WINTER/SNOW SESSION WARDROBE GUIDE
I get a lot of questions about what to wear for a photo shoot out in the snow. Should we all be matching? What colors will look good? How can we be dressed up in the snow? Do we have to dress up?
Well, based on 10 years of experience and observations, here are my suggestions to make you comfortable and make sure you will like your photos!
1. Colors: You really have a lot of options here. The main thing is to be sure it is a palette that looks good together – tough if everyone is dressed in pastels except Uncle Donny who shows up in his neon orange ski jacket! This can become a big issue with jackets in particular.
You can look on-line for seasonal color pallets and use one of those. You will love the inspiration they can give! I suggest a search term of “Winter family photo color palette” – you will find a lot of options.
One rule of thumb that works well is to choose two colors that go well together and then have everyone use those two colors PLUS neutral colors. You see that in the image above and below this section where the base layers are neutral and the pop of color comes from the hats and other accessories.
The image below is an example of the bright pink and teal colors mixed with neutrals.
Two things I advise avoiding:
a. Everyone showing up in the exact same colors; and
b. Lots of large clothing pieces in black or other very colors without something to break it up and give it a little life. That doesn’t mean no black or navy blue. They can make great accent pieces, but not the best as your main colors.
2. Texture: Lots of different textures is a hallmark of my photography style and your clothing choices help this effort along. Cable knit or other patterns in sweaters with denim and a little bit of cashmere in a scarf adds depth to the photograph through texture that isn’t too bulky. You see a lot of mixed texture in the image above, and it works well!
3. Layers: You also see a lot of layers in the image above. Layers are so helpful in achieving the textures you want to make your photos look wintery and yet you stay warm. The one caution is not to go so layered that you lose the shape of your body.
Some recommendations I find work well are: Sweaters over shirts with a vest or coordinating jacket on top. Skirts with tights or leggings (textured if you can) and boots help to add that layered look to your bottom half.
For the guys, a textured knit or Irish style sweater over a collared shirt with a jacket or vest for warmth give that deep texture. Jeans or tan pants and boots for the bottom half go with almost anything! If you want a dressier look than jeans, go for it! Just keep the top half interesting visually---and warm!
Don’t forget to layer those accessories too – a thin glove liner under a fashion glove will keep you warmer. Scarves, a hat with dangly earrings, anything that adds little bits of interest without stealing the show is good. These items make great layers. Not only will this look fantastic in the photos, some will also help to keep you warm.
4. Warm: Wear lots of layers for warmth as well as for appearance. In the image above the little girl is toasty warm and looks adorable. Expecting a child take off their coat for images in Montana winter weather can be a frustration for all. Find outerwear that can be incorporated into the outfit, or make sure that there are enough layers on each subject to keep them reasonably warm.
This is especially important for the littles in your group. They get so cold and so quickly! Make sure they have tights under pants, double layer of tights for little girls in dresses, long underwear, or the little warming pads strategically placed in their mittens and boots.
Definitely do not forget mittens and hats for them! Little hands and feet get cold very quickly and suddenly it isn’t fun for them any more. And, yes, that will show in the photos when their poor little faces are so sad. But if they are dressed warmly and you keep them moving a bit, they can happily be out in the cold. It really works!
5. Footwear. Wear shoes you can tromp around in – boots are often the best choice, but not high heeled boots in most cases. There are a lot of great snow boots out there. If you show up to a spot where the snow is 18 inches deep in a high healed pump or a slip-on clog of some sort, you will find yourself challenged as you move around. But, if you have a boot, even a boot not specifically for snow, you will be oh so much more comfortable and look so much better in the environment you’ve selected for your shoot.
EXTRA TIP: Invest in those warming pods you can slip into your boots and gloves--- especially for kids.
6. Blankets: I will bring a selection of blankets to give you something to wrap up in and be warm. But you should feel free to bring that special blanket that you have if you would like. Plus, we can do so many fun things with blankets!
Conclusion: You have so many options as to what to wear for your winter/snow photo session! Enjoy!