What to wear to your photoshoot
One of the most common questions photographers get before an engagement session or couple’s photoshoot is “What do we wear??” If you’ve ever had a photoshoot or have one coming up, you understand the anxiety of looking through your wardrobe and putting together an outfit. Well, I’m here to tell you that I hear you! and I am ready to help put your worries at ease so you can look and feel your best during your session, whether it’s an engagement shoot, anniversary session, or just because!
First and foremost, I want you to be comfortable. And that looks different for everyone. Some people might feel best in jeans and their fav T-shirt, while others might want to show off a sparkly, new dress. The most important thing to remember is that you should feel like yourself, especially if you want genuine authenticity to show through your photos.
When planning out your outfit, keep the time of year in mind. If you’re hiking a snowy trail for your engagement photos, heels and a sundress might not be the best option. You and I will collaborate on your vision for this shoot to make sure we get everything right. Being in Oregon, the weather can vary so greatly. So, for an outdoor session, take a look at the forecast a couple of days ahead and plan accordingly to be sure you’re warm or cool enough. You’ll also want to bring appropriate footwear so you don’t end up with sore feet. If you want a certain pair of shoes on for your photos that might not be the best for the conditions, you can always bring them along while wearing more comfortable shoes and then change into them for the photos. If you can’t decide on one outfit, bring a couple! We’ll play around with our options and find which one helps fully express who you are.
I don’t think I can say this enough: show me your personality! Show me what makes you unique! are you an avid outdoors person? Throw on your hiking gear and let’s hit the trails! Do you have a funky hippie soul? Let’s throw a 70’s dance party! The point is, this is really all about you.
Ok, let’s talk texture and color. Typically you’ll want to choose something that moves with you (aka, not stiff, constricting clothing). Some good examples of this are cotton, linen, and wool. As for colors, neutrals, earthy tones, and metallics will complement a wide variety of environments. And by neutrals, I mean softer tones. Bright, vibrant tones, while they are beautiful, can often distract from our subject (that’s you!) For example, instead of a fiery red, opt for something closer to a coral color. A good rule of thumb for choosing a color scheme is to either complement your environment or contrast it. A dark green dress in a golden field would look amazing!
Think about the color wheel. For those of you who want to pop against your background, you’ll want to choose colors that are on the opposite side of the color wheel (i.e. our green dress against the golden field). For those that don’t want so much contrast, analogous colors are the way to go. These are colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel.
For patterns and prints, subtle and smaller patterns are usually the way to go. Matching patterns with your partner can be very difficult. Typically flannels or light floral patterns work well.
Speaking of coordinating with your partner, you’ll want to wear outfits that complement each other, not match. When two people wear the same color, they can blend together in the photos and there’s not much definition between them. However, rules can definitely be broken, and when done right it can look really cool.
A few other slight distractions to keep in mind: logos, writing on shirts, and watches. As with the other rules, there are exceptions. If the logo or phrase is tasteful and fits with the shoot, go for it. For example, a child wearing a big brother/sister shirt for a pregnancy announcement. Another example of an exception would be a watch that holds sentimental value.
I hope you found these tips helpful! Head over to my portfolio to see more examples of what to wear, and if you’d like to book a session, fill out my contact form here.
