Usually right after booking, the first question we receive is “What should I wear?”. We wanted to provide a few styling tips and ideas to give you some inspiration for the what to wear and bring during your child’s portfolio session.
It is very important to let the photographers know in advance if you will be submitting these photos to an agency. If you are submitting to a specific agency you should inquire with them about any photography guidelines for submission. Some agencies have very strict guidelines for their model’s portfolio so we want to make sure we deliver photos that are in line with their standards.
The happy kid next door look
Typically we recommend bright colors and fun/simple J. Crew/Gap model type looks for a portfolio session. Clothes should be eye catching enough to make your child stand out but not too overpowering that it takes the focus off of your child. If you’ve purchased a session with several looks we recommend showing different styles to add some variety to your portfolio (girl next door look, edgy, commercial, etc.). Here are some ideas of final looks that we love for a portfolio session. Bright colors, playful patterns and fun shoes are always a plus in our studio. We recommend staying away from clothing with noticeable logos and characters on it.
Bring Options
We love when parents bring options to their shoot. We recommend bringing a variety of pieces that we can mix and match during your shoot. That will give us some styling flexibility and allow us to pull together the pieces that we think would work best for your shoot. Here are a few examples of the types of things to bring if you are wanting some styling help.
- Cardigans/Blazers/Sweaters (winter/fall)
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Basic layering shirts/tanks
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Colorful Skinny Jeans
- Basic Jeans
- Skirts (not too short/tight)
- Ballet Slippers and/or Combat Boots
- Accessories like Belts & Scarves
- Fun or Colorful Tights
Size Down
One common mistake we see often is parents bringing clothing that is too big (typically buying clothing that kids can grow into). This often does not look flattering on camera. We typically recommend bringing fitted clothing (or one size down) because it will display MUCH better in front of the camera. Nothing worse than kids being swallowed by their clothing.
We hope this helps to give you an idea of what to wear for your child’s portfolio session. Remember the most important thing is to find clothing that reflects your chi ld’s style. Don’t be afraid to have fun with colors and patterns and feel free to add in a few unique or designer pieces for variety.
September 22, 2017 @ 2:22 am
I learn so much about how to prepare a portfolio. Also learn about the agencies, and what they might expect. I have a granddaughter who I feel has great potentials. she is 13 years old and 5ft 9inches tall. I am glad that you have provided information for us to use
Thank You.