What should you wear to a location photoshoot?
So here we are. My very first blog post. The Idea behind writing blogs is very simple: I want to create informative posts which will answer, in detail, some of the frequently asked questions that my clients might have.
Probably the one I get asked the most is:
“What should I wear for an outdoor photoshoot?” and often more specifically “what colours work best for photos?”.
Many people want to understand what colours to wear to a photoshoot. And generally this is a good start as the right colours can make or break a good photograph. Outdoor portrait photography is by far my favourite discipline. I love the incredible selection of beautiful backgrounds on offer. Therefore an outdoor session results in creative and beautiful portraits. Most importantly natural light is a powerful feature in itself and a vital ingredient in the creation of beautiful, timeless pictures.
People have favourite colours so understanding a little bit of colour theory will help you make the right decisions for clothing on your portrait session. Let me explain the basics to you.
Colour wheel
Please have a look at the colour wheel below. The colour wheel was invented in 1666 by Isaac Newton; the colour spectrum is mapped onto a circle. The colour wheel forms the basis of colour theory because it shows the relationship between colours. An idea is to use certain groups of colours that have specific relationships with each other on the wheel. This results in a great contrast of colours and generally works best for photography.

How to read the colour wheel
Complementary method
The first suggestion is think about the complementary method. The idea is to pick up the colours that are on opposite sides of the wheel. As a result this combination provides a high contrast and high impact combination. For example if you pick up blue, the complementary colour would be orange, etc. Balance between primary and complementary colour is also something that needs to be considered.

Monochromatic method
This method is based on a variation of a single colour. Be it shades, tones or tints of one colour. A monochromatic scheme tends to create a relaxing and delicate feel. Overall it provides a subtle and conservative color combination and can result in a harmonious look.

Split complementary method
The split complementary colour method is a variation of the complementary colour scheme. In addition to the main colour, it uses two colours adjacent to its complementary colour. For example if you pick up blue, split complementary colours for blue are yellow and orange. Overall this colour scheme features less contrast making it more pleasing for the eye.

What not to wear in photographs?
- Colours to avoid: try to avoid white on a sunny day and blacks are very draining and lack shape in photographs.
- Pastels: always look and work well but make sure everyone is wearing similar shades.
- Patterns: might can be distracting so best to avoid and tight stripes or dots create the moire effect that you see on TV.
- Logos: also very distracting so best to avoid because the human eye will be drawn to letters and symbols.
- Characters: Disney or Marvel characters are popular with kids but they will grow out of this phase and you want the photos to be timeless!
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