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THE PORTRAIT SESSION
Style Guide
FOR A STRESS FREE EXPERIENCE
What Every Client Needs to Know!
Whether I'm capturing the special bond between you and your heart-horse, your precious family moments, or celebrating milestones like your high school or college graduation, it's an absolute honor to be part of creating memories that you'll hold close to your heart forever.
I am so excited for your portrait session!
I’ve created this guide to help you get the most out of your photos, and by the time you’ve read through this, you’ll have all your questions answered and feel more than prepared for your session. I'll take care of the rest! Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot, and let me create photos you’ll love forever.
Timing Tips
My favorite time to photograph is in the evening, roughly an hour and a half before sunset.
Photographing during golden hour is my absolute favorite! However, if capturing sunset photos doesn't align with your portrait needs, I'm delighted to accommodate you and your unique preferences.
I Love GoldenHour!
Styling Your Session!
Want your photos to look a little more themed? Bring a little extra something with you! Whether you want to incorporate larger items like classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, bows, guitars, horses, or smaller ones like blankets, hats, flowers, and your favorite sunglasses, planning for just one extra styled item could be a fun way to make your session more unique. - And of course, your puppy dog is always welcome!
During our planning process, please be sure to mention the styling item(s) you wish to incorporate into your session.
For Her
Dresses look most stunning because they really flatter every female body, especially on camera. The posing possibilities are endless... Long, full-length, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos. Particularly when set against nature, wooded landscapes, and open fields. Consider softer fabrics like chiffon or tulle which allow for beautiful movement in the images.
Style Tips
BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANT TO REMEMBER THIS
If you’re an expecting mother, I always recommend floor-length gowns or maxi-dresses. These dresses
create the best silhouettes to flatter your figure and really highlight your bump. A lot of my female clients
love to incorporate flower crowns, headpieces, and hats into their session. Adding texture is something to consider as well: Lace, shaws, fringe, fur ... anything to give a sense of texture within your images makes
for great visual detail.
Don't be afraid to
Dress it Up!
One or Two?
It 's Up To You!
Clients who choose two outfits usually bring one “wow” dressy / outfit, and then another slightly more casual outfit that has more of a “date night” feel to it. But if you want to bring two “wow” outfits and forgo the more casual look altogether, give yourself permission to do so.
Remember, though, you don’t have to bring two looks if it’s too stressful to coordinate or you’d rather just
stick to one fabulous look. One outfit that you absolutely love will be so much better than adding another that doesn’t make you thrilled to put on. So, one or two? It’s really up to you! Keep in mind, as our session progresses, you will naturally become more comfortable - sooo, I do suggest saving your absolute favorite outfit for last.
Choosing Colors
As a photographer located in Western Pennsylvania, I'm fortunate to experience the beauty of all four seasons, each offering its unique charm. I understand that looking at the color palettes above may feel a bit overwhelming. However, I've provided these palettes to help you begin visualizing your session. By now, you've probably chosen the time of year for your photo session, and I'm sure certain palettes have caught your eye, perhaps even two.
I encourage you to begin exploring colors in groups of three and four, both horizontally and vertically, as well as in clusters. This exercise helps you create harmonious color schemes. Once you've completed this exercise, select the colors that resonate with you the most, including both light and dark shades. With your chosen color scheme in mind, start assembling your outfits.
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For equine, senior, couples, and portrait sessions, I recommend selecting two to three colors or shades, with one or two colors being dominant and one serving as an accent. For families with four or more members, I suggest choosing four to five colors.
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Once you've finalized your outfit colors and achieved your desired 'LOOK,' please send me photos of your outfits via text or email. This will allow us to continue planning and coordinating our photography locations effectively.
To help you decide on a color scheme...
T H I N G S T O
Avoid ...
In my experience, not all clothing turns out visually pleasing. Avoid fluorescent colors, logos, wording, and verticle or horizontal stripes unless it is necessary.
Quick Tip!
If you’re wearing heels or nice dress shoes, bring a pair of easy-to-kick-off flats to wear when moving from place to place in between photos. Your feet will thank you later!
For Him
Long, fitted pants and closed-toed shoes are the most sophisticated and masculine looks for men. They draw the attention away from his legs and feet and place it where you want it: on his handsome face. So, for your session, it’s best to leave the shorts and sandals at home unless our session is taking place on a beach. Also leave the loose or baggy clothes in the closet. Fitted dress pants, fitted colored pants, or fitted dark jean work best on camera. Solid shades of gray or navy are a strong compliment to most women’s outfits, whereas patterns tend to distract the eye. I also recommend staying away from graphics and logos as stated above.
Style Tips
The Best Fit
BECAUSE SHARP & RADIANT NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE
A Layered Look Wins!
In many men's stores, you'll often see male mannequins and models adorned in multiple layers. While it may seem counterintuitive, layering adds depth and sophistication to your look, especially in photographs. So, even on warmer days, consider enduring a bit of discomfort for photos that will endure a lifetime. Incorporating an additional layer such as blazers, vests, jackets, or coats can elevate your ensemble, adding texture and visual appeal. Embrace the opportunity to get creative with your layers—it's worth it!
It's
All
About
The Details!
Brown leather cowboy boots or dress shoes are versatile additions to any wardrobe, effortlessly complementing a range of looks. Whether he's pairing them with a crisp button-up shirt and jeans or elevating his style with a blazer and coordinating hat, the aim is to have him dressed in an outfit that makes you swoon.
In addition to enhancing and accentuating your chosen outfit (which should take priority), accessories such as ties, bowties, belts, suspenders, vests, and watches add a polished touch to any ensemble, for both men and boys alike.
If you're considering two outfits, we could start with a more casual look, like a solid color t-shirt, and then transition to a dressier vibe (or vice versa). However, if the idea of planning two looks feels overwhelming, one outfit will certainly suffice!
Keep in mind that mixing and matching accessories can complement both of her outfits without requiring a complete wardrobe change during the session. Whether you opt for one or two outfits, the key is to choose colors that complement her ensemble, ensuring a cohesive and stylish look.
How To
Prepare Your Man
Many men approach photo sessions with apprehension because they may not fully understand the significance or what to expect. Take a moment to sit down with your guy and have a conversation about why capturing these moments with me is important to you.
Share with him why you chose me as your photographer and why my style resonates with you. Show him three of your favorite sessions that I've done, explaining what you love about each one and why they're meaningful to you.
Express to him how much it means to you to have these memories preserved in beautiful photographs. Once he understands the importance and sees examples of my work, he'll likely feel more comfortable and even excited about the session.
It's common for men to express concerns about their past experiences with photography, feeling unsure about their ability to pose or doubting their photogenic qualities. However, reassure him that I specialize in making everyone feel at ease and capturing their true essence.
By the time the session is over, he'll likely be surprised by how quickly it flew by and how much fun he actually had!
PREPARING THE FAMILY
While coordinating your outfits, remember that they will appear most cohesive on camera when the color palette and wardrobe pieces coordinate without necessarily "matching." Instead of focusing on exact matches, think about what "fits" together. Consider colors that complement each other or even different shades and tones of the same color. This approach creates more visual interest and allows each personality to shine through.
Coordinating The Crew
When coordinating a family's outfits, the goal is to avoid everyone wearing the same color on both top and bottom. Mixing up colors and shades adds visual interest and ensures a harmonious overall look.
I recommend planning each outfit with "dominant colors" and "accent colors" in mind.
A dominant color is the primary hue that stands out the most in an outfit, while an accent color plays a supporting role with less visual presence. Aim for each family member to have a different dominant color or shade, and then vary the accent colors to tie everything together beautifully. This approach creates a cohesive yet dynamic ensemble that will look fantastic in your family photos.
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For instance, if you're wearing a blush dress paired with soft blue earrings and brown cowboy boots (with blush as your dominant color), your partner could opt for a light navy or gray blazer over a white button-down, paired with dark jeans and brown leather cowboy boots. He could even incorporate a blush pocket square to tie in your color scheme (with light navy or gray as his dominant color).
Your daughter could wear a soft blue top with a white tulle skirt (making soft blue her dominant color), while your son sports light beige pants paired with navy suspenders and a white button-down
(with white as his dominant color).
By assigning each person their own dominant color and incorporating touches of the others, you achieve a cohesive yet varied look that highlights each personality. Many of my clients find it helpful to choose the mom's outfit first and then build the rest of the family's outfits around that central piece.
Mix It Up . . .
If you have multiple children, don’t feel obligated to dress them all in the same type of outfit. Embrace variety! For instance, one of your daughters could wear a dress and flats, while the other opts for a skirt and boots. Similarly, one of your sons could rock a plaid button-up, while the other sports a solid color shirt with suspenders. Mixing up the wardrobe pieces adds visual interest to the photos and allows each child's personality to shine through.
PORTRAIT SESSION
Checklist
1.) SET DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION WITH ME
2.) REVIEW STYLE GUIDE FOR TIPS AND INSPIRATION
3.) SCHEDULE HAIR AND MAKEUP APPOINTMENTS (If desired)
4.) CHOOSE YOUR OUTFITS & SEND A PHOTO TO JENNA
5.) CONFIRM LOCATION DETAILS
6.) PACK A BAG WITH:
Flats or flip-flops for walking to locations
Second outfit (if desired & provided)
Touch-up makeup / Hairspray
Water bottles (for warmer sessions)
Coat or cover-up (for colder sessions)
Snacks & a toy for the little ones
Any small styling items for the session
Jenna Letham Photography
© 2024 by Jenna Letham Photography