Clothing is very important when planning your portrait session, and it’s the one thing that people tend to struggle with most. You want something that you feel great in, but you don’t want it to distract from the main subject—you. So let’s talk a little about what you should wear and what you should try to avoid.
Individual Portrait Sessions:
Girls: Layered solids are usually great when paired with chunky jewelry, scarves, boots, or some fabulous heels. That’s not to say that prints can’t be great as well. Try to keep it to one print at a time, and bring a solid sweater or cardi to change things up a bit.
Guys: Choose something that reflects your personality but isn’t too distracting. Stay away from shirts with logos or cartoon characters. Accessories like stylish hats and vests which can be removed for additional looks, are a great way to go. Keep things tailored if possible; big, loose fitting clothing does not photograph well in most circumstances.
Children: Kids are fun because they can usually rock any look and still wind up in the center of it all. Keep them comfortable—we all know how much fun photographing cranky kids can be. Keep it in line with their personality. For example, don’t try to force your tomboy into a frilly pink dress and expect fabulous pictures. If you want photos of your tomboy-daughter in a dress, get her a funky jumper or a a boho-style dress, which always look great. Again, stay away from logos and cartoon characters.
Families & Groups:
The name of this game is coordination, not matchy-matchy. Pick a color scheme you love and coordinate your looks together. You could have a few solids with some prints mixed in; a little girl’s dress with all colors can also tie the look together. Think room decoration—you want it to go well together without it being exactly the same.
Of course, everyone is different and expects different things from their artistic portrait session. Just remember to choose something you feel great in, keep things coordinated, and have fun!
For additional help and ideas with picking out your wardrobe, check out the “Wardrobe” section of my blog.
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