School photo day is such a special moment! Whether you’re working with me or another photographer, what your child wears can really make a difference in the final portraits. As your Santa Barbara school photographer, I want to help you pick the perfect outfit so your child’s photo looks timeless and captures their true personality.
Keep it Simple and Classic
For Fine Art School Portraits, solid colors are best. They keep the focus on your child’s face and expressions, allowing their natural beauty to shine through without distractions. Solid, classic tones also ensure the photo won’t feel dated as trends come and go. And one thing to avoid: no neon! It can reflect oddly and cast a glow onto your child’s face, which isn’t what we want.
Go for Comfortable, Timeless Tops
Since I'm focusing on shoulders and up, the top is key. Choose something that’s both comfortable and classic—kids feel better when they’re relaxed, and that always shows in their expressions. Soft knits or a simple cotton top with a clean neckline work beautifully. Also, be sure the fit is right!
Skip the Distracting Accessories
While hats and big bows can be cute, they can sometimes take away from your child’s face in portraits. It’s best to avoid large accessories that might cast shadows or distract from their expressions. Keep hair accessories minimal and functional instead of decorative.
Hair and Grooming Tips
Neat and tidy hair makes a huge difference! Keeping it out of their eyes allows me to really capture their full expressions and creates a clean, polished look. Simple hairstyles tend to work best with the classic nature of these portraits.
Things to Avoid
Logos, graphics, or bold patterns on shirts can pull focus away from your child, and we don’t want that! Also, as mentioned earlier, overly bright or neon colors can create harsh shadows or highlights on the face, so it’s best to stick with softer, more neutral tones.
Final Thoughts
The goal here is to capture your child as they truly are, so dress them in something they feel great in! If you’re unsure or need a little help deciding on an outfit, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help make school photo day a success.
