what to wear to your photoshoot
professional photography is an investment so of course what you wear matters! these are also the memories that your tamariki and mokopuna look back on and will admire so i always ask clients to put effort into what you're wearing on shoot day, heres why:
block + complimentary
the perfect example of a whānau shoot with clothing that compliments the environment and each other. warm tones, that suit their body shapes and are also complimentary.
my tip is to choose your location first then figure out your colour palette that will compliment that environment.
tones + colour palletes
block and neutral colours are everyone's best friend, i always ask whānau to avoid logos, brands, patterns or even clothing sporting characters. this is not a paid advertisement or a chance to advertise your favourite fast fashion brand. keep it simple.
block + complimentary
compliment your environment
its important to compliment your location - the beach is often a neutral / warm space yet can easily help all colours pop!
whereas in the ngāhere bright block colours can often get lost and be quite harsh on the tones of te taiao.
matching
throughout the years i refuse to shoot the outdated jeans and white t-shirts because we ALL deserve better. however, matching the entire whānau does work when executed right! black and white are sophisticated block colours (again, when done right).
it is equally as important to wear clothing that suites your body type / is flattering. if you are uncomfortable in what you're wearing - you will see it in your portraits.
neutral + simple
if you're overwhelmed with where to start - don't stress!
jump on Pinterest and start looking at different photoshoot outfit boards and curate your own. it's a free and accessible tool that is severely underutilised.
upon booking you will also receive my client guide to offer a helping hand if needed.
less is more
nude + skin is a perfect match for couples and even more so during haputanga. i always encourage whānau to avoid skin-tight clothing, instead go for flowy, loose and relaxed fits. <3
compliment your skin tone
not all clothing styles suit every body shape and not all colour palettes suit every skin tone. pinterest again is your best friend and will have a tonne of free resources to help match clothing and colour to your skin tone. here's an example i send to clients
✓ solid, complimentary colours. coordinate does not mean "match" it means compliment.
✓ choose colours that will also compliment the environment / location you've chosen.
✓ create a pinterest mood board and check out the client style guide
✓ coordinate and choose styles that compliment/suit your body shape. if you feel good, you won't feel so nervous on the day.
✓ most importantly dress in what you are comfortable in - if you are not comfortable in your clothing it will show in your portraits.
✓ accessorise: pōtae, tāonga, pounamu, kakahu, heru, whakakai, blankets - that will compliment your fit.
✗ jeans and white tee - i will not shoot with anyone wanting this outdated style and will happily refer you to another photographer. we all deserve better!
✗ patterns, logos, sports shirts, character shirts etc - this is not a paid advertisement for your favourite fast fashion brand.
extended whānau
when navigating a shoot with your extended whānau - my advice is alwasy to create a group chat and send the whānau a suggestion for a colour pallete - don't overcomplicate things. example: our cousins photo we agreed to all wear our redbands and just happened to all be wearing black! not only is it easy but it also complimented our location.
