style & prep guide

 colors - coordination - fit - recs -  hair & makeup
what to expect
& how to make the most of your professional photoshoot

Now that you’re officially a DGP client, here are my tips and recommendations to make the most of your investment.
This guide will help us create photos that bring the focus of your images to you.

attitude first

Literally nothing you wear will look nicer than your smiles!
It sounds cheesy, but it’s true.
Photo shoots are no loner stiff and formal and in the back of a Sears. We are here to capture your feelings, not just your faces.
Prepare to disconnect from the hustle of every day life, even if it’s just for an hour, and spend some time connecting.

 

Muted, natural colors

Yes, I know it is tempting to want to wear vibrant colors, especially to the beach, but they do not often shoot well with natural backgrounds (especially combined with how I shoot my photos). Because of how I shoot, muted colors appear brighter, and complement natural backgrounds well.
More details below.

Fit, fit, fit.

It is paramount that your clothes fit well, even if it’s an intentionally loose garment.
Skip the dress that falls off your shoulder, or the pants that are a little too big. You don’t want to get your images back and think ‘I really should have worn something else, that doesn’t fit me at all!’
 

TECHNICAL STUFF: How I shoot/edit and why it matters

My ‘technical’ style of photography is on the brighter side, and prioritizes skin tone.
When selecting your outfits, this means steering clear of anything that will alter your skin tone.

When colors have a lot of vibrance, they can color cast and tint the skin near the fabric, like the neck & under the chin, arms, and children’s faces.
Avoiding reds and oranges in general is recommended, as those are the tones that will shift the most when I’m editing for skin tone.

How to prepare before your session

WEAR SUNSCREEN
I mean, probably solid life advice, but most specifically, leading up to your session. Especially if you’re visiting Florida. Kids are especially vulnerable under their eyes, where we don’t usually put sunscreen, so hats, umbrellas, and limiting exposure until your session is highly recommended. Yes, I can photoshop it out, but it is not included with your session, and I charge per image for this.

Brush and floss your teeth! You (and your kiddos) will be smiling!
Definitely have snacks first though- don’t need anyone to be hangry.
Nail polish/manicures/pedicures- your hands will be visible, and we don’t usually wear shoes on the beach.
No super fresh haircuts for the gentleman- get those 10-14 days before your session.
Eye drops! Red eyes are normal when swimming in pools and salt water, take care of that with a few drops before your shoot.

If you like, you can also schedule professional hair and makeup for your session.
I highly recommend Yvette Nation with The Perfect Makeup.
You can contact her directly: 850-527-0870 or yvettenation@gmail.com
She is great at keeping things natural, fresh, and bright.

Makeup is not just for the ladies or just for faces!
Dab a little concealer on blemishes or any bumps or bruises you don’t want showing.

I recommend skipping the spray tans, and sticking to your natural color.
Steer clear of styling choices that aren’t your usual, you want to recognize yourself in your images.

Beach sand trick- bring some baby powder to sprinkle on your feet after the beach.
The sand wipes away like magic and keeps your shoes sand free! 

During warmer weather be sure to pack some cold water, so it’s waiting for you when we’re done.

Day of: what to do and what to expect

I suggest wearing loose, comfy, easy to change out of outfits to your session, and changing when you arrive.
Most places we will shoot have restrooms, and I recommend showing up a few minutes early to change.
(This is also a great opportunity for last minute bathroom breaks for the littles.)
If we’re at the beach, your outfits will likely get wet (and I absolutely encourage this!).
Then, the same outfits that you arrive in, you can switch back into after your session.
Waiting to change into your outfits also keeps wrinkles to a minimum.
Body heat + sitting + seat belts = wrinkles.

For beach sessions I recommend easy to slip on and off shoes.

Once you have your outfits on, I ask that you completely empty all pockets.
We will leave all phones, wallets, toys, snacks, drinks, sunglasses, etc., in the car. I will carry your car keys.
We will be moving around during your session, so we don’t want to have to set down and pick anything up.
I also ask that for about one hour, we leave our fancy pocket computers behind and focus on each other.
This is about engagement and your mood, and it can be challenging constantly pulling people away from their devices.
You have also likely trained your children to smile for your camera, and I’ll need them to be able to focus on mine.

Another reason we don’t bring anything to the sessions is so the kiddos don’t have anything to ask for.
Everything they want is waiting for them back in the car/rental, as soon as we’re done!
Feel free to bribe the kids with ice cream, too! That seems to be a popular one that does the trick, hehe.
(If we need to sneak some emergency gummies or puffs in my bag for the little littles we can, but I promise they’re rarely used!)

OUtfit selection

When selecting your colors try to pick natural ones that can be described as muted, earthy, or grey-ish.
They will appear more vibrant in your images, so if you want your tones to appear muted, make sure you’re selecting very earthy tones.
Muted neutrals, aside from looking great in just about any setting, will also look great on just about any wall.
AVOID: black, navy, dark denim.
Creams/off-whites/’sand’/’oatmeal’ > stark white.

You will be moving around during your session, and playing with kids.
Select your outfits with this in mind- you want a great fit, but nothing too constricting.
Don’t be afraid to dress up for your session, either!
 
Denim can often be a ‘neutral,’ just make sure you’re selecting a lighter wash with a lighter palate, or a medium wash for a darker palate (skip dark washes altogether).
 Stark white is not recommend (and isn’t natural, surprisingly enough, haha! It appears blue/cyan in digital images), instead opt for creams, off-whites, eggshells, etc.
(The second image on this page shows an off-white dress with texture.)

Solid black, navy, and dark denim are also things I suggest avoiding, as it looses all dimension and can appear very flat.
Instead of black pick lighter charcoals, grays, or even try olives or maroons.

Mix your patterns and your textures!
Different sizes of florals, stripes, etc, mix it all!

Speaking of - stripes are great! Be sure they are not too thin, or they will warp (like when you take a photo through a screen window).
(The first image on this pages displays the ideal smaller stripe, as well as a great way to mix patterns.)

Avoid logos and excessively bold patterns. Classic florals are always great!
Keep accessories simple and minimal, and don’t forget to leave the Fitbit at home.

You want to be sure you all look like you’re going to the same place.
You don’t want one person dressed for cocktail hour at a wedding and the other for a potluck bbq.

When compiling your options, it is great to lay them all out together, see how it looks, and change out what doesn’t quite fit.
When combing your outfits try to pick items that are of similar tone/minimal contrast.
Meaning, mix lighter tones with lighter washes of denim or khaki, and darker tones with medium wash denims or the slightly darker shades of pants.
A good way to assess this is to snap a photo and turn it black and white- they should all appear a similar shade of grey.
Feel free to text/email me images of your outfits directly for guidance - contact info at the bottom.

for the gals

Start with your outfit(s) first, then work on your partner/family’s outfits from there.

Dresses are always my first recommendation, as they are often flattering on any body type, and they have movement.
If your session is on the beach, take wind into consideration when choosing your length.
Just below the knee or tea length to maxi will keep you covered on a windy evening.
(It is the beach, so not a big deal, but if you’re modest, wear some full coverage undies just in case!)

Skip the Spanx shorts and opt for an ultra high-waisted bathing suit bottom, in a nude or pale neutral if you can, for under your outfit.
They’re meant to get wet, which is great for beach sessions, and they don’t give you lines on your thighs.
(Or find shapewear that is cut like a high-waisted bathing suit.)
Select fabrics/dresses etc. that cut out the need for shapeware/smoothing garments on your legs.

Fabric choice matters. Avoid fast fashion and those types of materials.
Don’t buy a ‘costume’ (something overly thematic that you’d never wear again) for photos.
If you get a dress/outfit you love, you’ll use it again and again, making it worth the investment.

Keep all accessories to an absolute minimum, and leave the bulky digital watches/Fitbits behind.
Wear an analog watch to cover up any tan lines, or some simple bracelets.

When ordering clothes, order a few of your favorites, and make sure you can return the ones you don’t use (if you’d like).

Some of my favorite places for women’s outfits:
Anthropologie
Morning Lavender
Baltic Born
Reformation
Silk & Salt
Christy Dawn
Free People
Red Dress
Lulu’s
(Many of those also carry plus sizes!)
Myrah Penaloza has effortless, sustainable garments with resort-on-the-coast-of-Italy-vibes.
Few Moda has some of the higher-end looks, but without the price tag.

If neutrals are just absolutely not your style, and you want super colorful and bold, but great tones for shooting, Farm Rio absolutely nails it.

As for shoes- go crazy, keep it simple, whatever you want!
Women’s shoes can be pure art.
Even if you can’t wear them on the sand, there is something effortless and beautiful about holding your shoes as you walk on the beach.

for the guys

Button downs will always look great, and hold great shape.
I always recommend button downs or plain tees over polos.
Bring a coordinating belt for traditional length button downs, so they can be tucked in.
I recommend tucking in any shirt that covers the bum or the front zipper (definitely all Oxford length shirts), as it keeps the the best proportions.
If you’d prefer an untucked look, opt for a ‘casual’ style and cut, with short sleeves.

Every shirt on Untuckit is cut a little shorter, with the intention of being untucked.
Linen always looks great, and Amazon generally has fantastic options.

To find non-white shirt options, try searching for ‘sand’ as a color, and then find the lightest options.

Avoid pants or shorts with cargo pockets- you want simple & basic chinos, khakis, or jeans.
Everlane has great basics with clean, simple lines.
J.Crew is hard to beat for classic chinos and awesome colors.
Bonobos has great options as well.

Leave the Apple Watch or Fitbit out of the photos, and instead opt for analog.

Shoes- you can’t go wrong with classic brown leather. It will match most things.
(if you/your guy must wear shoes on the beach, be aware they might get wet and will definitely get sandy)
If you don’t want to wear shoes/we’re shooting exclusively on sand, bring flip flops or slides- something easy to put on and take off.

For the kids

I have the same advice for the kids as I do the grown ups: fit matters, and steer clear of anything too busy.
These are photos you and your children will look at for lifetimes, so avoiding trends will keep it looking great on your walls for years to come.
We don’t want any outfits that we will have to constantly adjust- I promise the kids hate that more than we do, they just want to play!

Ruffles and collars are not recommended for babies, as they’re usually still waiting for their necks to grow in, haha!
Ruffles on the shoulders or collared shirts can easily end up blocking half of their face.

Many/most of the shops below carry a broad variety of sizes, and have both boys & girls, or unisex outfits.

If your little is still in diapers, don’t forget the bloomers for dresses (the first link has some of my all time favs).

Greenberry
Rylee + Cru
Jamie Kay
Canvas House
Alice + Aims
Mabo
The Simple Folk
Kate Quinn
Little Cotton Clothes

Pre-teens & young teens can find great options at Zara
(they also have stuff for grownups!)
Gap has a ‘teen’ line, with some great basics.
For older teens, a lot of the links in the gals & guys sections will carry small enough sizes.

And in case you want or need shoes for your session, I suggest Consciously Baby (baby & kid sizes).
For beach sessions without shoes, still bring some shoes that are easy to put on and take off.

and… something totally different!

See you very soon!

Thank you so much for trusting me to capture your family, and taking the time to look through this (I know it’s a lot of info!).
After over a decade of shooting families (and people in general), I know the number one reason people don’t love their photos is if they don’t end up liking what they’re wearing.
Over the years I have ‘photoshopped’ so many outfits for both fit and color, and the best way to avoid that is to prepare and plan.
There is a reason being a professional stylist is a job- because it’s hard!
They can be the most beautiful images, but if the outfits don’t ‘go,’ the pictures probably won’t ‘go’ up in your home, haha.

The number 2 reason? Sunburns. WEAR SUNSCREEN!

Please feel free to text or email me regarding your outfits. I suggest laying all of your options out together, inside, near bright, indirect window light.
850-524-0061 or desiree@desireegardner.com