How to Dress for an Individual Photo Session?
How to dress for a photo session — this is one of the most frequently asked questions by my clients. Of course, there is no single answer — it depends on the type of session, how many people participate, the season, the weather, and the chosen location.
You dress differently for a business session than for an individual session, which is intended to present photos in a frame, on a wall, or on social media. Let’s skip business photos here, as choosing appropriate clothing in that case is much more straightforward.
So, what outfit is best suited for a photo session? The simplest answer is — your favorite one. The one you feel good in, the one you like seeing yourself in. Much also depends on the chosen location. For outdoor/nature photos, romantic dresses work best; if the session takes place in the city — a simpler, more contemporary style is appropriate. Pay attention to the color scheme — clothes in one or at most two colors look best in photos. Avoid aggressively patterned or printed clothes that might distract from your face in the photo. If the session is in winter or on a cloudy day — bright (yellow or red) clothes can brighten up the photos.
For men, I recommend a basic outfit for a photo session — trousers + shirt, with or without a blazer, depending on preference.
Here you can find my individual portrait portfolio and pricing
Choosing Outfits for Couples’ Sessions
When several people are in the photo, we have somewhat less freedom in outfit choices than in individual sessions. Preparing for a couple’s photo session, the lady can of course wear a colorful dress. I would recommend the partner wear black or gray trousers and a white shirt — or a shirt matching, or even the same color as the lady’s dress. It’s worth ensuring a consistent style between both partners’ outfits. A lady in an elegant dress should be accompanied by a gentleman in equally elegant trousers and shirt, perhaps with a blazer. Of course, you can opt for a more casual style — just remember to keep the couple’s stylistic harmony and avoid too much color variety.
Here you can find my couples’ photography portfolio and pricing
What Clothes to Choose for a Family Session?
For family sessions, it’s best to keep a harmonious or even uniform color palette. Neutral tones (white, gray, black) look most flattering — especially if photographing the entire family. If the photos are only of sisters, or mother with daughters — you can allow more colors, though it’s still good to try to maintain a unified color scheme. As with couples’ photos, maintaining a consistent style among all photographed people is important.
You can rent or buy special elegant dress sets for mom and daughters, which I’m happy to help with.
Here you can find my family session portfolio and pricing
Maternity Dress for a Photo Session
If you like a casual style, choosing an outfit for a maternity session is quite easy — just ensure style and color harmony as with couples’ sessions, and the expectant mother should choose clothes that emphasize her figure (avoid loose blouses and dresses that hide the baby bump). It’s more challenging for those who dream of a romantic maternity session in an elegant dress. Buying such a dress in a store is difficult — at least in Switzerland, where maternity sections mostly feature practical everyday wear. However, you can buy or rent beautiful maternity gowns at tailor shops, which I’m happy to assist with, though we should start organizing such a purchase about two months in advance.
Here you can find my maternity session portfolio and pricing.
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