What should I wear

Tomorrow when we get our family pics done. We are mostly going to be in nice casual clothes but I don't know what I should wear. I have some nice peasant type tops and some really cute button up tops. I just don't want to wear a regular t shirt. The peasant tops are kind of a satiny effect the have kind of a low cut section and has little beady type jewels type things on the neck line. And I have cream, white, and black. I also have a cute little black button up top and have like four or five other tops that are just different in color. One kind of a brownish red stripe type thing is really cute on me they are the stripes that go down kind of makes me look a little slimmer, and have a blue, white and tan one, I have a white top like that, and a tan one. And I have several selections of jeans. So I could wear the brown stripe top with a western type pair of jeans I have and go for a country look. Or a black pair of jeans that has this kind of gypsy look for lack of a better word. And I simply don't know what to wear. And I need some ideas. I am going to wear my rose quartz lip stick it has this shimmery look to it just love it. And the eye shadow choices I have are some cute greens, lavendar like color, and I have a really cute little light light brown. They all look great on me not sure which I want. ANd I am going to pull the sides of my hair up but leave some in the front down and let it frame my face.

If it is a group photo, are you going to coordinate with the others? If it is group, most likely your clothing is not going tobe that obvious.

In order to keep the focus on your face, you should wear a top that is darker in tone thatn your face. In otrher words, no white or light tan. It is best to wear black, or dark blue, or dark red, and it should be plain, no patterns, so that you will be the focus.

Okay I haven't even worn my black outfit yet so I guess this will be just as good of a time as any. Now the pic won't be on my feet but should I wear boots the reason I ask this is my boots match my outfit but they make me taller than I normally am by like two or three inches.

What kind of photo are going to do be doing? A big group one? I'd see what everyone else is wearing first, but I agree, no white/tan colors, they will make you look pale. I'd go for the darker colors for sure. Nothing too shiny or sparkly either.

Shiny or sparkly will (presuming you're using a flash) reflect it and give you the lovely 'streaks of white' look. Maybe a nice pastel tone?

What about the reddish brown stripe type shirt. The stripes are very small not really plaid but a similar kind of thing. I haven't talked to my sister but I think the girls will be in their easter dresses. Knowning my sis she will simply be in a nice shirt and dad will do the same not sure about my BIL. They didn't know they were going to be in the pics till I told them. We are doing three sets. One with just my nieces, one with my nieces, my sister, and I for dad and bil's father's day presents. And I am getting one with all of us.

Sometimes small stripes can end up doing funny things on camera. I'd just stick with something simple that will keep the focus on you instead of what you're wearing.

Well I have a black button up top. That has no other colors just black even the snaps are black.

You may want to do your makeup a little darker and a little heavier than normal. It won't show up on camera as being too dark or too overdone. I just mean layer it darker, not change the colors to darker colors..

Also, red lipstick will make your teeth appear more white, and orange based colors will make them more yellowish.. putting blush under your cheekbones will emphasize your cheekbones, and if you have pudgy cheeks like I do.. putting a contour shade in a triangle on your cheek under the cheekbone will slenderize your face. Let me try to explain that... hmmm

l\\ /l
l/ \\l That would be as you looked at your face, but consider that they should actually be more regularly shaped. Can't do too much with the keyboard. The top angled line should run under your cheekbone, not on it, and the bottom point should end down around your jawbone near towards the ears (but not that far back). You want to be very careful not to run the darker contour shade into the hairline. It needs to blend.

Anyway... um.. I'd stay with a flattering color, minimal print but preferably a solid color (like everyone else said).

You might want to rethink your shimmery lidpstick. It will reflect light. A dark flat color will be more flattering for your teeth. You can posder your shimmery lipstick to take off the shimmer. powder yournlips, apply the lipstick powder again. It will make it last longer and give it a flat finish.

Gail mentioned the lipstick, and she's right -- you want a matte look for the camera. And Heather's right on the same issue with shiny fabric.

Here's one more thought: whatever you do, don't wear anything that's trendy or costumey. Wear something simple and timeless, so when your children look at that photo decades from now, you won't have to blush and explain, "Well, everybody was wearing that then!"

Most photographers advise you NOT to put your make-up on heavier because it comes out looking awful on a phorograph. Don't do anything different with your make-up. Unless of course you have make-up foundation that is specifically designed with light-reflecting particles (used in camera shots). I agree with the matt look lips, but I don't agree with the heavy colours. If your foundation is heavy, the flash will show up seams and colour differences between your makeup and your skin. Remember the camera has a powerful flash, it will show up heavy make-up as being very heavy. Make it light, make it matt and make it natural. The focus is the group, not your make-up! have fun!

Hope I am not too late...
When we had professional pictures at a studio we wore nice dress up black shirts and khaki pants. I had on heels.
I wore very little jewelry (usual for me) and had a lot of make-up but did not at all looked caked on or excessive (since I usually don't wear much *my* a lot might not be a lot to others). I brought touch-ups to the pic site, like lip-gloss (don't use too much gloss, only a tiny bit!) I also did all of this before hand so it wasn't a couple hours before and I was wondering what to do with hair and make-up.
I gave myself plenty of time for my hair (very long). The pics turned out great. The animals were also invited along to be a part which really made it wonderful.
Hope they turn out just like you want them! Remember to have fun

Actually, darker is what modeling agencies teach. That's where I learned the darker makeup for photoshoots concept, along with the contouring (which was also reiterated in cosmetology school). That being said, darker means darker in the contour areas, and not necessarily switching to like a black eyeshadow instead of a green or brown, and everything needs to be blended very well. Photographs are two dimensional. Contouring with darker/lighter colors adds dimension to your face.

Bright lights particularly wash your face and skin out. Flashes do the same. That's why modeling instructors and cosmetologists always do darker makeup for runway, stage, and photo shoots. That being said, sometimes that stuff is all over done, and a ton more exotic and nothing that normal people would do on a daily basis, but the basis is completely the same.. using highlighting and contouring.

If you do any contouring on your general face, though, use shades that are only slightly lighter or darker and blend blend blend blend. You should absolutely not see any visible lines of where something starts and finishes in the brightest light in your house. If you decide to contour, use very thin layers of color and build it.. you can always add a bit more but it's dratted hard to remove it if you get too much on there.

Anyway, since my advice has been pishposhed, lol.. here's a few links:

http://www.maq.com/makeup/modules.ph...rder=0&thold=0

here's some more basics for photo lighting: http://www.ehow.com/how_11272_apply-...otographs.html

And a few more: http://www.brandtphotography.com/makeup_tips.htm

Anyway, good luck whatever you do! I'm sure they'll turn out lovely.

Anyway, since my advice has been pishposhed, lol.. here's a few links

Click to expand...

hey catsrbetter, as a former professional photographer, your info is right on. Especially since she is doing a group photo, not a portrait. The lights can wash out your face. However, if it were natural light, then normal makeup would be fine. If it were black and white, heavy duty makeup works best.
I know when you said darker and heavier, you didn't mean streetwalker style.

Hehe, no, I didn't, but I often manage to not convey my message very well on a written form because.. I tend to ramble.. I manage to miss points, And unfortunately for everyone who has to read my posts.. this is one of those topics that I'm into, so I'm even more longwinded!