You've booked your photoshoot, you've met with your photographer and you have a head full of exciting ideas on what to wear, what to bring, accessories to gather and how you're going to get glamed up for your amazing photoshoot.
In this post, (part 2 of 2, part 1 here), we'll be concentrating on what to wear for your contemporary portrait experience, whether you're going for sumptuous and sexy or something more casual.
Clothing
One of the most important parts of your photoshoot will be deciding what to wear. The right clothing can really make a photoshoot, so it's important to feel comfortable in what you're wearing and make sure you have outfits planned out beforehand.
Underwear: It's best to have something skin coloured on, especially if you're having a maternity shoot. Alternatively, go for black or white and something you'll be comfortable moving around in. Try to also bring along a skin coloured tank top or boob tube and wear a supportive bra.
If you're treating yourself (or someone special!) to a boudoir session, then wear underwear that makes you feel sexy! Think, dark, lacey and sultry. For boudoir, other things like oversized jumpers and knitted socks can look awesome, too!
Outfits: The best outfits are the ones that make you look and feel like a superstar! I always tell my clients to choose a range of different outfits; four to five is usually a good number to aim for. Pick a few different styles; something dark and sultry, something light and floating, something sexy, something more casual... But, what if you don't have anything to wear?! - Which woman needs an excuse to go shopping for awesome clothes? There's no better occasion than glamming yourself up for your photoshoot experience!
Stay away from really baggy outfits and things with lots of colours and patterns or shiny foils, they can get distracting on camera.
Maternity: Maternity shoots are so exciting! Go for flowing garments, like lace dressing gowns or long chiffon over-tops. Also, make sure you have skin coloured underwear and/or tank tops/shorts to go underneath your gorgeous gowns! Maternity sessions are all about showing off your growing belly and celebrating the most amazing time in your life, so bringing along some fitted outfits, like knitted knee length dresses will look gorgeous, too!
Ironing: Make sure your outfits are all chosen, washed and ironed before your photoshoot. Hang items that could crease easily and cover them to ensure they stay clean for the day!
Shoes: This can depend on your style of photoshoot. Ladies, heels will make your legs look slimmer and longer, guys, smart shoes that match your outfit will always look good. I tend not to shoot feet, so check with your photographer as you may not even need to wear shoes.
Children: Children should have 3-4 outfits chosen for their photoshoot. Depending of the style of their session, go for muted tones in light fabrics like cotton. Nothing too shiny or busy in colour. Sparkles always look amazing, as do summer dresses and pretty tops.
For little boys, go for smarter shirts and trousers. Braces, suits and dungarees can all look great, too!
For a Mummy & Me session, where you'll get to celebrate the love you both share in beautiful images with a portrait session for the both of you, you'll want outfits that are matched in tones but not in garments. So, think shades of pink or grey in similar fabrics, rather than both wearing the same outfit.
Teens: Teens and 'tweens' are always great to photograph. Girls can go really glam with gorgeous prom dresses and evening gowns, or show off their sporty side in their school's team strip. Dancers can have portraits in their pointe shoes, gymnasts can show off their moves in their session...the possibilities are endless. Younger girls can wear party dresses, too, which always look beautiful.
Boys can go from smart-casual to suited and booted for their portraits. Crisp, clean shirts and trousers, rather than jeans, will always look great. Again, sports team strips always work well too.
Teen and tween portraits are always about celebrating the amazing individuality of your children, as they're growing into the young adults of the future, so it's important to capture who they are now.
Men: Men will always look great in smart/smart casual outfits. Suits, shirts, jumpers with trousers and smart shoes are always winners. Bring a few different shirts too, so we can mix it up.
This ends my mini series on preparing for your photoshoot! We've gone over your pre-shoot beauty regime and how to pick outfits for your session. I'm hoping they've helped you in preparing for your photoshoot and are getting you excited about starring in your own celebrity style images! Go forth and be fabulous!