3 Must-Haves for a No Stress Portrait Session

1. Comfortable Shoes

There's no question that you're going to wear super cute shoes to your portrait session, but don't forget comfortable sneakers or flats to wear on your way to the location you're shooting at! If your photoshoot is outdoors then you're definitely not going to want to walk around in the grass, trying not to topple over when your heel gets caught in the mud. We've all been there, and it can ruin your mood during your shoot, so don't forget to save your feet the pain. Bring some easy shoes for walking and put the cuties on when you're ready for the camera.

2. A Coat

You're going to want a coat for a few reasons;

Due to the weather here in Chicago, it can go from real warm to real cold real fast, so it's hard to know exactly what the weather will be like where and when you're shooting. The wind by Lake Michigan makes it much colder than the still air while walking around Wicker Park.
You'll also want to have some sort of jacket or coat to wear between takes because it helps keep from getting goosebumps that can show up in pictures.
Lastly, it's highly likely you're going to sit down at some point during your photoshoot - on the ground, on a ledge, etc. - so it's a good idea to have something to sit on so that your dress doesn't get dirty in the process.

At Kara's shoot it had rained pretty recently beforehand, so luckily she had an extra jacket handy to sit on to avoid getting that gorgeous dress muddy when I had her sit in the grass!

3. Your Favorite Playlist

This one may be surprising, but I wholeheartedly believe that having music that you love and gets you fired up will make your portrait session an even better experience. Talk to your photographer before your shoot and ask if they have a playlist set up and if not then provide them with your own or make suggestions as to what you'd like. I promise they'll thank you for it. :)