What to Wear for your Photoshoot

This is my most asked question to date. I do provide information on this in my preparation packs but often people would like to know more well in advance. The obvious answer is….wear what you are comfortable in, something that makes you feel confident and attractive. However, the real answer is that your clothing choice is a critical factor in the preparation for a successful portrait. Your clothing could easily become a distraction. Clothing that does not distract attention from you and others around you is the ultimate goal. It could be the difference between a very successful portrait and just another picture.

Avoid bright or bold colours.

Bright colours attract attention away from the face and may be reflective. Avoid wearing bright orange, luminous green etc. When choosing lighter colours, stick to pastels and neutral tones such as light blues, greys and creams as these enhance natural skin tones.

 
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Light clothing can add a simple touch to a portrait. 

Whites or creams can look beautifully simple and fresh especially on children. White symbolises purity so is often a good choice for a maternity shoot too. Although it shows up marks easier, lighter clothing is best for outdoor shoots to help you stand out. It is especially nice to wear light colours on sunset photography shoots. Beware though as white can make pale skin look even paler.

Dark clothing is always a good idea.

Darker clothing helps faces to stand out and after all your face is the most important part of the photograph. Navy blue looks particularly good with my wooden backdrop too. Another added benefit is darker colours are often slimming! 

Keep it neutral.

It really is best to avoid prints, patterns and logos. What is fashionable now most likely won’t be in a few years. If you want to keep your photos timeless and look back on them in 10 years time you don’t want your first thought to be ‘Oh no, what on earth was I wearing!?’ No matter how small the print or the pattern, it can become a distraction - detracting attention away from your face. In the case of digital portraits even the tiniest of patterns in clothing can cause distortions to appear in the print that were not originally there.

Dress for the season and location.

For an outdoor photo shoot in Autmun or Winter I suggest going for dark, warm colours such as red, hunter green and mustard. In Spring and Summer baby blues, blush pinks and pastels work well. These colour palates are a good guide to colours that suit the season.

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Long sleeves.

Long sleeved clothing is generally smarter and easier to photograph! For casual portraits it is equally important to wear long trousers instead of shorts. The more flesh on show, the more distraction from the face.

Don’t over accessorise!

Overbearing or heavily noticeable accessories can be a major distraction. Long, dangly earrings can often get caught in hair and necklaces can get twisted. Simple and minimal works best.

Glasses.

Eye glasses can often reflect both natural and flash lighting taking the focus away from your face and distorting eye contact. If you do not need to wear your glasses or you are happy to take them off, then often this works better for me as a photographer, however, careful positioning and posing can help to avoid any unwanted reflections.

Make Up, Hair & Nails.

This really is your preference. I would advise hair styles to be simple and pulled back off your face, as hair falling down onto the sides of the face can create distracting shadows. For young children hair should be simple (and easily fixable should it be pulled out!) and if hair is long it is best for it to be worn down or in a style that shows its true length.

Wear clothing that flatters your figure.

Don’t wear anything too tight or too loose. Ideally you don’t want to wear anything that is see through or shows off what you’re wearing underneath. Show off your best bits and equally cover any bits you don’t like i.e. if you don’t like your arms, wear long sleeves. The most flattering neckline for anyone is something that comes up close to the neck. It tends to slim down the person and frames the face beautifully.

Socks and Shoes.

Unless you are seriously apposed to this I ask all my customers to take off their socks and shoes for each photography session. When I am taking pictures of a family or a group of friends, I want them to be casual, relaxed and natural, which is why formal clothing is a no go. As for shoes and socks, they are really not appropriate for this kind of portrait, as shoes rarely match, can look clumsy and can also date the photograph. Socks don’t photograph well at all. When feet are bare it always makes for great portraits. Which is why many photo studios, including myself, insist that feet are bare for all studio sessions.

 
 

Family portrait sessions.

Everyone should have colour-coordinated outfits, not a uniform necessarily, but there should be a theme. Follow all of the suggestions above - avoid busy patterns, bold colours and logos. First, decide whether the basic tone of the clothing will be warm-toned (browns, etc) or cool-toned (blues/greys/blacks, etc) Pick no more than 3 colours if you want to keep the end result clean and crisp. Keeping a group in similar colours focuses the attention of the portrait to the faces and individuals that make up the portrait. Dissimilar colours in groups tend to be more distracting and the image often ends up looking like just another photograph!  Jeans are the timeless choice and they’re great for fun, casual pictures because they are flattering and don’t show wrinkles. For the children, choose outfits that fit well without a lot of ‘growing room’.

Maternity portraits.

The goal is to show off that adorable baby bump, I prefer to do maternity on a solid black or white backdrop. Black, from head to toe is usually good and a flowing white outfit can also look great. I can provide a long black dress and a long white lace dress as part of the photo shoot. Matching black or white underwear is a must if you are having lots of skin on show. A simple black or white top which can be lifted to expose your baby bump works best and a chunky knit cardigan can give that comfortable, off the shoulder pose the added edge. If you have family coming along to your maternity shoot they should also dress in solid black or white. Several poses with your hands showing will be taken, so be sure to remove any jewellery that you do not want in the pictures and make sure your nails are in good condition.

 
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Newborns and Babies.

Photographs of newborns and babies look best in their birthday suits! However, if you want them to be photographed with clothes, solid colours usually work best. Of course if you have that amazing outfit that you would love a photograph of, include it. Feel free to bring any kind of prop that you want included. I prefer parents to dress in solid black from head to toe so that I can get the creative shots you are looking for. I have a variety of wraps and headwear in lovely neutral colours which can be used for newborn shoots.

Toddlers and Teens.

I am a very casual person and I prefer to photograph children that way as well. Don’t forget hats, sunglasses, blankets etc. can be great to show personality and bring out their silly side. Feel free to bring any other prop or comfort item that you want to include. Teens have their own sense of style – I love to let them express it however they wish. I would recommend bringing a spare set of clothing for young children just in case!

Outfit changes.

Outfit changes are encouraged – especially during 1 hour sessions. It can be a really clever way of getting a variety of looks and can often be a much needed break from posing. Even a small change like a new bow in a little girls hair or taking a layer off will work. I can provide a private changing area if you would like any outfit changes during your shoot. 

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Martha’s mummy brought along several outfits - the result was plenty of gorgeous photos to choose from.

To summarise wear neutral clothing, ideally long sleeved. Stick to dark or light colours, don’t overly accessorise and keep it simple!

Of course, there are some exceptions to these suggestions they are only a guide – you can wear what you want – it’s your photoshoot. Everybody is different and has a unique style – if you want to show that off then please feel free. 

I hope this has helped you. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me before your session.  

 
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