There are no rules when it comes to what to wear for a photoshoot, however I do have some tips to make your photos beautiful and timeless. A photo shoot should be relaxed and enjoyable. Wearing clothes that make you feel comfortable will help you look relaxed in the photos.

What to think about when choosing your outfit.

Contrast is your friend. Make sure you set yourself apart from your background by wearing colours you know won’t blend in. For example, if you are having photos taken in a garden setting, you would avoid wearing greens/browns. The background should always be taken into consideration when choosing outfits for a portrait. Another thing to consider is your skin tone. If you are about to put on your favourite red dress, have a look in a mirror (in natural light if possible) and look for any colour reflections underneath your chin. Does the colour of your dress change the way your skin looks? Does it give you a ruddy complexion? Grey has a tendency to make you look washed out, yet on some people it can work with their skin. Every skin type has colours that compliment it, so it pays to think about colour & contrast to bring out the best in your features and skin tone. If you've booked in for an engagement session it's really lovely if you can dress up! Nice ironed shirt and a flowy dress works beautifully.  

What should I avoid wearing?

The one thing you really should avoid wearing is any clothing with large logos or motifs/characters. These graphics, particularly logos can really weaken the focal point (your beautiful face!). The eye is drawn to what stands out, and in this case logos. For example, I think it is wonderful that my son loves paw patrol but I would not dress him in his paw patrol branded hoodie for a professional portrait. I definitely have many photos of him in his favourite clothes, but would select something more timeless and less distracting for a professional session. Another thing to avoid is stripes. These distract from the main focal point of your beautiful self. You want your portraits to stand the test of time. Also with children choose outfits that fit well and they are comfortable in. I would recommend if your child is teething/dribbles or tends to enjoy the outdoors getting messy to bring their clothes for the photoshoot to the session and then change them when you arrive.

What colours to choose?!

For group and family photos it’s better to wear outfits that don’t match, but go together. Choosing a similar colour palette looks tidy. Keeping a group in similar colours focuses the attention of the portrait to the faces and individuals that make up the portrait. Mismatched colours in groups tend to be more distracting. I would recommend laying all the clothes being worn in your session on the bed and having a look at how they compliment each other. If you want to send me an email with your outfit choices I am more than happy to give feedback.

Most photographers prefer not to photograph reds, oranges and bright pinks. Any neon or overly saturated colours don’t work well for photoshoots. Bright colours attract attention away from the face and may be reflective. Dark clothing is slimming. When choosing lighter colours, pastels and neutral colours definitely make for gorgeous photos. If it's summer, a nice flowy dress can look stunning in photo shoots.

A few things to think about

Plan for the time of year and the weather. If it's going to be a winter shoot please dress accordingly. Especially our little ones. A cold client is going to look cold in their photos. Consider bringing a beautiful blanket or throw to wrap up in and get some cosy shots together.

Please remember that the colours/outfits you choose on the day are what will be in the photos. If you have a bra strap showing, consider wearing a strapless bra or wearing something else. If you have a giant stain on your shirt, it will end up being in your family portraits. Having to fix these extra things will incur an extra editing fee.

Transition lenses in glasses. If you are going to be wearing transition lenses can you please let me know. Transition lenses show up as dark in photos and look like sunglasses. It is preferable to have them off for the session if possible. If not there may be an additional editing fee to cover the time it takes to edit them to look transparent.