What should I wear?
Whatever you’d wear to meet a client.
The portrait at the top is from a team session in Ashburn.
What photographs well
- Solid colors. Mid and darker tones sit better against most backgrounds than very light ones.
- Layers. A jacket or a structured cardigan gives the frame some shape, and it comes off for a second look in the same sitting.
- Necklines where you’d normally wear them. A portrait’s cropped close, so the neckline takes up a lot of the picture.
What doesn’t
- Tight stripes and small patterns. They can shimmer on camera.
- Bright white against a light background. It flattens you into it.
- Logos, unless it’s your own company’s.
- Anything brand new. Clothes you haven’t worn yet tend to sit oddly, and you’ll notice it in the photo even if nobody else does.
Does it matter more than lighting or expression?
No. A good portrait in a plain shirt beats an uncomfortable one in a perfect outfit. Wear the thing you stop thinking about the second you sit down.
Can I bring a change?
Yes. One change of top gets you a second look in the same sitting.
Glasses, makeup, hair?
Wear your glasses if you wear them every day. I light to keep the reflection out.
Otherwise do whatever you’d do on a working day. A portrait that doesn’t look like you on a Tuesday isn’t much use to you.
If your whole team’s being photographed, here’s how an on-site session works. One person? Individual portraits.
