Wardrobe Wednesday {What to Bring}

I'd like to think I am not a very "proppy" photographer. Because I am on location and not in a studio, I feel like the subjects, surroundings and location usually speak for themselves. However, I do feel props have their time and place in photographs. Sometimes they just MAKE the image. For example, a beautifully colored parasol can really pop some interesting color in an otherwise "neutral" shot. With newborns and babies, props are essential. I recently used (thanks to Nichole of Nichole Marie Photography for letting me borrow it!) a vintage suitcase and lined it w/ some blankets and put a newborn in it. It was adorable! Other times, some babies are hard to contain, so it's best to plop them in a basket or a wagon. You get the idea. ;)

This weeks' fabulous idea comes from the awesome Rebecca Keeling...she explains why props, especially those important to you, really make the image!

“We've all been brainstorming lately about the direction our Wardrobe Wednesday posts will take now that we've covered pretty much every type of session we can imagine in the MOST fashionable and fabulous summer outfits. And we've all agreed that Fall will be a great transition time for even more amazing clothing finds, steals, and deals. But what to do with the "in-between" time where it's just too darn hot to start talking about your Fall wardrobe?? Well, hopefully our next few posts will spark your interest with things a little outside the wardrobe realm but still incredibly relevant to having a most incredible photo session...which, after all, is why you are here...right??!! :)

Today's post is all about the props. Theatrical presentations all have at least one thing in common...they all use props to tell a story...to draw you in...to peak your interest...to hold your attention. As a photographer, I like to think of myself as a storyteller. It's not good enough just to take a random snapshot with no context, no story, no purpose. Our job as custom photographers is to get to know our clients, what they like, how they live, how they love, what makes them different. Props play a big role in this storytelling process. For babies, it might be an antique family heirloom carriage; for children, it could be their love of bubbles, flowers, trucks, bugs; for families, you may have a chair or settee with sentimental value; for seniors, they all have hobbies; and for couples, you have romance! Everyone has a story to tell and we love to help you tell that story by using props. So let's get creative, and let's get started telling YOUR story today!”


The following pictures are from the Wardrobe Wednesday team: Erica May Photography, Lindsay Horn Photography, Rebecca Keeling Studios, Stephanie Reeder Photography, Kelly V. Photography, Minor Impressions Photography and Morgan Dawson Photography. Oh and me! :)