It’s one of the most common questions a photographer is asked: “What should I wear?” And for good reason: what you end up wearing to your session will have a huge effect on how your photos turn out. It’s not that an outfit choice can necessarily be bad, but some choices are better than others. There are several different things to consider.
What’s the look you’re going for?
It’s important to choose clothing that fits in with the theme you’re aiming for. Try sequins and suits for a glamour shoot or jeans and a cowboy hat for more of a country look. Your photographer can only do so much to present the look you’re going for when your clothing is in opposition to it.
Where are you going to display and what are you going to do with the photos?
Are you planning on ordering a huge canvas print of your pictures or displaying several prints on your mantel? It’s important to take into consideration the ultimate presentation of your pictures so you can coordinate your outfits. For example, I knew I wanted to display my family pictures in our living room, so I chose colors that coordinate well with my decor instead of clashing with it. If you’re taking family photos for Christmas photos, it’s common to choose more Christmasy colors that translate well onto Christmas cards. If you’re taking engagement photos, choose colors that will go well with your wedding colors on your invitations.
Matchy-Matchy or color pallet?
I’ve had many clients ask me if they should go super matchy-matchy with their outfits. The answer is it depends on the look you want. Personally, I like the look of coordinating outfits with a combination of two to three colors. You can see in the photos below an example of a photo session with more matchy and one with using clothing selected from a color pallet. If you need help choosing coordinating colors, Pinterest is a great resource.
Will that outfit work for you?
It’s important that what you choose to wear is something you feel comfortable and confident in. Even a cute outfit will lose its appeal when it’s put on someone who doesn’t feel comfortable wearing it, whether it’s because it’s the wrong size, wrong style, or wrong color, or is just something that doesn’t suit their personality. Also, consider the weather. If you’re doing a maternity session outside in the middle of December, consider adding a faux fur cape for added warmth and texture. This doesn’t just apply to clothing but to shoes as well. If you’re doing a beach session, then wearing high heels won’t work too well either.
Find inspiration!
If you’re still having trouble finding what you want to wear, take to the internet to find inspiration! You can find our Pinterest board here where you can look through some past sessions to see how others have put together their outfits for their sessions. If nothing from our board catches your fancy, there are many more to look through!
If you’re still at a loss over what to wear for your photoshoot, contact your photographer, whether it’s me or someone else, and they should be perfectly happy helping you find something that works with the image you have in your head of your session. What was important to you when you picked out outfits for your family pictures? Let us know in the comments below!