Photoshoot Style Tips
You have a photoshoot coming up and no idea what to wear. I’ve been there. I do this for a living and whenever I have a photoshoot coming up I still spend hours scouring Pinterest and end up with 10 different outfits in my Amazon shopping cart. Over the years, I’ve learned from my clients, personal research and experience photographing hundreds of couples as to what translates well on camera and how you can look your best. This style guide will give you some tips on how to build an outfit, accessorize and pick a color palette!
Style Tip # 1
First and foremost, wear something you are comfortable in. Don’t wear a stylish outfit that you feel itchy in, or one where you feel self-conscious and keep feeling like you have to suck it in. Don’t do that to yourself. Flatter and highlight the features you love about yourself. If you’re self conscious about something, wear an outfit that makes you feel good about that particular thing. Wear fabrics that flow and skim over your body or areas that you may not want highlighted in your photos. Again, your comfort is the most important thing! When you’re comfortable, you’re able to relax in front of the camera and interact with your partner or family in an organic way, instead of thinking about if you look ok or need to adjust your clothing.
Style Tip # 2
Plan your outfits around the location and weather. I live in Florida so I advise most of my couples to dress in something cool and breathable. A flowy dress and linen shirt for men are stylish and allow you to enjoy and breeze we may get. If we’re outdoors, think about what outfits look good in settings with trees and water. If we’re shooting with buildings and beautiful architecture in the background, an elevated or bold outfit will really pop. For at home sessions, slip into some loungewear for those easy-going, laidback vibes. The idea is to authentically capture you wherever you are.
Style Tip # 3
Have options! Bring along a few outfits so we can play around with different textures and color combos. Most of my couples opt for one outfit that’s dressy, and then switch into a laidback outfit for the second part of their session. Providing options helps me to make sure your outfits complement the environment – keeping the focus on you, where it should be!
Style Tip # 4
Incorporate movement and texture in your clothing. A flowy dress, linen shirt, dainty jewlery or a fedora. All these elements make for a visually stunning photo and add more depth. I’m a big fan of dainty jewelry and small pieces like rings and bracelets, which really get a chance to shine with I take some detail shots.
Style Tip # 5
Determine your color palette. I always suggest aiming for neutrals and earthy tones because they look beautiful on any skin tone and photograph so well. Even if you love orange, going for a muted rust orange instead of a bright orange will bring warmth and coziness to your photos without taking the focus off of you. Whether you’re a couple or a family, the goal is to complement each other, not match. What does that look like? Basically, don’t wear plain white t-shirts and matching denim UNLESS that’s specifically the look you’re going for. Wearing the exact same shades and matching top to bottom can sometimes make it difficult to differentiate where one person ends and another starts. For example, if you’re taking in-home photos in loungewear, wearing different shades of white, beige and olive green, you will look cohesive, but not matchy matchy. If you and your family all wore the same gray loungewear, you’d look like a sea of gray in your photo. If you want to wear the same or similar colors, go for slightly different shades. For example, you and your partner can wear green, beige and white, but pick different shades of those colors to complement each other without matching exactly. If you and your partner want to wear blue, have your partner wear a navy blue while you wear a baby blue dress with a small pattern that has your partner’s colors in it. Again, the goal is to be cohesive without looking the same.
Style Tip # 6
Accessorize! Accessories and layers are great for creating visual appeal in your photos. Accessories such as headbands, hats (like fedoras, not baseball caps), and dainty jewelry add a little bit of oomph to your photos. Jackets and sweaters add layers and are perfect for mixing up textures as the weather cools down.
Style Tip # 7
Personal Grooming. Consider getting your hair and makeup done for your photo session. If you see a barber, I strongly recommend getting a haircut a day or 2 prior (and not the day of) so that we don’t see lines from the clippers. For makeup, schedule an appointment with a local makeup artist. This is a great way to meet your potential wedding day makeup artist and see if you like them and their work. If that’s not your vibe, look up some YouTube tutorials. Everyday wear makeup typically makes the subject look barefaced in photos, so you often need to apply makeup a bit more liberally for it to transfer on camera. Lastly, I also suggest getting a manicure or at least making sure everyone’s hands are neat and clean. You want your hands to look their best for those detail shots, especially if this is an engagement session where we will be capturing ring shots and intimate moments up close. I suggest making it a fun mani/pedi date with your partner before your session!
With all of this said, I’m going to reiterate Tip # 1 – wear something you’re comfortable in. Showing up feeling your best allows you to have fun and get comfy in front of the camera. In turn, that allows me the opportunity to capture you and your loved ones in an organic way that truly represents you. Whether you’re goofy, romantic, or super laidback, feeling comfortable will allow me to capture your true self.
