Session
Guide
Get Ready For Our Photo Session
Over the years of photographing I have noticed that some of my clients are unsure of what to do and what to expect. It’s very important to me that you are extremely satisfied with the results and for that we need to be prepared before and at the day of the shoot.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT HEAD TO THE LOCATION IF WE HAVEN’T TEXTED EACH OTHER THE NIGHT BEFORE OR THE DAY OF OUR SHOOT.
Phone Number: (650)278-9096
Most Important, bring your best happiest self. You cannot lie on how you feel in the camera. I will take the time to have a little chat to get to know each other and break the ice. The first few minutes of our shoot is going to be mostly testing so you are getting comfortable and warmed up.
Arrive 10-15 minutes earlier. This will give you time to find parking, use the restroom and to freshen up from the car ride. Our starting time is the time on the contract or the time we discussed prior to our shoot. Most of the time I have double bookings and I may need to head to the next client, so it is very important that we start and finish on time.
Arrive 10-15 minutes earlier. If you have kids arrive earlier to get them ready. Please don’t wait till our shooting time starts to do that because it decreases our shooting time.
Keep in mind the traffic. We live in the Bay Area and no matter how prepared we are we can get stuck in traffic or in an accident. Golden hour shoots are time sensitive since the lighting is limited.
Come hair and makeup ready. You are spending money and time to have this photo session so make sure you are going to love how you look in the photos. You don’t need any professional work done but if you prefer to have some help I can send you some suggestions.
Remove all objects from your pockets. Once our shoot starts please have all the objects removed from your pockets.
Bring a towel and water to remove the sand from your feet after our shoot.
Bring comfortable shoes/flip flops to get to our shooting spot and you can change once we arrive. Some locations require a little bit of a hike and the ground can be challenging.
If your outfits get wrinkled, please put them on once you arrive.
• If you are wearing sunglasses please bring makeup to cover the marks.
Beach, Cliffs, or Forest
Things to keep in mind:
Coastal locations (beach & cliffs):
The coast is beautiful, but unpredictable. You can experience sun, fog, wind, or calm conditions, sometimes all within the same session.
Bring a jacket or layer, even on warm days
Expect wind, especially on cliffs (Not always)
Wear comfortable shoes for walking to and from locations
Cliffs:
Some cliff locations require a bit of walking and uneven terrain.
Choose flats, wedges, or stable shoes you can walk in confidently
Prioritize comfort and safety while still feeling dressed up
Make sure you feel comfortable being near edges and heights
Beach:
The beach is more relaxed, but comes with its own elements.
Wedges, flats, or barefoot all work beautifully
Be open to sand and possibly getting your feet wet, especially toward the end of the session
Dresses with movement photograph beautifully here
Forest / Redwood locations:
Even on warm days, forest areas can feel significantly cooler.
Bring a jacket or layer
Light can be softer and darker, so outfits with texture or lighter tones tend to stand out nicely
Be prepared for temperature changes and shade
Trust the process
Every location has its own personality. Whether it is foggy, sunny, or windy, those elements often create the most unique and beautiful images.
Outfit Ideas
Wear something picture cute. I LOVE LOVE LOVE flowy dresses and skirts….also the camera loves these 2 choices. We can be playful and super cute. If you are not a dress person show up with your own unique style.
Styling Webpage: https://styleandselect.com/Visit their instagram page for free ideas: style_and_select
Webpages for clothing:
This company is pricey to buy dresses but you can rent. Their stuff are AMAZING:
wearereclamation.comOther options:
balticborn.com
freepeople.comOutfit color suggestions:
Off-white, Ivory and beige, khaki hues are always my top recommendation for photo sessions, they photograph beautifully, stay timeless, and flatter any setting or season.
For cliffs/rocks:
Off-white, Ivory and beige, white, khaki, light brown, reddish brown, olive green maroon, (pumpkin) orange, burgundy- red are perfect.
Meadows :
Beige, ivory, off-white colors, khaki, light brown, brown/red, (pumpkin) orange, maroon, (pumpkin) orange, red are perfect.
For beach:
Beige, ivory, Off-white, khaki, brown, (pumpkin) orange, baby blue, baby pink, 0live-green.For the forest:
Beige, khaki, off-white, light brown/camel, soft muted olive green, warm taupe, rust/terracotta.
If you like the warm look on the photos, wear warm colors. Blue outfits create bluish edits. Light/warm colors give the best editing results for my editing style.
Off-white, beige and Ivory are the most preferred colors.
Avoid: Black, neon, too dark colors, loud patterns or logos.
Scroll at the End for Guy’s outfit ideas.
Web Photos:
These online photo-suggestions are just ideas for the outfit as a shape and not as a color.
