CHOOSING THE SHOOT FIT 101
Updated: Dec 27, 2022
So you just scheduled your photography session, but you've probably got lots of questions. The biggest of which is (I can guarantee because I'VE BEEN THERE) "What do I wear to a photoshoot?" 🤔
Fear not! I'm here to help. As someone who has been both wowed and devastated by the outfits clients show up in, and as someone who ALWAYS overthinks her own sesh fit, I've got you. A few things to point out before we get started:
These are all my personal opinions based off of the sessions I've done with clients, and the feedback I've received afterwards. This is not an end all be all, but a kickstarter to help you on your decision making journey.
100% of the time, the #1 priority in dressing for your shoot is COMFORT. The more comfortable you are in what you're wearing, the more confident you will be, and confidence always = the best pictures you can get.
Communication with your photographer about your outfit choices will make your shoot go 20,000x faster and better. If the photographer can visualize your outfits ahead of time, they will likely have better creative ideas upon arrival, and get you more creative bang for your buck!
Let's start at the top:
Hat or No Hat?🧢
A lot of my clients ask me about wearing a hat at their shoot, and by all means, a hat can add a lot of character and style to your fit. If you're considering wearing a hat at your session, keep in mind that in certain lighting, a hat may cast highly contrasted shadows across your face, taking away from the focus- YOU. Make sure that if you're planning on incorporating a hat into your photoshoot outfit, that your hairstyle will be versatile enough to stay put together enough taking it on and off for different lighting scenes.
Speaking of hair, let's hit that next!
The Hairstyle💁♀️
Speaking to the gentlemen first- I HIGHLY recommend using product in your hair for your shoot, especially if the photoshoot will be taking place outdoors. The last thing you want is the perfect shot, ruined by flyaways and strays. While photographers can spend time trying to photoshop these mistakes out, the detail of hair can make it difficult to edit. Do everyone a favor and throw some mousse, gel, or hairspray down on that gorgeous do before the session. Everyone involved will be thanking you.
Now the ladies- Typically you're going to have more hair, which means many more options and choices to be made. First off, I want reiterate that the more comfortable you are at your session, the better your photos will be. This is always and will always be my resounding theme through these different categories. A comfortable you = a confident you, and nothing looks better through the lens than ✨CONFIDENCE✨.
So, when choosing how to style your hair, make sure you're choosing a look that you'll feel both comfortable and confident about. As much as we like to think so, a photo shoot is most likely not the best time to try a brand new hairstyle. Focus on a style that is tried and true for you, that always makes you feel good, and makes you feel like your best self.
Furthermore, you'll also want to focus on securing fly aways and strays as much as possible in whatever style you choose. Like I stated for the gentlemen, flyaways and strays across the face can break the perfect photo, plus they are guaranteed to distract and frustrate you. For us here in FL, you're almost guaranteed a humid Florida photoshoot no matter the location, so keep this in mind when choosing your hairstyle.
The Clothing👚👔
It's easy to get caught in the mindset that because you're having your photos taken, that you need to be wearing your Sunday best, but when it comes to the clothing choices themselves, it is more vital than any other category that you wear something you are comfortable in! This means no stuffy, heavy, itchy outfits, people!
As a general rule of thumb, I cannot emphasize this next point enough-
THE SIMPLER THE OUTFIT, THE BETTER.
Oh ok, I'll say it louder for the people in the back.
THE SIMPLER THE OUTFIT, THE BETTER.
It pains me to say that I have been both in and capturing way too many sessions where a beautiful shot is ruined by a distracting outfit. Unless you are going for a stylized shoot I will always, always, always recommend minimal color, patterns, and material in your fit. For my clients, I'm extremely passionate about capturing their essence and aura, and bright, patterned clothing almost always distracts from rather than supports this.
I want to be clear, I don't mean for this to stifle your creativity in outfit choice. If you have an outfit that you LOVE that makes you feel like your baddest self that has bright color or flashy patterns, by all means, BRING IT! However, I would recommend two things, (1) give your photographer a heads up of this unique outfit choice, so they can brainstorm light and locations to incorporate it in a classy, clean way and (2) bring an alternative piece to take the place of the flashy one, that way you can get some with and some without. Best of both worlds, baby.🤩
Now let's talk about the articles of clothing themselves:
Dresses and Skirts- If you're considering wearing a dress or a skirt, keep in mind the location of your session - Will it be windy? If so, will it make you uncomfortable to have the bottom blowing around? If you're outdoors, are you ok getting dirty in a skirt or dress?
Pants- When choosing pants for the shoot, I would take one of two routes-
1. Wear your favorite pants!
2. If you don't have a favorite or feel they aren't shoot worthy, choose a medium fit. What I mean by this is that you don't want skin tight, but you also don't want pants that are going to blow around and get caught everywhere.
Shirts- The same rules apply here, but there's one point I haven't addressed that is super vital here. Absolutely DO NOT wear a shirt with words on it for your session. Words will do nothing but distract from your beautiful face, and that is the last thing we want when shooting.
OVERALL TAKEAWAYS FOR CLOTHING:
Avoid bright colors. Stick with neutrals if you can- white, brown, and black and variations of those.
Avoid patterns- Patterns will typically just be a distraction.
Be comfy! (This is not justification to show up in pj's ;) )
Incorporate your favorite articles of clothing.
ABSOLUTELY NEVER have words or icons on any articles of clothing.
Last but not least, the shoes.
The Footwear👠
Your shoe choice will most likely be the most inconsequential of the choices you'll make, as the shoes will not be visible in plenty of your shots. In the same manner as every category, prioritize (1) comfort and (2) neutrals! If you have a favorite pair of shoes that are a little bit flashy, run it by your photographer and bring a backup neutral just in case.
Disclaimer: I LOVE a good barefoot moment in a shoot, so make sure to clean your trotters before heading out to your session. There's nothing like connecting with the earth!
To Conclude...
THAT is the full need-to-know on what to wear to your photoshoot. If you're reading this because we've just booked a session, I genuinely cannot WAIT for our session. Talk to me about what you're thinking of wearing, doing, and what's going on in your life in the time leading up to your shoot! I'm here to capture who you are, and I truly want to make memories that last for you and yours.
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, check out more of our content in the blog, and make sure to follow us on Instagram @hannahnoelcrtv.
Comment below with anything you think I may have left out! 👚 👔 🧢 📸