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What should I wear? It’s a question that we get all the time. Everyone is different, and we want you to be able to express your individuality. That being said there are certain types of clothing that look better in pictures. Note that this guide is tailored more toward engagement couples and family portraits. When dealing with fashion and modeling, the rules are a bit different.
Usually solid colors look better than patterns. This is because what is considered a fashionable pattern today, may not be so in 5, 10, 15, or 25 years. Solid colors never go out of style. If photographing a group of people, we recommend you coordinate colors. Matching is not necessary, but coordinating jewelry and colors between each other seriously impacts the look of a photo. Wearing white cotton is not recommended, however we can work with it if you would like to wear white. Any sheer mesh type of clothing should also be avoided, as when used with flash it can become see-through. Pants or longer dresses/skirts are recommended over shorts because they tend to elongate our subject.
REMEMBER: Clothing needs to be chosen to represent the theme of your shoot. If you want a vintage look, then I suggest looking at stores like Iguana Clothing on Ventura Bl. It is one of the best Vintage shops in Los Angeles when it comes to photography. Clothing really does make the shoot, along with hair, make up, etc. We promise to do a good job in things that we can control, but in order to get the best out of your shoot, choose your clothing wisely!
Ladies! After following the above rules, there are a couple of other things that we recommend. When wearing a dress, we recommend one that flows with your body. It shouldn’t be too tight or too loose, but more importantly it shouldn’t be tight around the stomach area, and then flow outward around the legs, this doesn’t allow us to accentuate your curves. For a casual family shoot, jeans are a great option. For head shots, you want to wear something that covers your sleeves.
Alright guys, the rules are a little simpler for you. Polo shirts are always a great idea for you. As with women, shorts should be avoided if possible. If it is a portrait session, consider wearing a dress shirt and slacks. For more of a casual look, jeans are always a great option. Make sure your clothing is tailored to your body and FITTED. Baggy clothing doesn’t look good in pictures.
This topic is so important, soon it will have it’s own page. Makeup is a must. Makeup has played a role in every movie, television show, and magazine photo you have ever seen. Even athletes have been caught wearing make-up (If you don’t believe me, check out Kobe).
The truth is, the less editing that we have to do to a photograph, the better and more natural it turns out. Makeup evens out skin tones, covers blemishes, and gives a more youthful appearance. Now, we know we are preaching to the choir for most of the ladies reading this. It is the men we are preaching to! Now if you are like Michael, you are probably thinking, why would I wear makeup. The answer is because it makes your pictures look better, without overdoing it. If done right, you won’t even be able to tell you are wearing it.
If you need a good makeup artist, we recommend Makeup by Barby or Makeup by Christina Underwood We can schedule a time before your shoot to have your makeup applied professionally.
Some of our favorite places to purchase clothing for an upcoming shoot are below. We picked solutions for all budgets and most of them can be found in the mall or online.
Old Navy - One of our favorite places. Clothing is inexpensive, yet quality made. You can pick up an outfit for all members of your family as well. They also offer maternity clothing through their online store.
The Gap - The Gap is a nice store similar to Old Navy. Their clothing is moderately affordable and very good quality. They also have clothing for all members of your family.
Banana Republic - “Banana,” has very nice clothing that is a little on the more expensive side. They keep with the latest fashion trends and have some of the best styles for you to choose from. Similar stores would be Express and Guess.
H & M - They don’t have an online store at the time of this writing, but this store is PERFECT for HS Seniors. They have some of the latest fashion trends and best of all, they are very affordable.
