How to Dress for a Photoshoot?
A photoshoot can often feel a little exciting, and many people even stress about what to wear. I'm always happy to give personalized tips and recommendations for outfit choices, but I've also gathered some general guidelines here about what to keep in mind when choosing clothes for your shoot.
The most important thing is always that you feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful in your outfit. And remember—you can always ask me if you're unsure about your clothing choices.
What kind of shoot are you coming to?
Your clothing choices depend a lot on whether the shoot is a business portrait, a family session, a maternity shoot, or something else entirely.
Family, children, and maternity sessions: Light tones are ideal. It's also good if the color palettes of the outfits complement each other, though you don't need to match exactly. Light colors have the advantage of blending well together so that no single shade distracts by standing out too much.
Maternity sessions: Avoid black and very dark colors, as they tend to hide the baby bump and only reveal it from certain angles. Tight-fitting outfits, however, work especially well in maternity photos!
Graduation portraits: You can absolutely wear the same outfit you celebrated in—whether that's a dark suit or a beuatiful dress.
Business portraits: Dark clothing, even black, works well here. Think of how you'd dress if you were meeting your dream client. If your profession has a standard uniform, we can incorporate that too.
Profile photos: It depends on their purpose. If you're using the photos for job applications, dress like you would for an interview for your dream role. For casual profile photos that highlight your personality, choose clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident.
A Few Thoughts on Colors
My photography style is light and soft. Light-toned clothing enhances this look, especially if your wish is for airy, bright photos overall.
In addition to white, soft shades like light blue, blush pink, pale gray, beige, and other gentle tones work beautifully. Different fabric textures also create lovely details in photos—think rustic linen, cozy soft wool, or smooth shiny silk.
Aim for calm, minimal looks with as few patterns as possible—especially avoiding very busy prints.
Fully black outfits can be tricky because the body's different parts don't stand out clearly (for example, arms may blend into the torso). This can make the silhouette look blocky. While posing and camera angles can help, black is especially challenging in maternity shoots, where the goal is to show the round belly beautifully from multiple angles—not just the side.
For business portraits, on the other hand, dark tones like black, navy, or charcoal can work well. They add contrast and a sense of professionalism to the outfit and photos—especially in an office setting. Outfits can also signal whether you want to appear polished, relaxed, or creative.
If your shoot includes others—family sessions or team photos, for example—coordination is important. This doesn't mean wearing identical outfits, but avoiding extremes (like one person in bright green, another in all black, and another in a pastel floral dress). Coordinated styles and tones create a more cohesive, calm, and stylish overall look.
Fit and Details of Clothing
Choose clothes that feel good to wear—nothing too tight or revealing if that makes you self-conscious. When you feel good in your outfit, it shows in your expression and helps you relax in front of the camera.
Family sessions: Flowing dresses or pants, a relaxed fit, or even jeans depending on your style. Casual button-down shirts are always a great choice in summer, while cozy knits work beautifully in winter—for the whole family.
Business portraits: Blazers and jackets are a fantastic way to switch up a look quickly, giving us multiple styles from one outfit. Pockets in pants or skirts also add instant relaxed vibes when you slip your hand into them.
Details are always a plus—they allow for playful or more serious posing. Think pockets, hats, sunglasses or glasses, flowing sleeves, pant legs, hems, or collars.
A Note on Glasses
Glasses sometimes have coatings that reflect strongly in blue, green, or purple. This can complicate shooting and require adjustments in lighting and angles. If possible, bring a few pairs of glasses to the session. While I can remove most reflections during editing, heavy glare across the iris can be tricky.
Should You Use Self-Tan?
Especially in summer or for festive occasions, many people want a sun-kissed look and turn to self-tan. However, it often applies unevenly, and dry areas of skin absorb the product more intensely, causing patches and sometimes significant color differences (between face, neck, and hands, for example).
While I can correct much of this in editing, it takes a lot of time, and results aren't always perfect.
I wouldn't say you should avoid self-tan altogether, but I recommend choosing a shade not too much darker than your natural tone, or opting for a professional spray tan for an even result.
Accessories and Props
Just like outfit details, accessories and props add variety to posing options. If you have a favorite hat, scarf, or bag that matches your look, bring it along—it'll definitely be useful!
For kids, always bring a favorite toy or two to help make the session less intimidating.
For business shoots, bring your essential work tools—like a laptop, folder, brochures, or anything else that illustrates what you do.
And one last tip: always bring a few extra outfits or clothing items. Sometimes during the shoot we'll come up with new ideas, or you may just feel like switching things up.
Feel free to contact us with any other questions you might have! 💫