A question photographers get asked frequently is “What should I wear during my photography session?” Rest assured dear reader, you are not alone in your wonder. This is a puzzle that has confounded many photography subjects who are not accustomed to being photographed.

Although I will guide you to an answer, the answer to “what should I wear” may not be so cut and dry. For instance, is your session long enough that you can wear multiple outfits? If so, how many outfits should you bring? There are plenty of variables that can be added to further complicate the situation, so let’s just keep it simple.

Your outfit. Keep it simple.

You see, when you wear something busy, the eye is automatically drawn to that. Unless the point of the photo is to promote an article of clothing with a loud color or busy pattern, it’s best to just keep it simple. Wear solid colors. You can wear layers to build textures, but solid colors work the best and will come off the best in the photograph. Unless the point of the photo is to draw the viewer’s focus to what you’re wearing, you should want the focus on you. Simple patterns are fine, just remember the more attention your attire is grabbing, the less attention will be on you.

You should be comfortable!

Think about it this way; a professional is about to spend 45 minutes to an hour (maybe even longer) posing you. The photographer is going to shape your body by moving it ways that it’s not accustomed to being moved, then tell you to hold that position until the photographer is satisfied with the image.  Wouldn’t you rather be in comfortable clothing for that? It’s up to us as photographers to build a rapport with you and make you feel comfortable; however, it’s up to you to wear something that won’t pinch your thigh when we tell you to sit on a bench, cross your legs, and roll your hip towards the camera.

Flowing is fun.

Long gowns, ankle-length skirts, long sweaters, wraps, and scarves (if seasonally appropriate) are all wonderful and add to visual interest to an image.  Playing with some flowing article of clothing is something that you, the subject, focus on and it alleviates the anxiety (if any) of being in front of a camera.  That being said, a long, flowing dress may not be the most appropriate article of clothing for every environment you’re being photographed in, so think ahead to where your session will be. Which brings us to our next tip.

Dress appropriately for the location.  

Have you seen the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition from 2013? The one where they took bikini photos in Antarctica? Kudos to those models for dealing with the cold in nothing but a few, small pieces of fabric. I’m sorry to break this to you; they got paid a lot of money to endure that discomfort and you’re paying for your photography session. So, dress appropriately. Wear comfortable footwear, don’t overdress or underdress, and know what colors will work for that location.

Complementary colors.

You should already know where your session will be (otherwise, how would you know where to go?). So, think of the scenery. Will you be in a forest, where green is the most prevalent color? Unless you plan on showing off how well your camouflage attire works, you probably shouldn’t wear green. Neutral colors like beige or gray are fine but feel free to wear a complementary color to draw attention to you. You can also use a color wheel to help. For example, if you’re shooting amongst a lot of green, an outfit featuring red will pop and draw the viewer’s attention to you.

Be on brand!

If the purpose of your session is to help you tell your brand’s story, be sure to dress appropriately for your brand. If you’re an attorney, you should be in a well-fitting suit. If your brand encompasses high-heels, be sure to wear high-heel shoes. If you’re a chef, bring your jacket and toque. Wear your brand’s colors. Your photographer will pose and direct you so these photos will make you look great while highlighting your brand.

No “Twinning!”

I know a lot of parents like to dress their kids in the same attire. Some parents like their kids to dress in the same outfits as them.  I cannot confirm nor deny whether my sons and I have matching superhero tee-shirts. While matching outfits make for cute snapshots, you’re not paying a photographer for a novelty image you can get with your cell phone. The reality is photographs in which a family is wearing matching attire do not look professional. You should wear complementary outfits to create contrast and enhance visual interest. There’s nothing special about a single, monochromatic line of shirts that varies in height, like a line graph with heads. Please, leave the twinning at home and take those shots with your cell phone.

The most important tip out of all of these is to dress comfortably. When you’re comfortable, you’re happier. You’re going to enjoy your session much more in comfortable clothing. Also, use your best judgement. Take the tips in this article and adhere to them how you want (except for twinning). The most important thing about your session is that you enjoy it, so wear something you’re going to enjoy being photographed in.

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