School Portraits are quite the conundrum for some of us. Even if you have a traditional school photo session at your kids school (even though you were wishing Snowflake was giving your kids the boutique treatment) The question is still out there: what do they wear?! Against my daughter's best wishes my preference really is her school uniform. I think she looks so cute and preppy in it and it really does show her school self. So if you can get your kids on board I say go that way but this year I said that she could wear something different so I went to her closet to follow my own rules. And here it is folks, short and sweet.
Pick something simple with a little bit of texture (think lace, crochet, cable knit, a bow) or a mild pattern, or even a simple layer of shirt and sweater. I don't pick things with writing on them or obvious branding and I personally steer clear of things that are too bright so they don't cast a color shadow on her beautiful skin. Should you go with accessories keep in mind to keep it high on their torso so it's in the image.
To be honest I really love to photograph kids in simple, plain, and sometimes old fashioned clothes because their little personalities do most of the work. But after answering a few emails from upcoming clients and talking with friends, I thought I would share a recent search (seriously I scanned through in 15 minutes) of Gap, Old Navy, Target, and Janie and Jack. It's mostly girls ideas with a few boys shirts snuggled in there but I thought it might help. Now don't go straight to online shopping... head to their closets and see what you have that meets our new rules. How my mom every chose my brother's outfit circa 1990 something with the laser background I guess I'll never know but luckily he was cute enough to overcome it.
~ Marisa
** Note, because I shoot against a dark backdrop I lean towards light colors or contrasting. I love black but It doesn't work for every situation and backdrop.
