Posted on November 27, 2011

Carly was such a blast to photograph a couple mornings ago in Balboa Park! She brought two super cute outfits & was really fun to chitchat with and talk to! She’s applying to a bunch of colleges & I know she’ll do great things in life!!

Posted on November 21, 2011

I often get asked the question “What should I wear to my photo shoot?” While style varies for everyone, there are some basic guidelines to follow:

1. Stay away from super bright, warm colors

We’re talking hot pink, bright red, orange, etc. I always suggest neutrals or neutrals paired with lighter colors. They make the backdrops pop & typically flatter skintone.

2. Dress (kinda) comfortably

If your clothes are uncomfortable, you’ll be uncomfortable… and you’ll look uncomfortable in your photos! If you decide to wear a skirt, make sure it’s long enough to where you can sit down without worrying about giving anyone a show! OR if you do want to go a bit dressy, bring a casual outfit change as well, so we can grab some of those candid, sitting on the ground shots without worrying about the dry cleaning bill!

3. Try to stay away from “matchy matchy”

We’ve all seen it done, and there’s good reason for it… it’s a classic look! The matching white polo shirts & khakis, jeans, black pants, etc. Most people have probably seen this look done & loved it, so they decide to do it themselves. While I welcome all clients & opinions, I do find the photos are more interesting when you mix it up a bit. Maybe you still want to do white tops & jeans, but everyone wears a different style of white shirt… or maybe someone’s in a white dress, or jean skirt instead of jean pants. Just a little variety goes a long way in making your photos look current, without losing that classic touch.

4. Dress for the weather

Is it supposed to be windy for your beach session in December? Please coordinate your outfits to include long pants & sweaters! There’s nothing worse than families that look miserable standing in the cold in dresses & or shorts! Plus, if you want your kiddos to smile in the photos, sticking them in freezing cold weather with nothing but a tank top dress isn’t going to do the trick! If you picture dresses & warm-weather clothing in your photos, schedule a session during the spring or summer months… and opt for a late afternoon session over a morning session!

I was browsing through online boutiques the other day & came across this awesome guide of trendy outfits for women… I absolutely love this stuff & it looks great in photos! This is just an idea of some of the current trends that are going on right now… pair these looks with a beautiful smile, pretty location & warm backlighting & voila! Your pictures will turn out amazing!!!

Posted on October 22, 2011

I had the chance to hang out with Lisa & her beautiful dog Tilly today down at Sunset Cliffs. First off, Lisa is AWESOME. My schedule has been less than accommodating this past year during the Groupon, & beach sessions are tough to find the perfect window of good lighting & decent tide, but she was SO patient. She’s a life coach & I’ll bet she’s really good at her job! I knew this session would rock when she told me she needed a couple headshots for her website but the rest of the photos she just wanted to have fun. And fun was had! We clambered over the cliffs a bit and repelled down a little cliff (camera in tow!) to get to the beach at the Cliffs (I don’t know how I haven’t been here before) & it was well worth it! I’ll tell ya, I’m up for just about anything to get a good shot! I had to do two little sneak peeks here as half the photos were just Lisa & the other half were her & Tilly. Gorgeous subjects, great lighting, and an awesome location made for a super fun shoot. I love when I have clients I can chat it up with during their session & Lisa was just that!