The right wardrobe complements the setting and mood of portrait photographs. (Photo by Julia Pelish)
“What should we wear?”
I hear that question so often from portrait clients and the initial reply is, It depends.
With a wedding it’s easy to narrow down the style of clothes. Traditions are in place with the wedding gown and suits, so the input of the photographer is rarely asked for. Portraits, though, are much more unique in terms of wardrobe selection and in some ways even more reflective of personal tastes.
What I emphasize is be yourselves but keep certain guidelines in mind. For instance, should you wear jeans? I say, It depends if you’re comfortable being photographed in them. If you are, then jeans are absolutely fine. Just about any piece of clothing is fine, actually. What you want to do is make sure your clothes don’t clash with those worn by the others in your group. So mixing stripes with patterns and colours that are incompatible isn’t ideal.
Generally, long sleeves are preferable on men and women, and V necks accentuate women’s figures better than round collars or turtlenecks. My preference is on elegant dress that’s coordinated to match. Black and white are always ideal colours because they blend well with just about any setting. Earthy tones are also good choices, especially for outdoor shoots.
Whether it’s a couple dressing for an engagement portrait or a family photograph, the wardrobe selection is one of the details that’s key to creating a classic, polished portrait. Clothing can be utilized almost as a prop to create a mood or atmosphere that when combined with the perfect setting will transform and elevate the image into a piece of art that evokes both beauty and emotion. More than that, the wardrobe will keep the focus where you want it – on you and the people you care about. When you’re in the photograph together the attention shouldn’t fall on clothing that stands out for the wrong reasons.
Be sure to ask your portrait photographer about wardrobe selection prior to your session. My portrait packages include the option for a professional wardrobe consultant, although most clients tend to use the tips written in this post as a guideline. If you want to know more about this subject, feel free to contact me.
