“Happy 2012 to everybody! The new year will bring fun and exciting things to Wardrobe Wednesday and we can’t wait to share them with you!

Not to rush things, but I’ve noticed a lot of photographers booking Valentine’s Day shoots.  And guess what? It’s really not that far away!  So when planning this week’s installment, I figured what the heck, why not compile some ideas for styling a cute Valentine’s session? And so I did.

Really popular and CUTE right now are ties and tie shirts for boys. LOVE LOVE them. You can find them a lot of different places, but I found the most variety on Etsy. Have I mentioned how much I love Etsy? It’s such a great one stop shopping place online, so you can shop in the comfort of your own home. Bonus. I actually found everything you see in this post on Etsy, so I could stick with my one stop shopping theme! You can thank me later.   Also somewhat popular for boys right now are suspenders. They are SO cute on little guys and add such an adorable touch to photos. LOVE THEM. Throw in a fedora, and you’ve got your look for your little guy.”

Tutus and petti skirts have been pretty fashionable for girls for a few years. They are just too cute, especially for a Valentine’s shoot. Again, very easy to find on Etsy. I found the “rag tutu” skirt and fell in love w/ it! I’ll be purchasing one of these for my little girl. I love the look of it! Throw in some cute hair accessories and/or some leg warmers, and there is your girl’s look.

The following are a few of my own photos I took almost three years ago when I was first starting out in photography, I had this vision to dress my little girl up, along with her little friend, and just snap away. They are still some of my favorite images today! I ran to Target, and picked up an adorable t shirt and some woman’s knee socks. I cut the knee socks off at the ankle to make some cute leg warmers for the girls! I special ordered my daughter’s shirt and tutu, and I had the other tutu as a photo prop. I found an adorable knit hat and bow and there you have it. One cute session!

There are SO many darling clothes out there for you to dress your kids in for a fun Valentine’s Day shoot…head on over to Etsy…I dare you not to get sucked in!

SHOPPING LIST – (all items found on ETSY.COM)

BOY

Petite Peanut on Etsy: Little Guy Necktie Tie-Heart Throb Valentine’s Collection (4-6 years) $15.95

Antsy Pants on Etsy: Valentine’s Day Boys Grey and Red Tie Onesie or Shirt with Suspenders (size NB to 12 years) $18.00

I am all about color or props in photographs. Bright colorful patterns on children OR coordinating with bright and colorful props can be wonderful. But sometimes I like things toned down a tad. It may boil down to preference or a matter of taste, but sometimes…less is more. As a lifestyle portrait photographer, I tend not to use too many props. I like to focus on the soul and emotion/interaction between my clients, rather than force a situation. Which brings me to this week’s post: whether you are photographing a baby, child or family, sometimes it’s best to leave most of the props behind, tone down the clothing, and focus on the individuals instead.

Some of my most favorite sessions recently have been those where the individuals i’ve photographed were just being themselves. I recently had the privilege of photographing the SUPER talented Jean and Travis Smith and their GORGEOUS boys. Jean told me ahead of time the vision she had for her session. She wanted lots of warm evening light, and photos of her family just being together. She decided she’d like some images in a grassy area with everybody dressed and then some by the water with her boys shirtless. All of her boys wore khakis and were barefoot. Jean wore a neutral colored maxi dress. The result? Pure joy and delightful images. Her boys were naturally comfortable and more likely to relax around me as a result.

Pssst…let me tell you a little secret. Sometimes the little ones need their comfort items with them–blanket, stuffed animal, doll. And you know what? Capturing them with their “lovies” is PRICELSS and clients LOVE IT!

I photographed this beautiful little guy last year. His mom wanted some of him tastefully naked. I love the result with this adorable crocheted hat!

His bedroom had the perfect white room with just the right amount of light. We placed him in his crib and voila. With gorgeous blue eyes like that, who needs anything else?

Here’s another example. Just a few weekends ago, I went to a client’s home to do a photoshoot with her children. I told her with the heat, humidity and bugs, that her children would most likely be most comfortable in their own home. I was in heaven when I arrived to their large and open home FULL of natural light. The kids were naturally active, as one and three year olds are, but I was able to relax them and get natural expressions by letting them do the things they like to do. The little girl wanted to read and hang out in her bedroom, so we did just that. I brought along some inexpensive blocks for the baby to play with, and he was very happy! It’s amazing what a book and some blocks can do. Keep that in mind when using props. In this case, less was more!

And one last example. This little girl loves dress up, so I knew this beautiful flower wreath would work perfectly for her. I was able to focus on JUST her and add a little bit of color and whimsy.

These are just some subtle ways to have fun and focus on the inner soul and personality of your clients. The compilation I put together is very simple and easy. All of the clothing items are from the Gap (keeping in line with my usual “one stop shopping”!). I am picturing the Dad’s jeans rolled up and everybody barefoot. Of course this would have to be a session shot in a warm climate, so it’s perfect for summertime! The props do not go along with the outfits I put together. They are just some ideas to add something a little extra special to your photoshoots. Take some time to relax and relax your client’s by letting them play and just “be”. You might be surprised at the results!

SHOPPING LIST

Dad:

Men’s Jeans–The Gap $59.95

Men’s Shirt–The Gap $39.95

Mom:

Women’s Dress–The Gap $59.95

Boy:

Boy’s Shirt–The Gap $12.99

Boy’s Shorts–The Gap $24.99

Girl:

Girls Dress–The Gap $29.95

Props and Accorsories:

Crocheted Hat-Etsy–Modiste Bee

Blocks–Wal Mart $23.99

Orange Blossom Wreath-Bloom Design Studio- Etsy $20.00

“Father’s Day is this coming Sunday, so there’s no better time for us to focus on all of the men (and boys) in our lives! When giving advice on wardrobe compilations, we usually start out by having the outfits revolve around the little gals or moms. So, when there’s not a female involved in the session, it can be difficult for the guys to plan what to wear.

It’s best to keep it simple and introduce just a couple of basic coordinating colors. An easy way to do this is with plaid shirts or shorts. Be sure not to involve too many different plaids, otherwise it becomes too busy. With button-up shirts, you can roll up the sleeves, and leave it untucked to have it on the casual side, or tuck it in and add some accessories to dress it up.

One of the simplest ways to add a little class to your outfit without putting too much effort is by including a tie.  Who can resist a bare-bellied baby with some adorable polka dots, a handsome father with his precious newborn son, or a young man dressed to impress? Just add a tie to the basics you already own, and people will think you spent hours putting the outfits together! A great place I’ve found to purchase these ties with style is Trendy Ties. Not only do they have modern neckties and bowties, but they can also create hair flowers and brooches for sister and mom. You can check them out on Facebook or Etsy! She just completed a crazy sale, so she’s taking a short vacation, but be sure to visit her starting June 20!

SHOPPING LIST

Boy’s Outfit
Shirt
Pants
Shorts
Polo
Shoes

Dad’s Outfit
Shirt
Pants
Shorts
Straw Fedora
Sandals

Teenager’s Outfit
Shirt
Shorts
Shoes
Jeans

The first thing I noticed when checking out Tea Collection’s adorable children’s clothing (and particularly their girl’s clothing) is the color palette.  It is so frustrating for me to go and purchase clothes for Emory only to find hot pink and flourescent purple EVERYTHING.  That’s all well and good for play clothes, but when I want something for portraits, I’m generally looking for deep rich colors or something that is vibrant without verging on tacky.  Believe it or not, that can be hard to find for little girls, especially if you don’t want to break the bank.  So when I first laid my eyes on the Tea Collection website, I had that “Ahhhhhhhh” singing moment in my head.  Seriously.  Their colors are all so rich and yummy, they are colors that I would want to wear.  I was hooked! 

Upon receiving the items I selected, I was blown away by how well-made they were.  Anyone who knows Emory knows that she is ROUGH on her clothes, far more little boy-like than lady-like let’s just say.  She’s barely two and I’ve thrown out countless pairs of pants and tops due to holes, stains, etc.  It is obvious that these clothes are very well-made, and so far they’ve survived a lot – spaghettios, grass/mud, our “dog” phase where Emory crawls on her knees all the time, and so on.  They’ve probably been washed dozens of times but they look as good as the day I opened the package.  That gets two big gold stars on my list! 

Another very cool thing I love about this company is that each collection they design is inspired by a different part of the world.  Their tag line is “for little citizens of the world.”  How neat is that!  Emory’s outfits shown here from the fall collection were inspired by Old World Hungary.  They really incorporate a sense of art into the design, and perhaps that’s why they appeal to me so much as a photographer.  It also means that each new collection will be fresh and different, although you will still get the same great quality, color, and artistic design that makes them so unique! 

While these, particular clothes are no longer available for purchase (shame on me for waiting so long to blog, I know!), I just got the catalog today for the newest collection, and let me tell you, it is to die for!  It was inspired by Catalonia – it just sounds gorgeous doesn’t it.   Here are some of my favorites from the early spring collection, chosen with an eye specifically for what might look good for your next portrait session:

Plumas Scalloped Dress - Gorgeous colors, and just enough fun design to make for easy accesorizing and interesting portraits

Jardin Ruffle Top with  Barcelona Bermuda Shorts - Great spring feel to this outfit, and something to run around and have fun in too!

La Musica 5-Piece Set – Another great thing about Tea is they offer mix and match sets at a discount!  This one is my favorite, pick any outfit, you can’t go wrong!

“Ok, I admit, I haven’t even taken down my Christmas tree yet! I know, I need to get with it because before I know it, I’m going to get a note in my daughter’s folder giving me all the fun info for her class Valentine’s Day party. It’s hard to believe it’s only a month away.

 If you’re a little more prepared than I am, you still have time to plan an adorably unique photo shoot to make some cards that all of your kiddo’s friends will be excited to show off. The great thing about Valentine pictures is that they can get away with being very casual. Since these are cards that will be given to their friends, let them show their personality. You can make a simple t-shirt dressier with a  tulle skirt or a little more casual with a jean skirt and leggings. Let your son show his wild side for all the girls, or how tamed and put-together he is.

 This is also the perfect time to find some adorable props to add. Instead of buying real roses with the thorns, you can find a bouquet of fake roses at a craft store, and all of the other items are easily found at Wal-mart or your local grocery store. Most kids will love the opportunity to eat chocolate or lick lollipops while being photographed, and the younger kiddos will find it hard to resist squeezing a new teddy bear!”

Shopping:

 Girl Outfit & Accessories – Gap
 Boy Outfit – The Children’s Place

 All props can be found at Wal-Mart, but these were found on the web. 

Lollipops – Melville Store
Teddy Bear – Target
Chocolates – Sees
Rose Bouquet – Wal-Mart