{Thursday Tips}

Five Ways to Look Your Best in a Photograph

1. Wear solid dark toned colors. Dark colors will make you look slimmer and because photos literally flatten you out patterns are the worst thing to wear to a party when you know you will be photographed or a portrait session.

2. Get rid of that double chin. If you make sure the photographer is slightly higher than you there will be no chance of them catching even a hint of a double chin. Sometimes even the slimmest of women still get a double chin when they laugh and we all hate our double chins. If you can be seated and look up at the photographer that is even better. So remember to look up!

3. Keep your face matte. Often times at parties it can get warm at times and just from standing around you will get a bit of a glow. Carry blotters with you so you can keep from getting shinny. Even though that dewy look is so great on models, it really does not do wonders for the rest of us. Here is a silly little trick if you are in a public restroom trying for a quick touch up and find yourself without blotters: use an unused toilette seat cover, they are perfect for soaking up extra moisture and grease. Believe me, this works perfectly (almost better than those powder infused blotters) even though it is a bit odd.

4. Talk with a smile. If there are photographers taking candids at the party, it is best to keep a smile going anytime you think of it. The worst is to see a photo of yourself deep in conversation. Don’t be so serious.

5. Giggle. Here is the number one best piece of advice I will give you. For the rest of your life, anytime you are getting a photo taken of yourself, giggle. Even if it is fake. If you just giggle a little you will always love the outcome of your photos. Here is why: your laugh muscles are different than your smile muscles. When you giggle your brain thinks you are going to laugh and so it triggers your more natural laugh muscles and not your fake, forced smile muscles. It works every time. So what if your friends think you are a little crazy giggling to yourself, you will always look great in a photo and that is all that matters!

{Engagement Photo Tips}

There are many reasons to have engagement photos taken: pictures for invites, photo guestbook, wall art for your new place, proof for your future grandkids that you were, in fact, young and attractive. ;)

 
All good reasons, but I’d say the biggest reason to do engagement photos is to get to know your photographer, get familiar with their style of shooting and get comfortable in front of the camera. 
 
For most people, the last time they had their pictures taken professionally was as a high school senior, so getting in front of the camera before the big day is a great way to get loosened up and know what to expect. 






What to Wear

Every shoot is different, but I typically suggest that couples bring 2-3 outfits, including an everyday one and a more dressy one. Be bold, but stick with your style, don't wear something that you are going to feel self-conscious posing in. For inspiration, look at your favorite store’s catalog or website and see how they are dressing couples together in shots. If you aren't sure what is going to photograph best, bring options and have your photographer help you choose. 

Have a Vision
I love it when people have a specific vision, idea or style in mind. Does your wedding have a motif or style you'd like to stick with? Style ideas can come from anything, your favorite store, a TV show, other photos you've seen, a time period, etc. Think about what made you pick your photographer-what about his/her style do you want to see in your photos? If you don’t have a specific idea, that's totally fine. Start by thinking about the type of backgrounds you want to have. Do you want city backdrops, or more rural-modern buildings or vintage brick? Is there a place that is special to you two? All of these things can help in picking a location and deciding on what style of clothes to bring.

A few last words of advice...
Have fun on the shoot! Go into it with the mindset that it's going to be great. It always takes a few minutes to warm up to being in front of the camera, but don't worry about that. Let your photographer take care of getting awesome shots. Just relax, be playful and enjoy each other.

{Easter weekend in Pebble Beach}

Preview of Easter at Pebble Beach in Monterey, California!