What to Wear to Ensure a Good Portrait Session

Earth Tones

You have taken a great deal of time to select a date for your session and get everyone organized. Now...what should you wear? Don't let this be a stressful part of your preparation. Follow these simple guidelines and you and your family will look polished and put together.

• Your portraits will look more professional if you choose similar colored clothes. We don't suggest that you need to be what we call "matchy-matchy" but similar clothes styles and color tones are helpful. Solids work best.
• Choose clothing in the same tonal ranges so that no single member of the family stands out because the clothing is too light or bright as compared to the rest of the groups.

More details to consider:

• Clean nails and fresh nail polish is encouraged.
  
  
• When wearing white tops, nude toned undergarments photograph much better than white undergarments.
  
  
• Sleeves are recommended unless you are thin.
  
  
• Cover up any body parts you don't like.
  
  
• Avoid transition glasses since we shoot outside and the lenses will look dark and not show your eyes. The best solution is a pair of glasses frames with no glass--if you have them.
  
  
• Turtlenecks or V-necks can be flattering, but they must not be exaggerated in style. Avoid very wide or particularly deep V-neck garments or bulky cowl-neck sweaters that completely hide the neck.
  
  
• Women should avoid bare knees in order to keep the eye from being directed toward the legs and away from the face.
  
  
• If feet are to show in the portrait shoes and stockings should be in keeping  with the visual intent of the portrait. Bare feet can be appropriate in beach and casual settings.
  
  
• Men should have their hair cut about one week before the portrait session.

White, Blue, and Denim

Warm Autumn Tones 

Solids

Announcing the Fourth Winner of the "Just So Favorite Photos Contest"...

I love certain images that I shoot, but that might be for different reasons than you do.
I wanted to know what makes YOU love an image.

And the fourth winner is...Shari Matza!!!

Shari picked 2 photos of her twin daughters from a session we did on the beach 
on the North Shore. Below are the Just So Designs-Susan Ogar Photography images 
Shari selected, a quote from Shari about why she chose these image, as well as 
some additional shots from the session. 

Samantha

Morgan

"We had our photo shoot at the beach (one of our favorite places to be). I loved the way Sue caught my daughter Samantha's expression. The way the light hits her face, her red hair and cute freckles. Her hair is partly in front of her eyes as she looks to the left and it is by far, my most favorite photo of her to date.

In addition, Sue also captured a beautiful photo of my other daughter Morgan. It is also at the beach 

(our favorite place), with the water in the background. Morgan's smile is beautiful. I didn't realize how beautiful, until viewing the 16 x 20 print I ordered from this photo shoot. She too is looking to the left and the natural 

sunlight off her face is stunning.

Thank you Sue for capturing the essence of my girls' in a very happy place!"

Congratulation to Shari! One final winner will be announced next week.

Mother's Day Gift Dilemma...Solved

Link to the Jewelry options: http://www.wearyourlove.net/ecatalog

Announcing the Third Winner of the "Just So Favorite Photos Contest"...

I love certain images that I shoot, but that might be for different reasons than you do.
I wanted to know what makes YOU love an image.

And the second winner is...Jen Locke!!!

Jen selected an image from a portrait session I did with her daughter when she was turing 1 year old. Her favorite photo by Just So Designs-Susan Ogar Photography is of her daughter. Below is the photo Jen selected, a quote from Jen about why she chose this image, as well as some additional shots from the session. 

“While I have always been so admiring of Sue’s ability to relax children and bring out their true personalities, there is one photo of my daughter that caused us to stop flipping through proofs and just gaze at its beauty.  It is an upper-body shot of Piper at one year old, in the woods bordering the yard of a friend of mine where we chose to take the photos.  Of course Piper, the eager explorer, ventured into the trees rather than staying on the grass—and she was in her glory.  She has a smile that makes me melt (first two tiny teeth peeping out), and Sue captured it—so well, in fact, that I did something I have never done, and that is to order an 11x14-sized wall portrait.  The portrait hangs on our living room wall and gets tons of 

comments from everyone.  I look at it every day and it brings me right back to that (fleeting) time in Piper’s life—and isn’t that what good photographs should do?  

And it always, always makes me smile.”

Jen wins an 11x14 wall portrait. More winners are on the way...

Announcing the Second Winner of the "Just So Favorite Photos Contest"...

I love certain images that I shoot, but that might be for different reasons than you do. I wanted to know what makes YOU love an image.

And the second winner is...Erin Dorazio!!!

Erin selected an image from a portrait session I did with her extended family including her 

husband and two children as well has her parents are her brother's family. The session was at  Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg in Webster, MA. Yes...that is a real lake. (Isn't that crazy?) Anyway, I love to photograph large families. It's great to capture the dynamics between cousins and adult siblings, etc. Erin has 2 beautiful kids. Her favorite photo by Just So Designs-Susan Ogar Photography is of her daughter. After I read what she wrote on her contest entry, how could I not choose her?! Below is the photo Erin selected, a quote from Erin, as well as some additional shots from the session. 

"My favorite photo is the one of my daughter. 

The light that hits her is perfect and she looks like an angel sent from heaven!!!"

Here are additional photos from our session as well as an alternate crop of Erin's favorite. 

Twins!

Erin wins an 11x14 Wall print! 
Thank you to everyone who entered. We will announce the additional winners in the weeks to come.

Announcing the First Winner of the "Just So Favorite Photos Contest"...

I love certain images that I shoot, but that might be for different reasons than you do.  I love the way the light brushes across a little ones face, the expressions of siblings sharing a laugh together, the colors of the scene in my viewfinder, etc. I wanted to know what makes YOU love an image.

And the first winner is...Jennifer Campbell!

Jennifer selected an image from a portrait session with her 2 beautiful girls as her favorite photo by Just So Designs-Susan Ogar Photography. We took a little hike and the girls let their personalities shine. Below is the photo Jennifer selected, a quote from Jennifer, as well as some additional shots from the session. 

"My favorite among our wonderful photo session in the Acton Arboretum was the unstaged, spontaneous picture of my girls in their flip-flip glory using sticks to look at the turtles and other waterlife in a pond. We had so many wonderful posed shots – at Sue’s direction, and with my kids’ input, which helped  them be so natural and relaxed while having their picture taken doing the most natural thing in the world – being kids!"

Here are some other images from this "nature-hike" session. 

The session was in early spring when the flowers first start to bloom. The girls were fun and we were able to get both posed and natural shots.

Jennifer wins an 11x14 Wall print!

Thank you to everyone who entered. We will announce the additional winners in the weeks to come. 

What is your favorite photo from your Portrait Session with Just So Designs-Susan Ogar Photography?

Tell Us What You Love and You Could Win an 11x14 Professional Wall Print!

What is your favorite photo from your Portrait Session with Just So Designs-Susan Ogar Photography?

I love certain images that I shoot, but that might be for different reasons than you do. I love the way the light brushes across a little ones face, the expressions of siblings sharing a laugh together, the colors of the scene in my viewfinder, etc. I want to know what makes YOU love an image. 

The contest details...(they are easy)
- Tell us what images (up to 4) that you like best from your portrait session and why. The more detail the better. 
- Email Sue by March 17th, 2012

If you win, your images and story will be featured on the blog!