seriouslystoffel

Life is full of style.  Everywhere, there is a pattern, a color, a lack of color, a shape, a smell, an angle, that evokes joy or disdain in you.  The things you surround yourself with affect your mood, your productivity, and your outlook.

As I prepare to move from the North back to the South, I have been flooded with emotions, divine and deafening.  Memories from childhood through the present have invaded my dreams with relentless assaults on my subconscious.  Who I was, and who I am are in direct confrontation about who I will be.  I look around my home as we prepare to bid adieu and I need to digest the years here that have nourished my character and prepared me for the next home.

I'm just fascinated by houses. In another life, I'd have probably trained as an architect. If I had enough money, I'd collect them like other people collect teapots. I don't know why I love them so much. I'm just very interested in the idea of a house as a metaphor for the way one lives.
-Frances Mayes, author

When we bought our original "fixer upper" she was a foreclosure, abandoned, and neglected.  But Ryan and I saw potential, a challenge, and a beautiful location.  Over the next two and half years, we (along with wonderful family) created a landscaped yard, took the kitchen to the sub flooring and started over, painted the walls, and replaced the banister, flooring, appliances, hardware, fixtures, and more.  We made it ours.

Beau Meyer Photography

Katie Heaney aptly opined about "matchy matchy" group attire in her book, Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date:

"It has often been hard for me to know if people are serious when they talk about making T-shirts. Just to be clear: Nobody ever means it, ever. Making and wearing matching, themed T-shirts is embarrassing. Unless you want to make some with me right now, or something."

 When taking group pictures, even if just the kids, it is often difficult to decide whether to match or not.  If you decide to match, how much is too much? And if you don't match, how do you compliment each other without looking like Bert and Ernie?




If you opt for really matching (twins, for instance), go with neutral colors.  This will eliminate the distraction of matchy-matchy colors or patterns that may overwhelm the subjects of the photos.


Notice how bright colors against light colors stand out and allow you to see where one person ends and another begins.


 You don't have to stick to any color scheme to have a great family photo.  I mean, most families don't walk out of the house on a Tuesday color coordinated, so maybe you don't want your photos to be either.  Things to keep in mind when going rogue: what colors look good with your skin tones (orange has never been my color), consider who you want to stand out more for the brightest color/pattern, and lay out the clothes next to each other before picture day to see how you feel about them together.

Whether you choose to match, or not to match, here are some universal tips for better family photo style:

• For the love, stay away from logos (t-shirts, hats, hoodies)
• Your shoes will show up-- neon colored Nikes may steal your spotlight
• If you want to hang these on your wall, consider what style and colors your home is
• Dress for the season (if you are freezing at a photo shoot, it will show in your face)
• Be true to your own style - If you are a Rachel Ray, don't be a Kim Kardashian for picture day!

A friend of mine once told me, "I haven't changed, I've just become more myself."

And I'm happy to report, she's a greater friend today than 10 years ago when she said those wise words.

We all have difficulty identifying who we are from time to time.  I love to quote Alice in Wonderland, as is evidenced in the about me page of this blog, because it so whimsically describes the process of discovering how uniquely qualified, and flat out awesome we can be.

When you consider what you want your home to look like, whether you will wear a dress or jeans in your next family photo, or what your favorite book is, please remember its more than ok (its encouraged) to be for real with who you are right now: whether that is a skater dad, a momma's girl, a lumberjack lover, a hipster, or one half of a dynamic duo.

Kaley Rae Photography

Kaley Rae Photography

Tumbling Sparrow Photography

Tumbling Sparrow Photography

Tumbling Sparrow Photography