What to Wear to Your Portrait Photoshoot
The Importance of Choosing the Right Outfit for Your New England Portrait Photoshoot
The day of your portrait shoot is approaching, and you’re panicking because you have no idea what to wear. Well don’t worry— the stress ends here! I’ve put together a guide to help you pick outfits for your upcoming portrait photoshoot that will have you looking and feeling your best.
Your photoshoot is a great opportunity to capture your unique look, style, and personality in photos you love. Choosing the right outfit is a huge part of that! Clothes can convey mood and emotion, highlight the setting, and showcase your best features. The right outfit can perfectly complement the setting and mood of your shoot. Read on to see how you can put together the perfect look for your upcoming photoshoot!
Table of Contents:
Color Schemes to Complement Your Portrait Photoshoot
Try to stick to soft and neutral tones. White, cream, black, brown, grey, and navy are all good options, as are earthy colors like browns and greens, or pastel colors like pale pink or purple. It’s typically best to stick to mostly solid colors and simple patterns. Small patterns are okay (and can work well), as are plaid shirts. Remember that the bigger and bolder the pattern, the more the eye will be drawn to that, rather than you and the location we’re shooting in. If you want to get bold with colors, try to work complimentary colors into your outfit, or choose colors that intentionally contrast with the background we’re shooting at.
Additionally, you can tailor your outfit based on the location where we’re taking your photo. For example, if we’re shooting out in a nature setting, wearing colors that complement the setting like greens or blues would generally be a good pick. If we’re shooting in a city environment, neutral tones often work well to match the vibe of the background.
Styling Tips for Your New England Portrait Session
Focus on choosing pieces with interesting detail and texture. This can add interest to the photos. A way to elevate a top that might be simple in terms of color is to make sure it also has a textured element or a unique detail. Layers can also work really well to add some dimension to your outfit!
If we're shooting two outfits, I recommend keeping at least one on the simpler side and allowing the other to be a little more adventurous (if you'd like). For example, i you have a really fun dress or creative outfit that you think would work well for the shoot, I recommend bringing that as well as a more simple look that will highlight your natural features.
Accessories can be really cute, so don’t be afraid to add them; just don’t go overboard. Keep it simple, but feel free to wear/bring fun jewelry (earrings, necklaces, rings), hats, jackets, etc. Carefully curated pieces of jewelry can really elevate your look! It can also be fun to have a hat or jacket to play around with when posing; bringing in an accessory you can interact with in some way adds a whole new set of poses we can try at your shoot.
Overall, you’ll want to dress nice, but don’t get so “dressed up” that you’re uncomfortable in the outfit you choose. You want to still feel like yourself and be able to move around comfortably during the shoot!
What to avoid:
There are always exceptions to the rules, but in general I recommend avoiding:
Bold, distracting patterns; these can distract from YOU, who should be the main focus of the shoot!
Neon colors
Tops with big logos or a lot of writing on them; again, these distract from you, and writing might get cut off depending on the pose you’re in
Super short skirts or shorts; this is mostly to avoid a wardrobe malfunction in the windy New England weather
Ill-fitting/unflattering clothes; we want you looking and feeling your best
Clothes that have to be constantly adjusted (ex. strapless top); I don’t want you to be worrying about fixing your outfit during the shoot, as this will detract from your shoot experience
Outfit examples;
A plain, tight fitting shirt and blue/black jeans
A solid-colored or simple-patterned dress
A flowing skirt and tight fitting top
Don't feel like you have to pick one of these combos; these are just a few basic ideas of the many great outfits that I find work perfect for a shoot!
If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend starting by scrolling through my Pinterest boards and seeing if any particular kinds of outfits stick out to you. This can be a great way to figure out what kinds of pieces you like or what kind of vibe you want to go for. Another great place to get inspiration is my portrait gallery; it can be really helpful to check out what past clients have worn to their photoshoots. From here, you can raid your closet, following my tips and using your inspiration photos to find pieces that will work for your shoot.
Where to get clothing for your shoot
If you’re not finding anything in your closet, you might want to consider renting or purchasing clothing pieces for your shoot! Rent the Runway and Nuuly are great options for renting pieces. Some of my favorite places to shop for photoshoot outfits are Zara, H&M, Lulu’s, and Free People.
Hair and Makeup Tips for Your New England Portrait Photoshoot
When it comes to hair and makeup for your portrait photoshoot, you have two options: do it yourself or hire a professional. Both options can work based on what you’re looking for! I’ll outline what you need to know before deciding what to do.
Do it yourself
Doing your hair and makeup yourself gives you total control over the finished product. You get to style your hair and makeup exactly how you like, and how you’re used to doing it. If this appeals to you, this might be a reason to do your hair and makeup yourself. Additionally, this is definitely a great option if you’re trying to stick to a budget.
If you’re doing your hair yourself, definitely wear it how you like it, but I recommend trying to avoid ponytails. Typically, the looser and more flexible the style, the better it will look in photos. Plus it gives us room to play around with your hair in poses!
Additionally, if you’re doing your hair/makeup yourself, I wouldn’t recommend trying anything new the day of the shoot. You don’t want to stress yourself out if something goes wrong! Regardless, it might be a good idea to practice your look for your shoot before the actual shoot day, so you know exactly how things will turn out.
Hire a professional
If you have the funds, I highly recommend hiring a professional to help with your hair and/or makeup for your portrait shoot! Leaving it the pros can help create a stress-free experience for your photoshoot. Here are a few great reasons to hire a professional hair/makeup artist (HMUA) for your photoshoot:
Enhance your natural beauty
A trained HMUA will know exactly how to enhance your natural features to help you look your best.
Save time
Hiring a professional will save you the time it would have taken to do your hair and makeup yourself, as well as the time you would have spent stressing about it!
Ensure your look will last
Pro HMUAs are trained to make your makeup and hair last as long as possible using specific techniques and tools. You won’t have to worry about your makeup smearing or your hair falling flat five minutes into the shoot.
Disclaimer: Breaking the Rules
Of course, there are times when none of this advice will apply! These are not hard and fast rules. If you’re planning a shoot where you want to wear the most clashing patterns and bright colors to showcase a unique personality or make a splash, I’m all for that! Sometimes breaking the rules can make for great photos, too.
You might be taking specialized branding photos that require a specific uniform or outfit. For example, if we’re shooting content for your fitness page, you’ll want to wear whatever you would wear when you workout. Situations like these are customizable. Or if you’re hoping to do a vintage-inspired shoot, maybe you’ll have some kind of fun clothing pieces that don’t fit the vibe of what I’ve laid out in this guide. That’s totally fine! Keep in mind the advice that applies to you, and feel free to disregard what doesn’t fit with your vision.
Feeling Confident for Your New England Portrait Photoshoot
Above all else, the most important thing you should remember is to wear something that you feel good in. We want you feeling confident and comfortable during the shoot to produce the best possible images! If you’re dressed in a way that makes you feel like your best self, it will shine through in the photos to help your photoshoot be the best it can possibly be.
And of course, don't be afraid to reach out to me for advice or with any other questions you might have! I’m always happy to provide tailored advice for your photoshoot to help find outfits that work for you.
I can't wait to meet you and take some beautiful photos!
