Aesthetics.
If you follow any photographers on social media, you’ve probably seen at least one reel or video outlining the do’s and don’ts of what to wear to your upcoming portrait session.
Many of these photographers share some great tips, like:
Wear layers
Dress comfortably
Consider if you’d like to dress more casual or more formal
I know I might get some hate mail for this, so feel free to slide into my DMs, but I’m going to say it anyway.
There’s one tip that I have seen time and time again and I disagree with it: stick with neutral/earth tones.
As an artist, this is telling me that these photographers are looking to create and maintain a certain aesthetic in their photographs. Who could fault them for that? Consistency is seriously important. But here’s the thing - this aesthetic is super trendy right now. You’ll see it in a lot of current editing styles - muted colors, sometimes added grain, greens very desaturated, pretty warm tone over all. I want to be super clear: I’m not criticizing this shooting or editing style, but I’m here to talk about other options that aren’t taking over social media or the photography industry, options that are truer to life as we see it in the day-to-day.
If, as an artist or viewer, you’re like, “Hell yeah! Bring on the neutrals!” That’s great! You don’t need to keep reading. You’ve found your style and that’s awesome.
If, as an artist or viewer, you’re like, “That’s not for me,’ I’m here to say you’re not alone.
I classify myself as a lifestyle and documentary photographer. This classification means a couple things to me. First, it means I place a heavy emphasis on my clients feeling like their most authentic selves when we work together. You’re not matching my aesthetic because when we’re together you are my aesthetic. Second, being a documentary photographer (even when I’m shooting portraits) means my edits are true-to-life; the colors you see around you when the pictures are being taken are the colors you’ll see in my photographs.
Let’s get back to the wardrobe thing. I’m always happy to consult with my clients on what to wear for their sessions, but we start with their closet, not mine.
It’s often recommended that clients stay away from patterns and prints, bold or not. I don’t know why. There are settings in which this kind of look is rad as hell.
Bella showed up to her senior portrait session with a number of bold outfits, one of which included this awesome electric green zebra-printed turtleneck. She did an incredible job picking her outfits - each one highlighted her personality: fun, vibrant, bold, and confident.
Now let’s talk about color. It’s true that some colors photograph better than others and a photographer’s editing style can certainly complicate the color situation. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting a photographer. Be thorough when combing through their portfolio. If you don’t see a lot of bold colors and/or true-to-life colors in their work, that might not be their jam. Don’t ask them to adjust their editing style to your preferences. Find an artist whose work you’re drawn to.
I love color. I want it to be so loud it’s hard for me to hear (I mean, I only have one eardrum, so that’s not too hard to accomplish).
When it comes to color consider the following:
What time of year is your session?
Where will your session be taking place? What will the backdrops/background be?
Are you sticking to a more nature-based location or are you hitting downtown? Are you going to coast or maybe a nearby playground?
Is your session just for you, you and your parter, you and your family, etc.?
When it comes to having your picture taken with other people, I always emphasize complimenting outfits, not matching/identical ones.
What’s the vibe you’re looking to achieve?
Check out Dani and Will’s outfits for their winter engagement session last year. If we check out our friend, the Color Wheel, you’ll notice that blue-violet and yellow-orange are complimentary colors (they’re across from each other on the color wheel).
The colors they selected compliment each other.
And just to go back to pattern really quickly - you’ll notice Will is wearing a plaid shirt and Dani is wearing a simple sweater. Pairing a pattern with something less visually busy can be really engaging for the eye and create nice balance.
Kane and Kathleen offer us another more subtle example of complimenting outfits.
There’s a focus on a cooler color palette, but Kathleen has beautiful pops of color in her shirt to break up the blues. She even had a red-orange puffy vest to throw on for a couple shots that brought out the warm colors in her blouse.
We also obviously have to talk about the blues against the yellow-green of the seaweed - a beautiful example of human and nature working together to make art.
Your whole outfit can be ablaze with color or you can add pops of color for something a bit more subtle (like Jaime’s yellow hat pictured in the gallery above).
Another thing to think about is fabric and material and how it will interact with your location. Look at how the wind at Mackworth Island carried the hem of Megan’s light summer dress. Some fabrics lend themselves to more playfulness than others. If you’re not super playful, don’t think twice about it. But if you are and you want to ensure you have a certain level of that in some of your photographs, consider things like the fabric (and color and pattern).
Texture and fabric can go hand-in-hand. Texture can come from the clothes your wearing and how you choose to layer them and it can also come from the session’s location.
I’m a big fan of the outfit Brinn wore during her headshot/branding session. I love the open knit of her shirt paired with the worn denim of her overalls and brickwork of the alley. Throw in the softness of her hat the the light summer breeze that caught her hair and magic!
Stylistically, there’s just a lot to appreciate.
Alright, I just offered up a lot of information, so let’s summarize:
Pick outfits that make you feel like you! First and foremost, you need to feel comfortable and confident. Picking clothes that you and your body feel good in is crucial.
Don’t be afraid of color - incorporate it into your session in the ways the feel best to you. You can do this in a number of ways - by environment, your whole outfit, or just by adding some funky and playful accessories.
Don’t feel like you have to avoid pattern in your outfit selection. Keep balance in mind.
Fabric and material can play an important role in outfit selection as well. Texture can add so much depth to an ensemble and image.
Consider other aspects of your session when picking out your wardrode:
Type of session
Time of year
Location
Vibe/mood you’re looking to achieve
Hire a photographer whose work you admire and whose aesthetic matches your own.
Most photographers are eager to help their clients map out their time together, including outfit selection. Some photographers even offer style guides. Don’t hesitate to ask for support and guidance.
This post isn’t intended to discourage you from wearing neutral or earth tones during your session. If that’s your jam, let’s do it!
The bottom line? Your session is always, always, always about you!
Feel free to reach out with questions or comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for being here for what’s real.
-K
