10 Tips on what to wear to your Photo shoot - Raw Design Media

This is the most asked question I hear from my clients in our pre-consultation stages so I thought I would share with you my top 10 tips for what to wear on a Photo shoot.

First and foremost you want to feel comfortable on your shoot and what you chose to wear on the day will have a direct impact on that.

Styling a family; As a general rule I tell my clients to select a total of 3-4 colours max and to stay away from bold patterns as they can detract from both the scenery and the main focus of the shot, YOU.   

Have a look at the colour wheel below for some colour HARMONY

With that being said however, if one person was to wear a colourful print in say a shirt or a dress you could select two other colours from the said print and style your families wardrobe around it. Here are a few examples;

Wear your Sunday best. What does this mean I hear you ask? Wear something that is a bit dressier than what you would ordinarily wear, with out being to formal. Light cotton dresses for girls and button up shirts for boys is a sure fire win. 

Keep your location in mind. If you are going to be having a photo shoot outdoors than most likely I will have you sitting or lying down at some stage. Make sure your outfit will allow for this.

Plan all the way down to your shoes. Yes that's right. Put as much thought into your footwear as you would your outfit. Do they need cleaning? Are they comfortable? Do they make you feel amazing?

At the risk of completely confusing and losing you...

Don't dress too matchy matchy. Yep I know you all know what I mean! You would have seen pictures floating around the web (or have them hanging on your walls at home from when you were little) of those rigid family Portraits where the whole family is wearing denim pants and a white top, or all the girls are wearing identical dresses matching their mum!! I sure have & cringe every time.  Stay clear of matching everyone's outfit. 

 Make up & hair. I love nothing more than to see everyone look as natural as possible when turning up for their photo shoot, it's a timeless classic look that always looks fresh. For the ladies and girls, keep your hair out & flowing and to the boys use as little of product as possible. Make up always accentuateswomen's features and make us feel that little extra special but don't go overboard. Mascara, light covering of foundation/powder & some lippy will do the trick. It's a fine balance, you don't want to look too made up for a park portrait but you also don't want to look washed out. A bit of colour on the apples of your cheeks & some tinted lip gloss or lipstick ought to do the trick.

Don't wear clothes that wrinkle easily or have stains. Photoshop is an amazing tool that allows us to do so many things, from changing the colour of the sky, removing blemishes on the face or even removing an entire person as they wander past our frame during a shoot. It can not however, iron the wrinkles out of your shirt & you'd be amazed at how much they come up on print.

Let teenagers chose their outfit, they feel self conscious at the best of times so letting them select their own outfit will give them a certain amount of control with the shoot and be more inclined to turn up ready to participate.

I have been asked on many occasion whether parents should ask younger family members to remove accessories for a Photo shoot.  I personally don't mind if a child/teenager wants to wear their favourite "loom" band or bracelet/watch/jewellery I find it is those small details which both you and your children will look back on in years to come as the "remember that bracelet in this photo? I used to looove it" stage. After all that's what we want to achieve in our sessions, capturing a moment in time to look back on in years to come. If your teenagers or partner need a little guidance when getting ready refer them to these steps;

1. Wear something comfortable that you love and feel fabulous in
2. Wear your Sunday best
3. Stick to 3-4 colours (If 1 person is wearing a pattern however, stick to 2 colours from the said pattern)
4. Allow teenagers to select their own outfits (after they have read our guidelines that is :o)
5. Keep your location in mind
6. Don't forget your shoes!
7. Don't be too matchy matchy
8. Don't wear clothes that wrinkle easily or have stains
9. Keep it natural with make up & hair
10. Wear your best smile, you're going to have fun!

Raw Design Media want to capture your family at its most natural, in a beautiful setting, sharing wonderful moments together, wearing clothes that speak volumes about each family members personality.  If you are still unsure about what you should wear to your next photo shoot or have any questions, just pop us an email we'd love to help you plan your wardrobe for your next Portrait session with us.