WHAT TO WEAR TO PHOTOS | A GUIDE TO LOOKING YOUR BEST FOR PICTURES

Choosing to get family photos or portraits or scheduling an engagement shoot is always a good choice, however, once you’ve got the photographer booked, deciding what to wear can bring you to a standstill. The importance of taking the time to pick, accessorize, and style your and others’ outfits cannot be overstated. What you wear goes a long way toward creating photos that you love. With that in mind, I’ve put together a few simple guidelines you can use to choose your outfits for any photo session – from individual portraits to family photos to engagement pictures.

CLOTHING
 

• First of all, make sure you’re comfortable in what you wear. If you feel unnatural, it will show and photos may come out with you looking stiff.
• Your clothing should be appropriate for the season and location you are having photos taken. If we’ll be walking or hiking in to a location, make sure you bring appropriate footwear, even if you’re going to change into cute sandals once we get there. If it’s summer, think bright, light, cool. In fall or winter, you’ll want more layers and warm materials. If you’re taking photos in a green garden, wearing green might make you look like a floating head. Photos taken on a sandy beach might be complemented by bright colors.
• A good rule of thumb is to pick 2 to 4 main colors and have people wear patterns and shades of those colors. (Note: one pattern that never translates well in photos is very small stripes or checks. It creates an effect called “moiré” that can be impossible to fix even in post-processing.)
• Layering and incorporating different textures also add a lot of visual interest to photos. Don’t forget the scarves, jewelry, watches, belts, hair accessories, and fun statement pieces. On the other hand, putting everyone in the same outfit, say, blue jeans and white top, while very 90s, can be boring.
• If all fails, neutrals are usually a safe bet – think beige, ivory, taupe, black, gray, navy, and shades of white. Be aware that very bold or bright colors can create a color cast on skin when paired with bright light.
• If you’re still stuck, I highly recommend Pinterest! You can check out Flying Gull Photography’s boards for inspiration or simply search for the look you want.

MAKEUP, HAIR, ETC.
 

• I highly encourage all my clients to hire a makeup artist, especially for bridals and wedding photography. A professional hair and makeup artist will not only make you look your best, but will help you feel like the best version of yourself, and that confidence will shine through in the photos we take. Makeup applied for photos is different than everyday makeup – the camera translates it differently than the eye. A good makeup/hair person will help you highlight your best features according to your vision, whether you want a minimal, natural look or full coverage with smokey eyes.
• It’s fairly common in the weeks leading up to a photo session for clients to have an identity crisis. “Should I get bangs?!” “I wonder if this face mask that’s trending will help my skin look more luminous?” “My brows are looking a little overgrown. I better tweeze them back.” “I wonder if the new men’s haircuts will make me look more ‘with it’?” Please, don’t go crazy making yourself over just before having pictures taken. A good trim a few days before our session together for you ladies or men will have you looking fresh, instead of stressed when your haircut doesn’t go as planned. And stay clear of new products in the days leading up to our shoot – no one wants irritated, blotchy, or broken out skin in their photos.

 
FINAL THOUGHTS – MAKING IT ENJOYABLE
 
I know getting photos taken can be a lot of work. First, you have to find the photographer, then find a time that works for everyone. Decide on a location. Choose clothing. Get everyone looking their best. You may do all that and show up, ready to go, but things don’t go as planned. Your teenager is grumpy. The wind is teasing your perfectly styled hair. Your toddler decided their nap wasn’t long enough.
 
Nothing makes a family photo shoot go south faster than being stressed out.
 
It is my job to try and help the situation, whether it be with uncooperative weather or uncooperative people (especially little people). If you’ll show up with a good attitude, determined to make our photo session together an enjoyable experience for everyone, I promise we’ll make it work. Having a go-with-the-flow outlook will help you feel better, calm the kids, and give me the chance to give you the best possible end product. I’m so excited to work with you!