When I pulled up to Stevens Meadow in Lake Oswego the storm clouds were rolling in. It looked amazing and I was really excited! A few minutes before my client arrived, the rain came and it was showing no signs of stopping. It was really only that misty misty PNW rain but growing up in Southern California, the first instinct was to reschedule. I quickly talked myself out of that because I'm a Pacific Northwesterner now! (thats the term, right!?) I moved to Oregon 7 years ago in search of lush greenery and the sweet smell of rain and I was not about to run away! I have a really adorable handmade Camera Cozy that keeps the rain off my camera and a cute umbrella (for photo purposes only) so I knew we could do this! If my client was up for it, I was too!

It's a question I get constantly, a complaint I often here, a fear I can hear in my clients voice.  "I'm so excited for our session, now I gotta figure out what to wear!". Especially for those parents who will be coordinating the whole family! If you can believe it I even hear it from this client, and she NAILED IT!!!

While I'm not a stylist, and I might not know your season or sizes,  I do have a few tips to help you sort it all out! Check out these tips I like to give my clients!

You really don't need to go out and buy all new outfits for your photo session, you probably have a ton of great pieces in your closet already so let's start there!

This one is actual super easy. This isn't a comprehensive closet inventory, its really just an "at first glance" type of inventory. When you walk to your closet, what is the color you see most often? What is the color you put on day after day. When you are having one of those epic days, when everything goes right, your hair looks perfect, your makeup is on point, what color are you wearing?! That color that keeps coming up for you, thats probably your color.

Even though we might not be able to explain why a color works on us, we can feel it. If a color looks good on you chances are you've bought it over and over. With out ever seeing you if you tell me you are always wearing Orange and brow, you are probably a fall. If you love light blues and pinks, probably a spring. You don't really need a stylist to tell you your season, you probably already know. Trust yourself and that closet you have already packed with your favorite things. 

Here we are preparing with the end in mind. Where are you going to display these family photos once they are shoot, edited and printed? Probably above your sofa and all around your home (or at least I HOPE SO!!!!).  If you love  warm nuetrals in your home, try taking those colors AND TEXTURE cues from your interior and putting those into your wardrobe.

You can even bring some of your interior into the photograph. I love when a family brings a blanket from home to sit on and cuddle up in. I will bring an outdoor water proof blanket, you bring that chunky knit draped over your sofa for movie nights. This will bring a familiarity to your photographs! It will act as a comfy prop and a literal security blanket for anyone not comfortable getting there picture taken. 

This is maybe one of my favorite tips, I always see my clients wheels start to turn when I explain this rule. 

Family Portraits, (or any kind of lifestyle photography) should be a reflection of you. Yes, you in your best light, but YOU! I want you to feel comfortable, confident and beautiful! If you love dressing up to the nines, maybe your very experimental with your looks, please do that for our session. If you like more utilitarian or tend to want to wear more comfy looks, do that! In lifestyle photography your natural radiance is really what we are capturing! Wear clothing that you feel comfortable in so that radiance will beam through!

Help! I'm dressing the whole group! or is it really, Hi Mom! So you have to dress yourself, you're little ones (or not so little ones) and possibly even your partner??! either way, WOW! That's a big job, but you can do it!

​Start with one! Use one outfit that inspires you, or one piece that is calling you and work from there. Remember, outfits or articles of clothing don't have to MATCH to work together. They have to GO together. Colors in the same season work together, even if they are on opposite sides of the color wheel. I wrote a blog post about how to identify these here!

Don't get stuck in a "blue" theme (for example, i love blue) this is about everyone wearing the same shade, being little copies of each other. Chances are people in your family are different and aren't carbon copies so let's celebrate those differences in these photos! Another example is Jeans and a white shirt... for everyone. While everyone matches, its kinda boring so Mix it up! Don't be afraid of color! Remember the GO not MATCH rule. 

This family in this blog really nailed these rules to a tee! Especially the 'Don't match, GO!" Rule. The colors all go together because they are in that fall color scheme but no one is wearing the same thing. There is so much texture so everyone has there own personality. ​

If you like my work and are in need of some family photos of you, and your family, contact me here! I also have my complete pricing guide you can look through here, and a full list of my most frequently asked questions here. I cant wait to hear from you!

What a pleasure to photograph a sweet family at the Gallery. Especially this family, Torrance and Melissa are fashion icons in Portland. Both creating a gutter empire. Melissa is the owner and designer of the Fashion line Gutter Girl. Winner of best new designer at Fashion X 2022, Portlands Fashion week, Melissa's designs are "focused on high quality design using repurposed materials". The outfits worn in this session were made by Melissa. Torrance is the owner and designer of Gutter Grillz making custom high quality jewelry and gold teeth. As for Onyx, he is the sweetest, smiley baby and soon , from what I hear, will be a big brother.

I have Portrait sessions available every Tuesday from 5-7p at Gallery GoGo. These include 5-10 digital downloads. Schedule your session on Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/portrait-tuesdays-tickets-603193326477

photos taken at Gallery GoGo
https://www.gallerygogo.com/
Open 7 days a week at the Pioneer Place Mall. 11a-7p. No entry Fee
Follow @gallerygogogo for more details and events. 
700 SW 5th Ave. 
Portland Or
97204

backdrop art by: 
Arta Powers https://www.artapowers.com/pagecv