Today I’m tackling one of the issues I help almost every client with: figuring out what to wear for your brand shoot! You’ve worked hard to find a photographer that aligns with your brand and style, created a plan for your shoot, collected various props and figured out the location, but now you have to figure out what to wear for your brand shoot… Okay, while I’m not going to be able to give you specific links to create the perfect outfit, I do have a bunch of advice for how to choose the clothing that’s right for YOU.
Comfort
Rule #1: Wear comfortable clothes! Whether that means sticking to what you already have at home or wearing your new clothes around for a few weeks to make sure they feel good, please please please make sure you choose items that you are physically comfortable in for your shoot. You know how annoying it is when you wear those jeans that are a little too tight all day and you’re always having to readjust, or when you wear that scratchy wool sweater that’s so itchy even though it’s cute. You don’t want to feel like that during your shoot because that uncomfortableness translates through your photos. We don’t want that.
Color
Color is one of the most important parts of choosing your wardrobe, IMHO. I suggest opting for colors that complement your skin tone while also ensuring they fit well with your branding. One thing I ask for in my client questionnaire is branding elements like colors to ensure we create cohesive images that work perfectly with your brand. If your clothing for your shoot is bright and loud but your branding is soft and muted, your photos won’t quite fit in with your website and socials. Take a peek at your branding and check your outfit choices against your colors.
Pro Tip: Head to your local home improvement store to grab paint sample chips in your colors to have on hand while shopping or going through your closet to choose your clothing items!
Casual vs Formal
Take a moment to think about what you do each day. Do you work in an office space and meet with clients in professional situations? Then maybe going for a more polished, formal look is best for you. Do you lean more freelance and creative? Maybe you’ll want to go for a more relaxed feel with casual clothing choices that reflect your unique personality. Or maybe your line of work requires something specific to wear like an apron or specialty gear. Bring it along! Essentially you want to reflect how you relate to your clients and how you want to be perceived with the types of clothing items you choose.
Accessories
Outerwear and accessories like jackets, shoes, hats, scarves, and jewelry can help bring some differentiation to your images while not needing to change your entire outfit. It’s especially helpful in a studio situation where your surroundings are unchanging but you still of course want a variety of images that don’t all look the same. Bring along some accessories that you can easily throw on and off, but remember: don’t go too crazy! We don’t want you to distract from your gorgeous face with too much or too bulky jewelry.
Location
One thing that’s often overlooked when talking about choosing what to wear for a brand shoot is the location. This is truly as simple as knowing the vibe of the place you’re shooting and the color scheme. You’ll want to dress in a way that aligns with the location (ex. shooting at the beach doesn’t really scream “formal suit jacket”, you know?) and know the colors that will be around you so you don’t blend in or stand out too intensely. Your photographer should be able to help guide you through this part if they are more familiar with the location than you!
Variety
Lastly, I suggest choosing a good variety of outfits to bring with you. With my shoots, I offer as many outfit changes as my clients can fit within our allotted time (typically my clients change 1-2 times per shooting hour) so they can achieve several different looks. This is super helpful when shooting in a studio as well so all your photos don’t look the same! So bring a few options with you (on hangers so they don’t wrinkle!) and you’ll be all set.
Have FUN!
I know it’s a lot to think about and plan for, but while you’re choosing what to wear for your brand shoot, don’t forget to have fun! I never want my clients to be so stressed before a shoot that they forget to enjoy the process. So I hope you can take these tips and use them to help guide you while taking confusion out of the picture, that way you can really focus on the excitement of your upcoming brand shoot!
Need some more brand shoot tips?
I’ve got just the thing for you. Head over to grab my FREE Confident Brand Shoot Guide to help you prepare for your upcoming shoot even more! I’ve included my top 5 tips on how best to prepare for your shoot to reduce your stress and have the best time you can, mini tips to help spur you on before your shoot, and you’ll automatically get a confidence boost knowing you’ll be completely ready when shoot day comes.
Ready to book a brand shoot?
Have you read through this post but don’t have a brand photographer yet? If you’re ready for your time in front of the camera and you’ve concluded that I’m the photographer you’d like to work with, there’s just one simple step you need to take: get in touch with me! I’d love to get to know you and your business, and help you show it all off. Let’s get you the images you deserve.
