The Do’s & Don’ts of Dressing for a Photoshoot

I’ve photographed many families, and couples and I often get asked about what they should or shouldn’t wear for their session. I’ve seen the good, bad, and everything in between and here are my do’s and don’ts.

do:

  • wear layers and textures – This is a simple way to add depth and richness to the photos that take them to the next level. It also gives you options with your clothing if you can take a layer off.
  • mix and match with family – Choose a color pallet with patterns and colors for the whole family instead of restricting it to just one or two colors. It looks more authentic and livens up the photos.
  • consider where you’ll hang the photos in your home – It will help you select the color pallet and patterns for your family if you know where the photos will go in your home. You don’t want to completely clash with the background so consider what room and where you’ll display them.
  • wear neutral colors and patterns – You can wear patterns, I repeat you CAN wear patterns. Don’t shy away from mixing colors and patterns. If someone’s in polkadots, another person can have a floral dress on. Just keep the colors and patterns a little neutral and not crazy.

don’t:

  • blend in with the background – It doesn’t look natural when a family is on the beach wearing tan and blue. You want to compliment the colors of whatever setting you’re in, not match. If you’re on the beach, corals, peaches, and pinks look really pretty. If you have a green background, red, navy, and grey looks good.
  • forget to dress like yourself – Of course you want to look your best but you still want to be yourself. Wear something you feel comfortable in and would normally wear. The more comfortable you can be in front of the camera the better because posing can be knew for everyone.
  • wear neon colors – This may seem obvious but neon colors are not ideal. They reflect off of each others faces in the photos and make the lighting and editing challenging.
  • forget your hats and accessories – This can be easily overlooked but accessories and sometimes beautiful hats for women add the perfect finishing touches.