Portrait Photography Style Guide
How To Dress For Your Portrait Photoshoot
Here are some things to keep in mind while trying to decide on a wardrobe for your portrait photography session! I ask my clients to send me pictures if possible of their planned wardrobe so that I can plan accordingly for their session. I am also happy to help you decide what to wear!
Have a color scheme.
Choose several complimentary colors that work well together and stick to them. What colors do you look best in? Soft neutral colors, earthy tones, and pastel colors work well for almost any setting. Pops of color and contrast with a simple pattern. Or bold, vibrant colors with jewel tones.
Pick one non-distracting pattern.
Decide on one pattern that isn't too busy and pull colors from it to use in your style choices. A nice simple pattern. Avoid patterns that could clash with your surroundings or stands out too much. Stripes, small polka dots, and plaid are good options!
Wear something that's comfortable and fits well.
You will look and feel more confident! Sometimes people will buy clothing thats baggy, but that isn't the best for photographs. Wear something that you like and feel comfortable in! Something that makes you feel good.
Things To Avoid
- Avoid neon colors, logos, or distracting patterns. These make photographs look sloppy or unplanned. Neon colors shine onto your face which is not what you want for family photos.
- Avoid solid black and solid white as this tends to make images look flat. Try adding dimension with layers, textures, or pops of color!
Consider your environment.
If you are shooting at a location with a lot of greenery, you might want to avoid wearing too much green to avoid blending in with your background. If you are shooting at the beach, flowy dresses and pops of color can photograph amazingly!
Accessorize with layers.
This helps give the images more dimension, which creates better photos. Some good examples are hats, jewelry, belts, scarves, jackets, cardigans, vests, shoes, etc.