Clothing | What to Wear For Your Session
You booked a portrait photo session, maybe its with your family, or maybe you are looking to freshen up your professional headshots. But here comes the next big question - what should I wear?
As a photographer, I want to you to not only look your best for your photos, I want you to feel your best. This is not meant to be a rulebook for clothing styles and options, just a few guidelines you can use as a starting point when you are hung on what to wear.
Flattering Clothing Styles
Not that all fashion magazines know what they are talking about, but it is worth doing a little research on general body shapes. What styles of clothing would be the most flattering for specific body shapes - for women and men both. Put in the effort, and dress accordingly. Stick to something that fits your body shape, anything hanging off your body will make you look bigger than you are (who wants to look bigger than you really are?). You will feel so much better knowing you look good in the style of clothes you picked out.
Coordinate with your Group
When deciding on a color choice, think about the rest of your group. You want to look good together without looking too identical. Manuhealiʻi family prints may look great for that family luʻau, but not so much for your family photos. You don't have to be wearing the same colors, just coordinate them so they fall within the same family of colors (EXAMPLE: dark blues, light blues and maybe teal for some added fun)
Styles of your overall outfit should also coordinate within your group. If she is wearing a nice dress, then maybe a button-down and pants for him. If she is wearing jeans and a pair of boots, then something a little more casual for him would work. But no, t-shirt and shorts should never be an option, remember you want to look your best.
Don't overdo it with patterns or bold colors. Sometimes too many patterns in a group can make a photo look too busy. There can be a great happy balance between solid colors and patterns. If you have any questions just let your photographer know.
Consider Your Location
Think about where you will be having your photo session. Are you looking to have your family photos taken on the beach? Look for more casual styles but remember that 80% of your background will be blue. A button-down shirt and rolled-up slacks look great on men, and a summer dress is always a good way to go for women. Are you going to be having photos taken in a city or urban setting? A more dressed-up wardrobe would look stunning - think layers.
Things Not to Wear
Again this not a list of rules, but merely recommendations:
- Bright white matching shirts and jeans, this isn't the 90s
- Tops with big logos, stay classy.
- Shirts with short hemlines and mid-drifts, again stay classy.
- Super short skirts. Some photos look a lot better with seated family arrangements, need I say more.
- Exact matching outfits, look coordinated, not matching.
Hair and Makeup
Are you having your hair and makeup done for your wedding? Then why wouldn’t you want to get it done for your engagement session? What about your family photos, don't you want to look your best.
Hiring a hair and makeup artist will add that little extra to your photo session and allow you to feel your best. From a natural look with a simple blowout to full makeup, lashes and an updo, a professional hair and makeup artist will know what photographs well and how to make you look your best. Just let us know if you are interested in hair and makeup for your upcoming photo session and we will be more than happy to arrange something with one of our favorite hair and makeup artists.
To sum it up, just be you. Let your personality shine. Look your best and you will feel your best.
