What to Wear for a Photo Session

The question we get asked most before a session is what to wear, and it matters more than people expect — clothing determines more of how a set of pictures reads than the location does.

Coordinate rather than match

Everybody in identical white shirts and jeans looks like a photograph from 1998. A palette — two or three colours that sit well together, with variation in texture and tone within it — looks considered rather than uniform.

What works

• Solid colours and simple patterns. Small busy patterns can shimmer oddly and they pull the eye away from faces.
• Layers, which add depth and give options during the session.
• Texture — knit, denim, linen — which photographs far better than flat fabric.
• Colours that suit the location. Earth tones in a field, deeper colours against brick.
• Clothes that actually fit and that the person is comfortable in. Discomfort shows in every frame.

What to avoid

• Large logos and slogans, which date the photograph immediately.
• Neon, which reflects colour onto skin.
• Anything you keep adjusting.
• New shoes.
• Fully matching outfits across a whole family.

Practical

1. 1.Lay everything out together the night before and look at it as a group.
2. 2.Iron things. It shows.
3. 3.Bring a change even if you think you will not use it.
4. 4.Consider the ground — heels and a pasture do not work.
5. 5.Simple jewellery rather than anything that catches light awkwardly.
6. 6.Hair and makeup a little stronger than everyday, because the camera flattens both.

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