Advising Clients on How to Dress for a Photoshoot

Greetings, fellow photographers! Today I’m bringing you information on dressing for a photoshoot. We all know that good pictures take more than a good photographer and a professional camera. From my experience, the wrong clothes can ruin an otherwise perfect photo session. I’m happy to share tips on making your customers look their best.

Meet with your clients before the photoshoot. It will help you understand what they are like and advise them on what they should wear. Help them with tips on clothing, shoes, accessories, makeup, and hairstyles.

Even when preparing for a wedding photoshoot, ask the bride and groom to share a list of attire requirements with their guests. This step will save you hours of editing!

Explain to your clients that the right clothes for a photo session depend on a series of factors:

  • The location. Shooting in a room with no windows or outdoors will require different outfits. If your clients want to do both, they will need to change.
  • The occasion. Formal attire will match an official event. For a fun picnic photoshoot, your clients will dress differently.
  • The client. Your customers should choose a style that matches their personality. If they don’t feel comfortable, it will reflect poorly on the pictures. Show them different examples for inspiration.
  • Time of the year and part of the day. Each season comes with its recommended clothes. For a good photoshoot, the people must fit in.
  • Your style. Don’t forget that your clients chose you because they like your style. Adjust it to their case, but don’t alter it.

As photographers, it’s our duty to educate our customers on what will look good during a photoshoot and help them avoid the most common mistakes:

  • Overusing floral designs and noisy patterns. The person wearing them will be the main focus. If children wear bright colors in a family photoshoot, the grown-ups should stick to soft monochrome pastels.
  • Dressing too casually. I have had many cases when men showed up wearing outfits incompatible with their body type. Stylish eans and a t-shirt will look fine. Ladies dressed in baggy clothes will look bad in photos. Help them choose an outfit fitting their style.
  • Using too many colors. When preparing for photoshoots, I share color palettes with my clients. Together, we choose complementary colors. That’s how families look good together, and the environment complements their styles.

Remember two main ideas: keep to a consistent style and color scheme during a photoshoot, and keep learning to take better pictures.