What to Wear

These sessions are designed to feel light, artistic, and authentically you. Think relaxed, connected, creative. Not stiff. Not overly formal. Not department store portrait vibes.

Keep your color palette soft + neutral. For these minis, we strongly encourage a simple, cohesive color palette:

• Cream

• Ivory

• Beige

• Soft tan

• Warm white

• Muted neutrals

These tones photograph beautifully in our clean studio setting and allow the focus to stay on your faces, your connection, and your expressions.

Avoid: loud prints or neon colors

Bare feet photograph beautifully in studio. They instantly create a softer, more connected feel. If you will be wearing shoes, choose something intentional and stylish. Avoid athletic sneakers or overly busy footwear.

Lean Into Creative Layering. We love:

• Linen textures

• Chunky knits

• Soft cardigans

• Relaxed button-downs

• Oversized sweaters

• Simple dresses with movement

Layering adds dimension and gives your session that editorial, creative feel without looking overdone.

FOR OUTDOOR SESSIONS: If you are doing an outdoor session, be mindful we may be walking over muddy areas (so don’t wear shoes you care too much about).

PLEASE AVOID VERY SHORT SKIRTS. We move a lot during sessions. Sitting. Standing. Kneeling. Cuddling. Very short skirts make posing extremely difficult. Please choose skirts that are mid-thigh or longer. This allows you to move comfortably and keeps everything flattering and effortless. For younger girls wearing dresses or skirts, please make sure they are wearing leggings or tights underneath as they will be moving around a lot.

DRESS CONFIDENTLY. If you don’t love it, don’t wear it. Choosing clothing that makes you feel comfortable and confident plays a huge role in how much you love your final images.

If you don’t love your arms, opt for sleeves. If you don’t love your legs, choose longer skirts, dresses, or pants. Thoughtfully dressing in a way that downplays the areas you’re not feeling great about right now (we all have them) helps ensure you feel your best in photos.

Simply put, highlight the parts of yourself you love and let your clothing gently disguise the rest.

COORDINATING WARDROBE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS

Coordinate your outfits with the other members of your group to ensure a cohesive look. We suggest wearing solid colors that flatter your skin tone. Avoid logos and busy patterns that may be distracting.

We suggest telling everyone in the group to stick with a similar color theme (for example - tell everyone to wear shades of cream and white). Consider the season you will be taking photos in.

Here are some suggestions to help when selecting colors. Neutrals (cream/white) look good in every season and are a very timeless look.

Hair & Makeup

Please arrive fully ready for your session.

That means:

• Hair styled

• Makeup complete

• Everyone dressed

Pro tip: If it normally takes you 30 minutes to get ready, give yourself an extra 15 to 30 minutes. Rushing is when things feel stressful. Planning extra time keeps the morning calm and smooth.

If you are interested in having professional makeup and hair done for your session, please check out our makeup artist recommendations HERE. If you are having one of our makeup artists do your makeup, you will have to arrange with them to do makeup at your home or at their studio as we don’t have the time or space to do makeup in our studio (it adds an extra hour+ to your session time).

Nails

We often see hands! Fresh, clean nails make a big difference. Make sure everyone’s nails (hands and toes, if you will be barefoot) are manicured). Neutral or soft tones photograph beautifully for women. Men should also make sure nails are clean and trimmed.

Plan Ahead

Planning your outfits in advance helps ensure nothing gets missed on session day and saves you from running around the house searching for that one last missing piece. We’ve all been there.

We recommend choosing everyone’s outfits, head to toe, at least a few days before your session. Be sure to allow time to order anything additional you may need. Once everything is selected, hang each complete outfit together and place shoes and accessories in a bag looped around the hanger. Set everything aside on one side of your closet. Do this for every family member.

It may sound simple, but trust us, this makes a huge difference in your stress levels on session day.

Then when the day arrives, all you have to do is grab your outfits, get ready, and head out the door. Easy.

For Those Who Wear Glasses

OUTDOOR SESSIONS: Glasses that have anti-glare coating and are not light sensitive are the best for photos. If we see a heavy glare on your glasses or they are transition changing with the light, we may ask you to remove your glasses so we can clearly see your eyes. If you think your glasses will be problematic, consider an alternate pair without these issues, or a pair of glasses with the lenses popped out (we will not be able to see the lenses are popped out in the photos). Please communicate with any family members who wear glasses they need to make sure their glasses are not light-transitional, especially if your session will be outdoors. Light-transitional glasses WILL appear dark and we will not be able to see your eyes well, even when shooting in shaded areas!!!!! We can’t stress this enough.

STUDIO SESSIONS: We will be inside of a studio, but please avoid glasses that are dark light-transitional as some take quite awhile to adjust to indoor lighting.

Best case:

• Anti-glare coating (most glasses are these days)

• Non-light-sensitive lenses

If we can’t see your eyes, we may ask you to remove your glasses so we can clearly see your eyes.

Smart Watches

Smart watches of any kind do not photograph well. The big black rectangle plate is never attractive in a photo (no matter how fancy it is).

Please remove all smart watches before arriving. They are very distracting in photos and do not match the timeless feel of these sessions.

Prepare Your Mind

Prepare your mind before you arrive. Let go of expectations. This is not about perfect hair, perfect outfits, or posing the perfect way. It is about capturing this season of your life exactly as it is. If you are worried about your clothes or focused on getting everything just right, that tension will show. Remember, heirloom photos are not just for you. They are also for all the loved ones in your life.

Also, leave any arguments in the car or at home. We have seen how quickly stress or picking at each other can shift the energy of a session. It makes the experience uncomfortable for everyone. As best you can, release the stress of the day and lean into the creativity of the moment. When you relax and allow the experience to unfold naturally, that is when the real magic happens.

What to Expect

OUTDOOR SESSIONS

We will meet at an agreed upon location and walk from there. We do try our best to keep you out of any highly buggy or muddy areas. If your group has any walking concerns, please let us know ahead of time so we can properly prepare.

STUDIO SESSIONS:

Our studio is our converted garage. It is temperature regulated (we have heat and a/c). We have a bathroom inside our home that guests are welcome to use, but for mini’s it’s best to arrive ready to go (so use the bathroom before you arrive) so bathroom time doesn’t cut into your session time.

Weather Concerns - Outdoor Sessions

Summer sessions…

Ticks and mosquitoes ARE nasty in the summer. We recommend spraying deet from your waist-down and natural bug repellant from your waist-up (kids included).

Unfortunately, often where the photos are the prettiest, is where there tends to be more mosquitoes and possibly ticks! I do try my absolute best to make sure everyone stays on man-made paths (to avoid ticks), but the mosquitoes often still will bite! I HIGHLY encourage coming prepared with bug spray. What I will often do is spray Off with Deet on my legs and feet, and then I use the organic stuff from the waist-up. Here are my favorite brands for those looking for alternatives to deet:

DEET-FREE PICARIDIN SPRAY - for those not wanting deet but something strong

MURPHY’S PLANT BASED SPRAY - for those looking for a more natural approach

BABYGANICS - for the little babies!

OFF - for when you want maximum protection!

Winter sessions…

Snow makes for beautiful photos, so bundle up and let’s go make magic! But please dress everyone accordingly. Cold kids can not hide it on their face, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE dress warm. Hats, gloves and scarves can be very cute in photos so please layer up! There is no reason for everyone to be miserable and risk getting sick. We can still get beautiful cozy photos with everyone dressed appropriately for the weather.

If it’s raining…

We will connect with you to reschedule your session.

Working with Kids

WE SUPPORT BRIBERY + TALK UP THE SESSION

Please bring water and snacks for young kids. For children who can have solids, we recommend white chocolate baking morsels. They are small, sweet, and do not stain. Whatever works best for your child, we fully support you. Bribery and all!

We also find that how you talk about the session ahead of time makes a big difference in how cooperative kids are. Instead of presenting it as something they have to do, frame it as something fun! Tell them you are going to play, cuddle, explore, and take beautiful family photos to print and hang in your home. Let them know they are going to meet a fun photographer named Kat. You can even tell them my name is like the animal. Kids love that! It may sound small, but it truly helps set the tone and makes the whole experience smoother for everyone.

MAKE SURE THEY ARE WELL FED AND WELL RESTED

Hungry and tired kids are angry kids. ‘Nuff said.

DRESS THEM APPROPRIATELY

For outdoor sessions - please please please, DRESS YOUR KIDS APPROPRIATE FOR THE WEATHER!!! Adults can smile through the cold, kids can not. If your kids are cold or hot, it will show on their faces and they will look miserable through the photos.

CLIP HAIR BACK

There is nothing worse than having the perfect shot and hair is falling in your kids face. Use little clips to secure any hair that could potentially fall into their faces. Opt for hairstyles that keep hair away from the face.

CHECK YOUR OWN ENERGY

No grumpy dads or stressed out moms! Your kids will feed off your energy, so whatever is bothering you, try to let it go before your session and enjoy the ride! We will be here to root you on the whole way!

Feeling Stuck?

If you feel stuck with your wardrobe or need additional suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us anytime. We welcome our clients to send over photos of what outfits they are thinking about ahead of time. We are here to help!

Email: BKRoseStudio (at) gmail.com