Three jackets hanging on a rack: a black leather jacket, a white ribbed sweater, and a light blue denim jacket.

WARDROBE

When we get it right, wardrobe enhances the portrait as part of the palette and the story

Plan the color story together.

Choosing something like denim/blue and adding another color you love is an easy place to start. Or seasonal colors. Pick two or three if you are a large group and just have fun with it.

  • POPS OF COLOR AND WHITE CAN WORK DEPENDING ON GROUP SIZE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE SHOT

  • KEEP PATTERNS SMALL, LIKE GINHAM OR PIN DOTS

  • NO BOLD GRAPHICS OR BRANDING PLEASE.

  • TRY IT ON AHEAD OF TIME

  • MAKE SURE YOUR CLOTHING IS IRONED AND DE-LINTED

  • BE YOURSELVES, whether you go casual or formal, wear what you love. I’m hoping that you will be enjoying these images for a long time.

Family of five standing outdoors on a paved path surrounded by green trees, under a partly cloudy sky.

Starting with the center daughter’s dress, they pulled wardrobe based around it.

The goal is to coordinate but not match. It is art directing - one way to make the image come together. Aside from honoring all of you in the frame together making memories, I do fuss over this detail.

A family of five walking hand in hand on a forest trail, surrounded by green trees and sunlight.

Early Spring walk on the rail trail. Reds appear in Dad’s shirt and mother’s and daughter’s shoes. Everyone wears denim. Daughter’s jacket and mom’s dress are black, topped off with son’s forest green hoodie. Pop of color only seen in daughter’s top is a golden yellow. Kudos to this crew!

A family of three sitting outdoors in a wooded area, the father and mother kissing their young daughter on each cheek, all smiling and enjoying cuddle time.

Black jackets and blue jeans are the neutral in this shot, giving the child center stage in hot pink!

Group of people standing outdoors in a field with a mountain and trees behind them, during autumn.

Autumnal browns and blues with a pop of cranberry. I knew how this field would look Thanksgiving week, and I chose their natural surrounding as the inspiration for their wardrobe direction.

Forsythia Garden Kids and Parents Pictures. Lake Hill, NY.

Go monochrome: This family knocked it out of the park with yellow and gold everywhere!

Group of ten people, five seated and five standing, smiling outdoors on a lawn with trees and a house in the background.

Making white work!! Red, white, and blue with a twist.

Family of four outdoors in a lush green forest, parents and children smiling happily.

Pastels with the pop of color in mom’s embroidered dress.