1. OUTFIT STYLES – What to bring along!  Bring along more outfits than are needed.
   1. FORMAL CLOTHES – Suits, tuxedos, and gowns fall into this category.  Bring along at least one formal outfit.  Guys should bring along one suit, or at least one suit coat with corresponding dress shirt.  Gals should bring along one formal outfit.  Formal gowns are absolutely beautiful if you have one.  Parents usually like at least one formal pose.

                                                               i.      DRESSES/SKIRTS.  If you choose to wear a dress or skirt, coordinate your outfit with the highest heels you own or borrow from a friend.  This will help your legs appear longer.  Unless your legs are tan, it is recommended that you wear nylons to make your legs appear smooth.  Nylons should not be worn with open toed shoes.  

2. CASUAL CLOTHES – Jeans, shorts, summer dresses, t-shirts fall into this category.  Bring along several of these choices.  Most of the time, these outfits will show you as you really are.  If you have a letter jacket, bring it along.
3. TRENDY CLOTHES – Leather & jean jackets, fashionable blouses & shirts, as well as ‘party’ dresses fall into this category. 
2. COLORS.  Solid colors or small prints/lines work best to draw attention away from the outfit and to the face.  Blue looks great on most people.  If you are concerned with weight, bring a variety of darker colors.  Black is definitely a minimizer.  If you are concerned with your midsection, wear a black sweater.  If you are concerned about your hips, wear a black skirt or dress.
   1. BLACK & WHITE – To eliminate any coordinating problems, bring along one white shirt and one black shirt just in case.  If there is a background that you really like, you’ll always have something to go with it.
   2. OUTDOOR PORTRAIT COLORS – Avoid both black and white clothing.  Choose only mid- to dark-toned clothing, examples: burgundy, green, blue, khahi, magenta, etc.  This coordinates best with the colors in an outdoor setting allowing us to create portraits with a more unified feel.
3. LONG SLEEVES.  Long sleeves are the best choice for all portraits taken from the waist and above.  Short sleeves, tanks, or strapless tops can be worn with full length shots.
4. GROUP COLORS.  1-2 coordinating colors work best.  Examples:  All white, all black, white/tan, navy/burgundy, pink/blue, blue jean/white.  If the group is fairly evenly proportioned between male and female, it looks good to have the females in one color and the males in a corresponding color. 
5. UNDERGARMENTS.  Please make sure that you have the appropriate colored undergarments for all outfits.  Make sure to remember a strapless bra for tanks or strapless shirts/dresses.
6. SOCKS/SHOES.  Please make sure that you have color coordinated socks and/or shoes for each outfit.  Dark socks should go with dark pants and dark shoes.  Not all outfits need to show your feet.  You may specify this at the time of your session.  You may choose to go barefoot also.
   1. HIGH HEELS – For gals, if your feet show, it is recommended that you wear the highest heels you have for each outfit.  High heels change the shape of the legs in a very flattering way.
7. TOO TIGHT CLOTHES.  Clothes which are too tight around the waist will cause you difficulties during posing by cutting into the stomach.  Too tight of clothing will add the appearance of weight.
8. TOO LOOSE CLOTHES.  Clothes which are too loose, especially if loose at the waist or hips, will add weight.  They may also cause difficulties in posing.
9. WRINKLED CLOTHES.  Please make sure to have clothing ironed prior to your session.  Wrinkles may be difficult to hide during your session.  It is a good idea to bring garments hung on hangers.
10. MAKEUP – Try to wear more neutral or natural colors.  These colors will stand the test of time.
11. LIP GLOSS/COLOR.  For females it is recommended that you wear a clear or colored lip gloss.  Your lips will look much more smooth with a gloss.
12. NAILS.  Hands will show in some of your photos.  For gals, it looks nice to have manicured and/or painted nails for your session.  Guys should make sure their nails are trimmed and neat.  Don’t forget your toes if you have sandles or choose to go barefoot.
13. FACIAL SHINE.  Facial shine is very difficult to correct even with touchups.  It is recommended that you apply a light powder to your face before your photo session.  This will dramatically help the appearance of your skin.  This applies both to females and males.
14. EYE GLASS GLARE.  Eye glass glare can be very difficult to remove and work around.  If glasses are worn, the photographer will need to position the head so that the glare is not so apparent.  This may take away from the best pose for the face.  To eliminate this either  1) Do not wear your glasses during the session  2) Obtain a pair of frames without lenses from your eye doctor  or 3) Take out the glass for the session.  If you must wear glasses, we will try to work around the glass glare as best as we can.
15. SPORTS EQUIPMENT.  If you are in sport and wish to take sports photos, please bring any appropriate equipment such as letter jacket, uniform, ball, bat, glove, helmet, skates, etc.
16. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.  If you play a portable instrument and would like a portrait with it, please feel free to bring it to your session.  Sheet music is also good to bring along.
17. OTHER PROPS.  You may bring other props to your session including a car or motorcycle. Ideas include:  hats, scarves, favorite pillow or stuffed animal, personal drawings or paintings, military uniform, hunting equipment, etc.