What to Wear to a Photoshoot
Portraiture - tips on looking your best for a photoshoot
"What do I wear?!?" As a photographer this is something I am asked all the time! When choosing an outfit for a family shoot there are some things to consider, stuff that looks good in person may not give the best impression in your photographs. This doesn't have to be complicated, but it should definitely be considered.
The clothing can make or break a photoshoot, well chosen clothes can either fade into the background to emphasise the person, or standout and highlight key points. You may think that fabulous flashy shirt may be the best thing ever to be worn, but does it do the same service for the whole family when everyone else is in jeans and a T?
Picking the right clothes doesn't have to be stressful! The simplest way is often the best way, in this blog I'll run though some examples and talk you through my reasoning.
These three are all wearing dark muted tones. they go together perfectly and straight away the first thing you notice is the smiles, and people in the photo.
For both families and couples, the key here is to look similar but not identical. Here are some basic tips
- Pick between 1 and 3 colours that go together preferable muted/subtle tones, then make sure everyone (including the kids) sticks to them! This way, no one person will stand out from the others. To make your photos look stunning, we want to see the people first and the clothes second. Bright colours draw attention away from almost everything else in the photo.
Notice how the graphic on the t-shirt attracts attention? Everyone wearing nice muted earthy tones contrast with the bright colours, forgivable on children certainly, but on an adult this will make them apprear much larger than everyone else.
- Unless that is your usual style, longer sleeves are better. Unless you are on a beach, wear subtle shoes and dark socks. Much like the bought colours, skin tones showing on short sleeves or sleeveless tops along with shorts and white socks will draw peoples attention to your arms, legs and ankles. Weird but true.
- Wear Solid coloured clothing where possible and avoid large logos and designs. See above, Stripes and patterns make you stand out! Band logos and other themed t-shirts serve only to distract. Plain clothing will serve to make your portraits look more timeless, we want to show who you are, not just what you looked like that day.
This was an unplanned shoot with children from several different families present, notice how the bright colours, logos and mixed tones distract from the people in the frame? Their expressions are lovely but they themselves aren't always the first thing you see...
- Wear similar tones for the top and bottom, (light jeans, light top or dark jeans, darker top) A light top with dark bottoms make your top look bigger. Dark tops and lighter bottoms make your butt look bigger.
- Keep any jewellery or accessories simple and minimal. Because flashy jewellery draws attention from your face.
- For makeup, do this the way you usually do! Unless you are going for a glamour shoot, don't try to look like somebody you're not. This seems obvious but a surprisingly large number of people feel the need to apply more makeup than usual. The end result is a load of photos that don't actually look like you. Think about this, what would you normally do for a visit to friends or a trip to the park?
- For hair, style it the way you normally would for a visit to a friend or family member. If you are getting a haircut prior to the shoot, try to book this a week or so before hand. Fresh hair cuts rarely look their best on the day they are cut. It is usually much better to let it grow in a bit, for the ladies this will give you a chance to get used to your new look, how to style it etc. For the gentlemen, it simply needs to grow out a little.
Following these tips will help you get the best out of your shoot and plus, when we look good, we feel good. An effective family or couples photoshoot should be a breeze! You and your photographer working together to create images that show the real you, at your best.
If you are in any doubt, talk to the photographer! Don't forget that anyone working with families is used to dealing with people who don't always know what to do, the best advice is to relax and try to go with the flow.