This week’s wonderful Wardrobe Wednesday post is jam-packed with great wardrobe ideas AND other thoughts on preparing for a session with your toddler.  It can be one of the most difficult ages to photograph – too old to stay still for long and too young for effective bribing.    A cute wardrobe is only the start, as Erica of Erica May Photography tells us, there are lots of other things you can do to make sure your session goes as smoothly as possible for everyone!  Here’s what she has to say:

“Babies and Toddlers can definitely be the hardest age group to photograph. Between the spitting up, drooling, crying, and running away from the camera it can get pretty difficult. However, when you get that great shot of a challenging toddler all the hard work pays off! But dressing your baby/toddler doesn’t have to be hard! This is the one time in your child’s life that they won’t have a strong opinion about what you dress them in so go for it! I give you permission to go crazy and get your toddler something ridiculously cute to wear to their session! I put together some great outfits below that are full of personality, color, and layers – all things we have been talking about every week in our Wardrobe Wednesday posts. Of course, I would never spend $100 on an outfit for my little boy to wear everyday but I do splurge for his photo shoots. Why? Because it totally makes the pictures come alive! For babies and toddlers make sure to try their outfit on ahead of time to make sure it fits them just right (even if it means buying the size they are about to outgrow!). It is always a good idea for a toddler session to bring a snack and drink for them so they can take breaks during their session (being that cute is hard work!). A really good trick to get portraits of your baby/toddler holding still is to bring something for them to do. We had a fantastic post a few weeks ago about props and toddlers are a great example of how a prop can make a picture. I added a few pictures below of toddlers in action with their props. Often we can save the prop for the end of the session when they are bored with it all and it gives the child an extra boost of energy and smiles! Remember toddler photo shoots don’t always go as planned but just relax and try to have fun!”

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Today’s wonderfully colorful Wardrobe Wednesday post comes from guest contributor Stacie of Stacie Hawley Photography.  I love the step-by-step process she has put together for dressing your kiddos for their portrait session.  I couldn’t have said it better myself!   And she used outfits from one of our favorite stores – they are gorgeous!  Make sure you go check out Stacie’s AMAZING work (especially with kids) over on her site, blog, or go “Like” her on her Facebook page!  Make sure you congratulate her too – she was featured (and published) in a magazine this month!  Thanks for a great post Stacie!

“My favorite people to shoot, you ask?  KIDS – of course!!  They are so fun, spunky and full of personality.  Even better, they don’t mind being goofy and crazy – they welcome the unusual – and they love to be unique.  That’s why when I give style suggestions for kiddo shoots I always recommend these FIVE things.

1.       Go for the BOLD…

It’s all about the color and pattern!  There is no better way to show off their bright shining personalities then through their clothes!  Colors should be bold – not neon.  If it even remotely resembles the oh-so-famous (could they get any brighter?) yellow/pink/green/blue/etc. school highlighter – it’s a no go.  Deep strong color is key.  Also, patterns can be your friend.  Thick stripes, large polka dots, and chunky plaid are all great!  Just make sure to stick with one bold pattern per outfit.

2.        Three’s Company…

This is a simple rule and I have no idea where I heard it, but I live by it.  It’s all about coordinating your colors.  You wonder – how in the world do I know what color goes best with what?  Ack.  It can be very intimidating.  I’ve been there.  But don’t worry – breath – what I tell you next will free your mind.  Are you ready… ANYTHING GOES TOGETHER.  Did you get that – I know totally mind boggling.  But it’s true.  Anything goes as long as the colors appear a few times throughout your outfits.  For example, in the pictures below –so graciously borrowed from the miniBoden website (love their style) – you will see this rule used over and over again.  Yellow, brown, blue, burgundy – WHAT?  They can’t go together you say – oh yes my friend – they can!!  Yellow appears in the jacket, tights, and hat.  Blue appears in the tights, skirt, and jeans.  Burgundy/brown appears in the shoes, tights, hairclip….etc.  I usually suggest 2-3 main colors and then have them appear 3 or more times throughout the outfits.  Easy Peasy lemon squeezy.  Right?!!

3.       One Singular Sensation…

When building an outfit, pick one thing your child likes – this could be a hat, necklace, jacket, tights, boots, shirt, etc. – and build up.  If it’s a hat, then look at it, find the colors in it, and then add to the outfit by following rule number 2.  For example, I heart the little grey kitten shirt below.  If I started with this, I could then build up my outfit using the colors within, which in this case are blue, red, and white.  Adding a jacket, jeans, shoes, and then creating a complimentary look following rules number 1 and 2 leaves you with the completed look.  Bravo miniBODEN. 

4.       Layer Cake…

Now that you’ve got your colors squared away, just make sure to layer…layer…layer.  Chunky layered looks add dimension and spunk – especially when you use various textures.  Add a fun jacket, a sweater, a vest, a belt, a hoodie – well the list goes on and on.  Just do it – I promise it will be just what the doctor ordered!  Check out the cute dudes below, layered to perfection!

5.       Comfort Zone…

Last but definitely NOT least – make sure all clothing is comfortable!!  Kids want to be able to move and groove as they normally would, and as the photographer, I want them to too.  When they feel comfortable in their clothing it shows, again letting their personality shine through.  Then I can do my oh-so-fun job of capturing them dancing…jumping…laughing…being themselves – being kids.

Well – I hope this helps ya’ll!!  Happy Kiddo Stylin’!! 

All outfits can be found at www.miniboden.com.  They are awesome for way cute kid fashion.  Plus sometimes most of the times – they do the hard styling work for you – fancy that! Ha ha.”

This was a very exciting session for me for a number of reasons!  First, this session was for my “That’s My Kid” contest winners!  Big Sis Mary graciously donated the bulk of her session to her brand new one week old (at the time) baby brother.   It has been way too long since I’ve gotten to photograph a tiny little newborn, so I was really psyched about that too!  While it took quite a while to get baby Jacob completely asleep (and some sweat and patience on the part of both Mom and Dad), it was well worth the wait.  Once he was out, he was out!  After Jacob’s newborn pictures, we moved the fun to their backyard for some milestone pictures of both big brother Daniel and big sis Mary.  Mom really took to heart our Wardrobe Wednesday post from last week and came prepared with lots of great props and ideas for their images – almost everything you see in the outside images are their’s and we even used Mom and Dad’s old baby blankets for the newborn session.  It really makes it so much more special!  We wrapped up the session with their cute “1-2-3″ outfits, and that was exciting to say the least.    Mary and Daniel are soooo in love with baby Jacob, they could barely keep their eyes and hands (and sometimes entire bodies) off of him.  I had so much fun with you guys, thanks for letting me capture this special time!

Since we like to keep things fresh over here, Shannon of Shannon J. Dodge Photography has done a 180 and given us some great tips on things to avoid as you pick out your portrait outfits.  Now, don’t feel embarassed if you’ve fallen victim to one of these – it happens to the best of us (yes, even me)!    That is our job as the photographer: to educate, and hope that you comply.  So, enjoy the post! 

“Over the years, there have been certain things that have stood out during photoshoots. Sometimes it’s been really evident during the shoot, and other times it wasn’t apparent until I started editing.  You want to look your best, yet be yourself, correct? So be yourself! BUT there are certain rules and regulations when it comes to classic and well put together ensembles for your portraits! That’s why I decided to put together a “What Not to Wear” segment for our Wardrobe Wednesday this week!

First up: Your entire outfit.

It’s OK to coordinate your colors but, let’s leave entire matching outfits to little girls, shall we? Mix and match your colors and coordinate…it makes for much more interesting images!  Notice I mentioned the word color.

Solids and small prints photograph best…beware of loud stripes or plaids. 

Next: Shoes.

Shoes can be tricky, I know. They can make or break an outfit.  You want to be comfortable but please leave the Crocs at home! They tend to be an eyesore in photos. They are bulky and bright and they draw a viewer’s eye down to the ground. You want people to look at YOU not at your Crocs.  

If you choose to wear sandals or flip flops, PLEASE do not pair them w/ socks. 

Finally: Details.

Look at your nails. Is the polish chipping? Do you have on an obnoxious color that’s going to draw attention to your hands and only your hands? Neutral nails photograph best.
How are your highlights holding up? Don’t forget to check your roots, girls!
If you don’t normally have a tan, now is probably not the time to run and get a spray tan or lay out in the sun all day.  You don’t want to look like an Oompa Loompa or a lobster. 

PLEASE check your bra straps. If you are wearing a tank top, make sure your bra straps are not visible. Wear clear straps or better yet, buy a bra strap concealer that converts your regular bra into a racer back bra…they are cheap and easy to find!

I hope you find these tips helpful. Booking a photo session is fun and exciting. Make the best of your photos by dressing your family adorably and paying attention to the details!”

This week’s post comes from the very talented Morgan of Morgan Dawson Photography!  She gives us some great tips and a great store to take the stress out of shopping 3 or 4 or 5 (as I did) different stores to put together your portrait wardrobe.  I wish I knew about this then …. thanks Morgan!

“This week we’re all about saving time and adding convenience.
That’s because I had to figure out: What’s a girl to do when her Wardrobe Wednesday post is unexpectedly due a week early? It’s easy! One-stop shop at a place that picks the outfits FOR you.

I’m probably the last one to the Boden party, but better late than never, right? Not only do they have adult clothing, they also have lines for kids (miniBoden) and teens (Johnnie B). So when you’re shopping for a family, this is really a great place to start. It also helps that Boden has a chill, relaxed style (who doesn’t love clothing you can actually live in!) and a tendency to feature bright colors. Always great for a photo shoot!

Often we suggest picking a piece or color and creating an outfit around it. With Boden, once you select an item you’ll see photos and links to other clothing and accessories that will complete the look – from head to toe. It’s that easy!

Are you visual (like me) and need to see a few more outfit combinations? You’re in luck (as long as you’re shopping in the women’s section). Boden provides an outfit creator that allows you to add and subtract items on a virtual mannequin. I’m great at picking out individual pieces, but when I’m buying for myself, I struggle with creating an entire look. This is such a huge help.

Need a few more reasons to check out Boden?

1) Check out their sale or clearance items. While some places wait until the season is over to start pricing things down, Boden isn’t afraid to discount current styles.
2) You can order items for your entire family and only check out once – with a flat shipping rate of $10.
3) If you call Boden you hear the most polite voice recording from owner Johnnie Boden himself – with a charming British accent

Cheers and happy shopping!”

I was so excited to finally get to photograph this lovely family after we initially had to reschedule due to rain.  We were blessed with some gorgeous light the second go-around, but man was it hot and humid!   I think we were all looking forward to ending the night in the creek!    They did a great job keeping “fresh”, and Mom did a fabulous job with their outfits – aren’t they such a good-looking family? Thanks for being such good sports and enduring that lovely Texas weather with a smile (lots of them in fact)!  Enjoy your sneak peek!

Oh how the time flies, it seems like just yesterday I was shooting Miss Kennedy’s newborn session.  She is just as absolutely adorable today as she was back then!  She couldn’t have been a more perfect subject – all smiles and cute expressions, and not a tear to shed.  I’m forever spoiled.    And didn’t Mom do a great job with her outfit?  The colors looked so great against the background at this park.  I should also give a shout-out to big sister and brother Maci and Tucker who were soooo good during the shoot that they earned a trip to the toy store!  And can I just say that there’s nothing that brightens my day more than a return client!  It’s such an honor to be a part of the process of capturing that growth – whether it be from newborn to one year old, toddler to senior, senior to engagement, and perhaps eventually another newborn ( ) – I cherish the fact that you’ve chosen me to help memorialize that journey.  Okay, okay, on with the pictures!  Enjoy your sneak peek!

I had the pleasure of photographing these two cuties last weekend on a very toasty morning.  Madilyn and Kenna are cousins (and only a couple of weeks apart age-wise), and the focus was definitlely all on them!    The proud parents hopped in for a few shots, but they spent most of their time singing and dancing in the background to help get some of these adorable smiles (thanks guys!).  It was a little bit harder to coax a smile out of Kenna (my Emory is the same way), but we managed to get some good ones.  Thanks for trekking all the way over here on your Saturday morning, I really had a blast!  Enjoy your sneak peek! 

Well, I didn’t think I’d be able to give you a look at these until next week as they were supposed to be a top-secret Father’s Day gift, but I’ve been notified that the cat’s out of the bag and I’m cleared to share.    And it has been so hard to hold back, let me tell you!  Not that I don’t absolutely love my senior clients (which I do), but it seems like forever since I have gotten to photograph some little ones.  We decided to have a some fun with this shoot – lots of great colors (Mom nailed the outfits!), new props, and the debut of my studio setup to the great outdoors.  It was not without it’s hiccups (think backdrop turning into a giant sail), but we managed to skate through with only minor injuries and lots of smiles.    As you can see, they are some pretty adorable smiles!  Big sis Ella completely took control and just loved all over her little sis … Lucy really shone once she got the spotlight to herself, as the younger ones often do!  I’m so glad Mom wanted to get in a few as well – I hope Dad was thrilled with the images of his three gorgeous gals.  Thanks for letting me capture this special moment and for being such troopers – I had a blast! 

I know this post is very belated, but what can I say, there’s been a lot going on!  Bluebonnet season was completely crazy for me this year, but I did manage to sneak in a few pics of my girl.   My mom brought her up to the fields before one of my sessions – thank goodness for her help!  I’ll give you a quick update on my Texas gal.  She oozes personality.  She is so passionate – it seems like everything she feels, from joy and happiness to anger and frustration, she feels to the absolute fullest.  It certainly keeps us on our toes!  She is starting to “talk” more and more … sometimes we understand and sometimes we don’t.  Her favorite two things to do are running and swinging.  She says “WEEEEEEEE” whenever we see or come near a swing … that kid could swing for hours.  She gives hugs and kisses {some days}, and she loves to dance {see below}.  She just fills our lives with so much joy, and we thank God every day for entrusting her to us!