It's the night before your photoshoot and you are going through all the drawers, pulling out every item of clothing you own to figure out what to wear the next day. You have too many options and nothing seems to work. My best advice is to keep it simple: don't over do it and don't over think it. Remember, unless you are going to this years Met Gala to make a fashion statement, the photoshoot is of you and the occasion that we are celebrating. Your outfit will compliment your natural beauty, physique and personality. Here are some useful tips to consider when preparing for your photoshoot.
Keep Colors and Tones In Mind.
The color of your outfits should be complementary as opposed to completely matching. We don't want the both of you to look exactly the same, as this will become the main talking point instead of you as individuals and your relationship. Not to say matching doesn't work, but I would advise that complementing ones outfit is a better way to go, as it is more subtle, natural and more importantly, less staged.
You can't go wrong with wearing any neutral combinations such as creams, grays, light blues and tans as they are good go-to colors because they work in almost every setting. Whether being on the cooler side or on the warmer side, they are the least distracting and can easily compliment most backgrounds. In addition to this, they don't interfere with or take away the mood or the emotion of the subject. It is also a good idea to keep patterns to a minimum. and to consider working with textures instead.
Light colored clothing can look simple and beautifully fresh even in light backgrounds. They can compliment the subject very well especially when we are trying to achieve a light and airy look. It also forces the natural skin tones and hairs colors to be more prominent without being absorbed by other distracting colored fabrics. While black and dark colored clothing automatically creates a strong contrast, with the right background and lighting conditions we can achieve some powerful and striking results. We can lighten the shadows in post production to stop the dark colors looking like a big hole in the picture. It is also a popular belief that dark colored clothing tends to slenderise the subject and due to it being a neutral tone it will direct the attention to the individual themselves.
Coordinate your clothing. Try to keep your outfits on the same page and color palette of 2-4 colors. I recommend to start your outfit planning by picking one item of clothing and pull colors from that for everyone else to wear. Dress like you go together.
Muted Clothing. Having clothing with no logos, letters, symbols is strongly advised for two reasons. The first is that logos will draw you attention immediately away, as intended, from the contact of the image. Second reason is to try and keep things timeless so the images does not become outdated in years to come. No matter how small the print or the pattern is, it will become a guaranteed distraction.
Don’t Over Accessorise. Wearing accessories such a precious jewelry which may well represent something special or have a great significance to you is of course greatly encouraged. However, keep in mind, being overloaded with meaningless accessories can be quite striking and a major distraction. Your photographs will work best if you keep it simple and minimal.
Be Mindful of the Location.
Always keep your session location in mind when choosing your outfit. If your session is taking place in a city, dress up a bit a go for more of a fancier look to match the vibrant vibe of the city. If you have chosen more of a natural, countryside environment, choose something a bit more casual or low key.
Additional Useful Tips
Consider bringing a....
Water Bottle - always good to keep hydrated especially during the summer months.
Change of Clothes - if you are wanting to take photos in different outfits.
Comfortable Shoes - or a spare pair in case there is a lot of walking.
Blanket - there might be opportunities for some nice countryside sit down shots.
Props - may include a bouquet of flowers, a 'she said yes' sign or baby shoes for a maternity shoot etc..
Rings - especially for those of you attending engagements, weddings, anniversaries, just married photoshoots.
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