that will be for a lifetime.
tip:
Use your wedding day makeup “trial” for your engagement session. Often times, your makeup artist offers this option for brides that are booking their wedding with them. Savings your way!
Hair
Styling your hair for a photos can be tricky if you aren’t a hair professional, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we always recommend getting your hair appointments in no later than one week before your session. Your hair will look at it’s best if grown out a little and simply curled or straightened out on the date of your session depending on what feels most natural to you. Having said that, working with a hair professional can easily be the most overlooked but is also the easiest to manage.
Nails
Your hands will be photographed more than you realize. Some poses often call the use of hands a lot especially for engagement sessions! We’ll want to see that bling on your hand! So, take the time to get pampered a little. You’ll be surprised at how good you’ll feel after a fresh mani/pedi.
You deserve it! #TreatYoself
for the Gentlemen
CHOOSE:
Accessories like watches, ties, bowties, etc.
Textures and Tiles
Earthy Tones
Suit & Tie
AVOID:
Wrinkled Shirts
Crazy Patterns
Shirts with Logos
Fresh Haircuts (Schedule haircut one week before your session if possible)
Sunglasses
Extra tips for the guys
Let's be honest gentlemen, we aren't always the most confident in our own skin. However, we have a few tips that can help boost that confidence and make any man feel and look his best. First, let's get that hair looking fresh, but avoid getting a haircut within 24 hours of your session, a clean cut often leaves the skin under our hair looking pale, mismatching our natural complexion.
Secondly, let's flash that smile. Hiding an authentic smile to portray a "macho" persona will result in images that aren't fully accurate. It's a wonderful day, so shine on 'em with your pearly whites! Lastly, we want you to exude confidence, so if you aren't a suit and tie kind of guy, wear something that you feel nice in. This confidence will shine throughout the images so we love the idea of dressing in any way that brings your personality out. There are so many ways you can feel confident, if you need more advice, just ask!
Props and bouquets
We typically avoid the use of props in our photos in attempts to capture true to life images. However, if your creative juices are flowing and you feel the use of props will add sentiment to your photos, we would be more than thrilled to incorporate them. We suggest using props that highlight the session.
For example, custom bouquets add the perfect touch for an engagement session. Best of all, you have the perfect keepsake after your photo session. Who doesn't want to add a fresh smelling bouquet to their home afterwards? We are certain anything that has sentimental value will really make your images beautiful and meaningful all at the same time.
Pets
We'll just skip straight to the point, we LOVE pets! If you're wanting to incorporate your beloved furry friend, here are a few pointers on how we can best capture their personalities. It is recommended you bring another family member or friend that will be able to take care of your pet while you are taking photos.
Then, when it comes time to take photos with your pet, have your family member or friend grab their attention by holding treats by our camera and calling their name. If your pet is hyperactive and you aren't sure if they'll cooperate, the only way is to try; which is why it helps to have an extra set of hands to ensure you are still able to continue on with your photo session.
PHOTO TIMELINE
YOUR PHOTO SESSION
let's have some fun
PHOTO DELIVERY
two-four weeks
ONLINE ACCESS
available for one year
CHECKLIST
✓ Book your makeup, hair and nail appointments if necessary
✓ Warm Weather: Bring Water Bottles
✓ Cool Weather: Bring blankets and cover-ups
✓ Extra pair of walking shoes for hiking and walking (outdoor sessions)
✓ Make-Up tote bag for touch ups
✓ Extra outfit(s) if necessary
✓ Any props if you’re choosing to include them
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
We hope this guide has provided some insight into your upcoming photo session. If you have any questions or need any vendor recommendations, please let us know. The most important thing to remember is to just have fun and enjoy the moment as these are the memories that will be cherished long after the session has ended. We will be there to help along the way in the event that you have any questions at all! We are looking forward to working with you!
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