Clothing Guide

DO

Wear solid coloured clothing.
So that we see all of your faces and no individual stands out. If you wear stripes or flowers, you will stand out from the rest of the group. Some patterns, like a checked shirt, aren't so bad. Limit patterns overall though.

Choose muted tones that are a bit subdued.
So that you are the subject, not your clothes. Bright colours project (especially reds, oranges and yellows), which make you look larger.
Earthy tones, muted gem tones, monochrome, beige and taupe are great choices.

Choose similar tones for the top and bottom (both dark or both light).
A white top and dark trousers will make your top look bigger. White trousers and a dark top will make your bum look bigger.

Choose one to three colours for your group portrait, colours with similar tones that go nicely together. Have everyone work within that colour palette.
This is so we see people first and your portrait looks stunning.

Choose a top with sleeves at least to the elbow.
Because your arms take up more skin area than your face and will draw attention. It may also make your arms look bigger.

Choose long trousers for men and women, or a skirt below the knee for women.
This is so your legs don't take attention from your face. You will also be able to sit and bend without showing too much leg.

Wear clothes that flatter your shape and aren't too tight or too loose. Don't wear something that accentuates your insecurities.
Wear something you feel beautiful in. A good tip is to get someone to take a few photos on your mobile of you in the outfit. See if you are happy with how your clothes look before the day of the shoot.

Choose dark socks and footwear (unless preparing for a barefoot on the beach shoot).
Because white sticks out like a sore thumb and that's all you'll notice in your photo.

Keep accessories and jewellery simple and minimalistic.
Because too much jewellery takes attention away from your face.

DON'T

Don't wear characters or branded clothing.
Logos and pictures on clothing are not timeless and will draw attention away from faces. Aim to dress in clothes that are solid colour with no branding.

Typically stay away from slicked back ponytails.
A looser, more flexible hair style works better, unless a ponytail is a signature look.

Don't try a new style.
A photoshoot is not the time to try a new look. Be yourself and wear what you're comfortable in.

Avoid neon colours.
These dominate a photograph and can also give a colour cast on the skin that is not flattering.

Avoid phones and wallets in pockets.
It's often overlooked, but don't forget to leave wallets and phones out of a photoshoot. I can keep them safe or you can leave them at home or in your car during the shoot.

Don't forget to plan for the shoot.
Don't wing it and hope it all comes together on the day. It may seem straight forward, but some planning can change an OK picture into something very special indeed.

The section above is a great guide to preparing for a photoshoot. At the very minimum this should ideally be followed.

However, If you want to take your photoshoot to the next level, then the best way is to introduce some colour coordination.
If you'd like to try coordinating clothes, then the section below will help.

Colour choices

Spring outfits

Colours - neutrals, pastels, light fresh colours like blues, yellows and greens.

Clothing - dresses, skirts, trousers, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, long sleeves, cardigans, jackets.

Summer Outfits

Colours - neutrals, pastels.

Clothing - flowy dresses, skirts, shorts, t-shirts, bare feet.

Autumn Outfits

Colours - earthy colours, browns, greens, blues, purples, reds, rusty oranges, yellows.

Clothing - long skirts, trousers, long sleeves, cardigans, jerseys, boots, scarves, hats.

Winter Outfits

Colours - neutrals, browns, blues, greens, reds.

Clothing - trousers, long sleeves, jackets, scarves, hats, boots.

Below is a wide choice of palettes to help.

If you are unsure about colour theory, you can go to this website and change the selection on the colour wheel to the main outfits colour and tone. Then you can select the harmony buttons to see the complimentary colours for that outfit. You can use these results to loosely guide you with palettes below.

Pick one palette and use that to dress the group. You can also pick one palette and add a neutral palette too, as neutrals always work well with other colours.

The key is to coordinate and compliment clothes colours, not match everyone.