Couple’s photoshoot outfits – Do’s and Dont’s
Engagement sessions are a chance for me to capture the moments that tell your story and illustrate the love you share. They allow us to connect with you, prior to your wedding, practice in front of the camera and to share the experience of being photographed together in advance of your wedding day. Engagement sessions help you feel more comfortable on your special day, making your wedding photographs even more successful.
An engagement session encompasses up to two hours on location and starts about twohours before sunset, depending on the location.
Remember, these sessions are exploratory. Take a moment and ask yourselves what feels most authentic to you. Our only limitations are our own imaginations!
Be creative, explore and we’ll create something beautiful together.
When having an engagement photo session, your outfit is crucial. You can make it or break it. In this post, I will try to give you some more insights on how to make the best of your outfit for a successful photo shoot.
Engagement Photoshoot Outfits – Do’s
Choose Style & Comfort
Wear clothes that best reflect your style. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable in, mentally. A portrait session is not the time to make a bold fashion statement or try an outfit you’d never wear in public. If you feel comfortable, you’ll look comfortable. If you feel like you’re wearing a costume, you’ll look like you’re wearing a costume.
Wear clothes that fit. If you’re tucking, pinning, or squeezing into an outfit, if the outfit ‘rides up’ or down, shows sweat, shows underwear lines or bra straps, or wrinkles easily, don’t wear it. These things will show up in pictures.
Find Your Color Palette
Choose colors in the same tonality. For portrait sessions, husband and wife matching outfits look dated. You can avoid looking like a 90s blue jeans, white t-shirt couple by picking a color palette, instead of choosing matching outfits. Find 2-3 complimentary colors and neutrals and stick to it. My advice would be to try to keep your choices in the same family of colors, coordinating your outfits, rather than being matchy-matchy.
Mind your neutrals. When choosing neutrals, opt for a brown tone for a warm color palette, or a gray tone for a cool color palate. Avoid wearing bright white because it will act as a light reflector and will draw the eye to whoever is wearing it. Plus it will not show good when for example you’re having a photo session in Santorini, where there is white all over the place.
Add patterns sparingly. I would discourage you to use patterns in your portrait session because they can quickly overwhelm a shoot. Instead, my suggestion would be to save patterns and pops of color for small accessories such as scarves, hair bands, belts, or hats. When kept in moderation, patterns can add interesting texture to an image and can bring out the personality of the person wearing it.
Consider Your Environment
Identify your environment color palate. One of the best ways to choose your color palette is to first determine if your photo shoot environment has cool or warm tones. For example, Santorini in the mid-summer has lots of white and warm tones; a beach in the spring has blue, green, and white cool tones. A photoshoot in Tuscany is dominated by the green tones of the surrounding hills and cypress trees.
Dress for the season/weather. After you’ve thought about the color palette of your environment, think about the clothes that make the most sense for a summer or a fall engagement photoshoot. Dress for the season and the time of day. If you’re too cold or too hot, it will be apparent in photos. For example, a windy island may not work very good with a skirt or loose hair. The beach location will go better with delicate flowing clothes, lighter material, sandals or bare feet.
Consider your photo display. Lastly, please keep in mind the environment in which you’ll be hanging your printed portraits. Consider the color palette of your home and pick a season and outfits that match the color scheme so that when you print the images and hang them on your walls, they’ll look right at home and add to your décor.
Engagement Photoshoot Outfits – DONT’s
Crazy colors and patterns. Don’t wear neon colors. They can clash with one another/the background, alter skin tones, and create color cast on neutrals and skin tones. Avoid clothing with distracting patterns or thin stripes. Thin stripes on clothing can look warped and create a crazy optical illusion that draws the eye.
Matching outfits. Matching couple outfits look dated and corny.
Distracting items. This includes shiny clothes, distracting jewelry or accessories such as sunglasses. Remove anything that doesn’t add to the outfit, and empty your pockets to keep from wrinkling and bunching.
Branding. Even if you’re doing a casual shoot, avoid athletic sneakers, or distracting apparel with brand names. Avoid logos, characters, or words on clothing. You are not a walking billboard advertisement.
Wearing clothes with minimal coverage. Only show as much shoulder, leg, or neckline, as you’re confident having photo proof of for a lifetime. For example, don’t wear a sleeveless top unless you’re 100percent happy with your arms. If you do wear a sleeveless top, bring something to drape over your shoulders, like a shawl or blazer, just in case the shot calls for it, or it gets chilly. Exposed skin can easily become a focal point, so be mindful.
BONUS tips
Location
Make it personal. Choose a location that is unique and special to you; somewhere that stirs fond memories or inspires wanderlust. No location is too far, no adventure too great. Think outside the box and challenge your imagination. I love fresh, new ideas and are happy to rendezvous somewhere off the beaten path in order to create beautiful memories for you. Paris, Italy and Santorini are just a few of my frequent destinations.
Consider…
Locations that tell a story and have a personal meaning
The natural beauty and the timelessness of breathtaking landscapes
Exotic locations
Props
Whether your passion is sailing, traveling or your pup, props can enhance the shoot and breathe life into a photograph.
Consider…
Location appropriate props
Boats cars or your furry friend
Custom props
Hair & MakeUp
Hair and makeup is just as important as your fashion choices. Your engagement session is a wonderful opportunity to schedule a trial session with a hair and makeup artist in advance of your wedding day.
Here’s a bit of advice from one of the industry’s top stylists:
Having your hair and makeup professionally done for your engagement session is a great way to see how you will photograph in professional images. This experience will help you choose your wedding day look. During your engagement beauty session, my advice is to stick with what you know! Simply look like a more polished version of yourself.
You are more than welcome to use your engagement photos on your social media, wedding website, save the dates and guest books.
Hope you found this advice helpful to plan your engagement photoshoot better!
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