I’m so excited for your portrait session! Whether I’m photographing your sweet family or your graduating senior, or doing a session to celebrate a special moment in your life, like your wedding anniversary, or pregnancy, I want you to know that I’m honored to be your photographer and humbled that you’ve trusted me with the responsibility of helping you create memories you’ll look back on and cherish for a lifetime.
My goal is simple: for your session to be as fun and stress-free as possible! That’s why I’ve created this guide just for you! The following pages will help you get the absolute most out of your photos. By the time you’ve read through it, you'll have all of your questions answered and feel ready and prepared for your session!
This guide is packed with my best tips, tricks and insider secrets for scheduling and styling your portrait session –– and everything in between. Your only job is to be yourself, laugh a lot, have fun and let me do the rest! I can’t wait to get you in front of my camera and I’m so excited to see you soon!
GET TO KNOW THE PHOTOGRAPHER
welcome
ALLOW YOURSELF MORE TIME THAN YOU THINK YOU'LL ACTUALLY NEED.
When you’re planning "getting ready" time before your session (scheduling your hair, makeup, etc.) please give yourself a lot more time than you think you'll need. Make sure to account for things like traffic, getting lost and parking, so you can prevent unnecessary stress, arrive a few minutes early to your session and be ready to start on time. I’m only able to shoot when light is still in the sky, so we’ll want to take advantage of every minute we have together before the sun goes down!
1.Plan your outfits in advance. The more time you allow yourself to plan your outfits, the less stressed you’ll be. Plus, it never hurts to have options especially when you’re dressing your kids.
2.Consider your home decor. You’ll want to consider your home decor style when picking out what to wear in family photos. Since a few of these photos will most likely be hanging in your home and on display for a long time, make sure that the clothing you select blends in seamlessly with the color scheme of your home.
3. Keep location in mind. Another helpful item to consider when trying to decide what to wear in your family photos is the location of your photoshoot. Are you going to be on the beach where there are plenty of neutral tones or under a tree surrounded by bright fall foliage? Select a color palette for your outfits that will complement the setting. Pick out items of clothing in colors that will complement your background and not compete with it.
4.Choose practical clothing items. This is an important item to keep in mind for every family member but, especially when you are thinking about what to dress your little ones in. If your kids are not comfortable then you’re going to be in for a long photoshoot. Don’t make it more difficult on yourself or your photographer to get the perfect shot. Make sure that everyone is comfortable with their clothing to ensure all smiles.
5. Have fun playing stylist and let your family’s personality shine.
FAMILY PORTRAITS
Styling tips for
Once your date is reserved, we'll connect to start chatting about possible locations for your session. We generally recommend choosing one location and if it's a place you haven't been before, it might be helpful to visit during the time our session will take place.
That way you have an idea of the light, crowds, closing time, etc! If you're not sure about where you would like to take your photos but you have a general idea of the look you would like, just let us know because we would be happy to recommend a few locations based on your aesthetic!
LOCATION
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If picking out outfits for photos takes you back to your high school days when you literally tried on everything in your closet and piled it on your bed but still felt like you had nothing to wear, you're in luck.
We put together an extensive outfit suggestion guide with tips for every member of the family!
waRDROBE STYLING
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On the day of your session, we'll connect to make sure the weather still looks like it's going to corporate. We'll exchange numbers and finalize our meeting location. Please plan for your session to take about two hours from start to finish.
The SEssion
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All images from our sessions are typically delivered within about three weeks of the shoot date via an online gallery. This gallery will allow you to share your favorites with family, order prints and even download images to share on social media.
Your gallery will remain active for six weeks.
DELIVERY
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We are proud to offer our clients a variety of ways to turn their images into keepsakes. Wall-mounted canvas prints to decorate your home, beautiful handmade albums and more.
And we offer a lifetime guarantee on all our products so you never have to worry about the quality of your investments fading over time! What a special way to remember this season you’re in!
KEEPSAKES
THE DAY OF THE SESSION –
FASHION TIPS FOR HER
HAVE YOU BEEN EYEING A GORGEOUS DRESS, BUT JUST NEVER HAD AN OCCASION FOR IT?
This is your chance to do it up! Remember: there’s no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your portrait session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun! If you don’t want to spend a ton of money adding a new permanent piece to your wardrobe, a lot of my clients love Rent the Runway for their portrait photos because you don’t have to spend a lot to feel like a million bucks.
Dresses and skirts tend to look most stunning on camera because they really flatter the female body — which is probably why the red carpet is always full of so many dresses and not very many pantsuits! I recommend choosing long, flowy dresses or skirts because they’re flattering on all body types, look amazing on camera and bring extra movement and dimension to your photos. Maxi (or floor length) skirts and dresses will give us the best “twirl factor,” add more romance to your walking photos and look especially gorgeous when juxtaposed with nature, like the desert, forest, fields or beach. Cute, shorter cocktail-length dresses or midi skirts photograph beautifully as well. My clients who choose to bring two dresses will sometimes choose one of each! I recommend avoiding pants and shorts for your session, and saying yes to a dress (or skirt!) or two! You won't regret it!
In my experience, every woman (regardless of her size or shape) has an area of her body that she’s self conscious about. Recognizing the areas you’re self conscious about when selecting your outfits is key. Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos. Three-quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve. If your dress has shorter sleeves (or no sleeves) consider bringing a cute jacket, blazer, cardigan or pashmina to incorporate into your look. Skinny straps or strapless dresses have the opposite effect on arms on camera. For most women, skinny straps actually make arms look BIGGER. So I recommend avoiding those whenever possible if your goal is slimmer-looking arms. If it’s colder outside, I suggest bringing a warm coat (the longer, the better!) to wear when we’re not shooting so you don’t freeze in your dress.
Flattering your features
PAIRING AN ACCESSORY OR TWO WITH YOUR OUTFIT CAN REALLY HELP BRING SOME EXTRA DIMENSION TO YOUR IMAGES.
Whether it’s a necklace, belt, bracelet, earrings, hat, or scarf, bringing an accessory or two can bring great visual interest to your photos, so choose one or two that don’t compete for attention when paired together. For example, if you go with bolder earnings, you might want to choose a more humble necklace, or maybe even no necklace at all. Fresh florals in a crown or bouquet can be a really romantic touch as well!
SKIP THE SPRAY TAN
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, I recommend that you do not get a spray tan before your session (even a few days prior) because it tends to photograph orange even when it’s applied subtly and by a professional. Your actual skin tone will photograph most beautifully.
PROFESSIONAL HAIR AND
MAKEUP IS ON THE TOP OF MOST OF MY CLIENTS’ PORTRAIT SESSION CHECKLISTS
It looks amazing on camera and removes the stress of getting ready on your own. You’ll have these photos forever, so this is the time to pamper yourself! Whether it’s lash extensions or blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream.
Use this spot to describe the beauty of a few of your favorite session locations. Activated charcoal church-key next level palo santo man braid pug whatever knausgaard scenester artisan helvetica keytar marfa prism tofu. Kickstarter tote bag chicharrones master cleanse, craft beer vinyl godard pitchfork portland franzen 90's hexagon.
CHARLESTON
location inspiration
Use this spot to describe the beauty of a few of your favorite session locations. Activated charcoal church-key next level palo santo man braid pug whatever knausgaard scenester artisan helvetica keytar marfa prism tofu. Kickstarter tote bag chicharrones master cleanse, craft beer vinyl godard pitchfork portland franzen 90's hexagon.
FOLLY BEACH
location inspiration
With the growth of online shops, shopping for your littles is more fun than ever! I've recommend choosing color families (neutrals, blues, etc) over perfectly matching outfits. If you're looking for some inspiration or some of our favorite shops for kids, check out the link to our Pinterest boards below!
For the Littles
When picking outfits I've recommend keeping in mind the word “complement” rather than “match.” For example, if Dad is wearing a blue and pink pastel plaid shirt, Mom may want to choose a long, soft blue dress. It can also be a great idea to choose “color-families,” such as pastels or jewel tones.
Look and feel your best
FASHION TIPS FRO HIM
When selecting an outfit for photos, the most important part isn’t the price. It’s the fit. For men, it’s important to have a jacket that fits snugly (but not too tight), and pants that are the correct length and don’t have too many breaks. Just like high heels make women look taller than they are, bunched up fabric stacked on top of a man’s shoes makes him look physically shorter than he really is.
For colors, I recommend neutrals and soft tones. When selecting your pieces, I recommend choosing a different “weight” for the pants and coat. So for example, beige pants (darker) and a heather gray blazer (lighter). Or gray pants (darker) with a soft powder blue shirt (lighter).
Solid colors will help keep the attention where it belongs, whereas pinstripes or plaid patterns tend to distract the eye, so stay away from too strong of prints, avoid logos and opt for solids instead.The same way that a dress is the most flattering silhouette for the female body, a blazer, sport coat or jacket has the same flattering effect for men. You can’t go wrong with a dress shirt, slacks and a blazer.
FIND MORE INSPO HERE
THANK YOU!
elizaklusmannphoto.com