What Clothes to Wear to a Portrait Sitting

Have you ever had a customer show up for a photo session in clothes that are hideous?  I have. I once had a guy show up with paisley pants!  You might think ”what’s the big deal?” or “So what?”
Well, this is a problem because clothing can be distracting. Usually in a portrait you want the people to be the focus, not pants.

So here are a few ideas to tell clients when the book a photo session. It might be a good idea to have these guidelines on your internet site or in a brochure.

1.  Solid color clothing is usually best. Stay away from busy patterns like plaid, paisley, big polka dots.  Basically stay away from anything that will distract from the main subject.

2. Dark colors.  You ask why? Dark colors make people look slimmer. So if you have a person who carries a little extra weight, this might make them a bit happier with their shots.

3.  Wear long sleeves.  Again, this helps cover up skin and can really help a photo.

4. If you are photographing a group or couple have them wear similar colors.  They don’t need the to be the same, just similar.  This makes the group look like they fit together.

These are just a few guidelines. They are not written in stone so if you want to have a guy wearing paisley pants go ahead have fun!