Outfit one · Autumn & Judah
- Cream
- Espresso
- Black
- Her
- Cream dress, full skirt
- Him
- Black tee, dark trousers
Light against dark reads clearly, and the skirt moves. Simple, full of texture, and it glows once the sun drops.
Outfit guide
What to wear
Colour, cut, and a few small things
Start here
Wear what you feel most yourself in.
This guide is not here to put you in a box. Dress the way you feel comfortable and confident, and use these pages if you are stuck or want to know how colours look on camera. If you have booked, it goes with the Outfit and Location Guide I sent you.
I edit in muted, English colour: soft greens, cream, stone and a little rust. Clothes from that same family sit inside the photograph instead of shouting over it, so try to stay fairly neutral. Before we shoot, text me what you are thinking of wearing. I would love to help.
Anything else? The questions couples usually ask are answered at the bottom.
The palette
Colours that photograph well
Earthy, muted and a touch dusty. Pick two or three and build around them.
- Cream
- Oat
- Stone
- Blush
- Sage
- Olive
- Rust
- Chambray
- Navy
- Chocolate
Leave these at home
- Neon and bright greenThrow colour back onto your skin.
- Bold printsLeopard and big florals pull attention from you.
- Fine stripesShimmer and buzz on camera.
- Small checksBusy, and they date a photograph.
- LOGOBig logosPull the eye away from you.
From real sessions
Coordinate, do not match
Two colours from the same family look better than the same shirt twice. Three couples who got it exactly right.
Outfit two · Frankie & Simon
- Blush
- Chocolate
- Cream
- Her
- Blush dress, puff sleeves
- Him
- Brown knit polo, white trousers
They contrast against each other. One light, one dark, and nothing competing with the sky.
Outfit three · Connie & Tanner
- Olive
- Chambray
- Stone
- Her
- Olive green midi dress
- Him
- Pale blue shirt, stone chinos
Two complementary colours, nothing loud or branded. Olive is the colour of the park itself, so she belongs in the frame.
More inspiration
Four looks that work
The ideas behind the inspiration pages in your guide. The photographs themselves live on my Pinterest board, as they are other people’s work.
Couples
Earthy, soft and natural. Coordinate your colours, never match head to toe.
- Try
- Creams, olives and browns
- Denim with knitwear
- One of you in a long skirt
- Avoid
- Matching outfits
- Big logos and neon
Him and her
Simple pieces in natural fabrics.
- Him
- Tailored trousers
- Linen or crisp shirts
- A good knit
- Her
- Long skirts and dresses
- Knits and boots for texture
Layers and texture
For cooler days. Knits, jackets and boots add depth and still photograph softly.
- Try
- Chunky knits
- Waxed or wool jackets
- Knee high boots
- Keep it
- In one colour family
Golden hour
Outfits that move and glow when the sun is low.
- Look for
- Fabric that moves
- Warm neutrals
- Simple lines, no logos
- Bring
- Flats or boots to walk in
Movement
Wear something that moves
Long dresses and skirts catch the wind and the turn of a spin, and a walking frame comes alive when there is fabric following you. If you own one, bring it.
For him, an open shirt or a light knit moves far better than anything stiff or heavily starched.
Wear shoes you can walk in. We will be moving, sometimes across grass and sometimes along a creek. Bring the nice pair and a comfortable pair, and I will tell you when to swap.
Dress for the place
Match the setting
The same outfit reads differently in a meadow and on a city street, so let the place have a say.
- Fields and big skies. Linen, cotton and lace. Anything light that lifts in the wind, like Vanessa at Arbor Hills.
- Gardens and water. Soft colour and texture: knits, crochet, a dress with a little volume.
- Downtown. Something sharper. A slip dress, tailored trousers, an unstructured jacket.
Two outfits
If your session includes an outfit change, make the two different in feel.
One relaxed and one dressed up, or one light and one dark. We change between locations, and I will give you a minute. A few parks, Highland Park among them, do not allow changing in cars, so I plan the order around where you can.
Shopping
Where to look
Places whose colours suit the photographs. No affiliation, just what I see working.
For him
Plain shirts, good trousers, a knit if it is cool. An unstructured jacket for downtown.
The night before
The little things
- Steam or iron everything. Creases show, especially in linen.
- Hair and makeup as you would for a nice dinner, not a stage.
- Hair tie off the wrist, phone out of the pocket. Both find their way into every frame.
- Bring a jacket or a blanket. The light is best in the last twenty minutes, just as it cools.
- Pack water and a lint roller. Texas evenings are warm and dark fabric collects everything.
Before the day
Questions couples ask
How many outfits should we bring?
One for a one hour session. The two hour session includes an outfit change, so bring two that feel different: one relaxed and one dressed up, or one light and one dark.
Do we have to match?
No, and please do not. Coordinate instead: two or three colours from the same family, like the three outfits above. Matching head to toe looks like a uniform.
Can you help us decide?
Yes, please let me. Text me a photo of the options laid out together and I will tell you honestly which will photograph best in the place we have chosen.
What shoes should we wear?
Something you can walk in on grass, dirt paths or stone. If your favourite shoes are not made for walking, bring them for the close portraits and I will tell you when to swap.
Where do we change?
Come dressed in your first outfit, and we change between locations. Highland Park does not allow changing in cars, so when it is on the plan I order the session around somewhere you can change comfortably.
Should I wear my glasses?
If you always wear them, yes. They are part of your face, and I will angle things to keep reflections down.
What about hair and makeup?
As you would for a nice dinner, not a stage. If you book a stylist, leave a buffer so you arrive calm rather than rushed.
Can we bring something personal?
Please do: flowers, a blanket, a record, your dog. Highland Park parks do not allow props such as chairs or backdrops, so keep it to things you can carry.
Where can I find more ideas?
On my Pinterest board, and in the inspiration pages of the guide I sent you.
What about places, timing, weather and fees?
They are all answered in the location guide, along with every place I love to shoot around Dallas and Fort Worth.
Still not sure
Text me the options
Lay them out on the bed, take one picture and text it to me, or email it if that is easier. I will tell you honestly which will look best.