Before heading to your couples photography session or engagement photoshoot, double-check that your outfits are photogenic with these outfit tips! I send a photography outfit guide to all of the couples that book with me, and all of the key points are included below to help you feel confident in picking out your outfit.
4 Photoshoot Outfit Tips for Couples
Photography Outfit Guide Tip #1: Start With Neutrals
Neutrals are the main colors that you should be wearing! No matter where you are or what the lighting looks like, neutrals are a great base to have to have good couple photos you feel confident about. These colors include white, cream, tan, khaki, beige, brown, gray, charcoal, black, denim, navy, etc. For example, you can never go wrong with black and white (see these pics! So classy and simple and fits every vibe).
If you want to add in color, think about the time of year & your location of your engagement photos or couples session. Consider earth tones (the color of the sky, water, grass, dirt, sand, mountains, field) and the season’s natural color palette to coordinate with each other and your environment.
Try all neutrals with maybe 1-2 colors!
Bonus Tip for Your Outfits: Don’t be matchy-matchy.
Do not wear the same color shirt and/or the same color pants as each other! If you both want to wear jeans, try to wear different colors/washes. You could also consider mismatching with different shades of color. For example, one of you wears a light colored shirt and the other wears light colored pants, or one of you wears dark pants and the other wears a dark shirt. This will help your outfits coordinate instead of clash like the photo of Maddie and Rashawd’s outfits below!
Photography Outfit Guide Tip #2: Don’t Be Afraid of Pattern & Texture
Texture is an easy way to make your outfit more interesting! Mix or layer your textures (texures like: denim, corduroy, fleece, wool, cotton, satin, silk, leather, flannel, thermal, ribbed, bumpy, embroidered, ripped, torn, rolled, etc.).
Now, think of texture in a visual sense. How much texture do you want to feel in your photos? For example, a silky blouse with a chunky woven cardigan layered on top paired with rolled up ripped jeans – but I think you got the picture of texture now!
Pattern is where things can get tricky. A simple pattern is best whether it’s large or small and doesn’t have too much contrast. Stay away from pieces of clothing that have high contrast (example: black shirt with large, bright white polka dots) as it will steal away from the attention. You want to remember the emotions felt in your photos, not how distracting your shirt was! A good example of an appropriate pattern is a rust colored dress with tan and brown flowers. The pattern is pretty without being too loud and vibrant.
The trickiest pattern? Plaid.
Too small or too tight of a pattern can play tricks on a camera and warp the lines, and this can often occur with plaid! Too many colors in the plaid can also be too distracting from everything else in the photo. If you want to wear plaid, bigger neutrals or one color dominate plaids are the way to go!
Photography Outfit Guide Tip #3: Accessories & Layers are Your Friends!
Accessories and layers are great for adding depth and texture to your outfit and photos. I’ve listed some ideas below you could use if it’s your style! However, if it’s not “you,” don’t wear it. These things photograph well, but they are not “musts.”
Accessory Ideas: earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, hats, a purse, etc. (But let’s take off those apple watches and hair ties though!). Plus, shoes can be a fun statement piece! If you are not comfortable walking too far in your statement shoes, remember to bring a comfy pair to change in and out of.
Ideas for Layers: jackets, sweaters, cardigans, a scarf, coats, layered shirts, etc.
Photography Outfit Guide #4: Choose Outfits Based on Your Photoshoot Location
Once you choose your photoshoot location, make sure that your outfits also work well with your surroundings! The busier the location, the more simple your outfit should be. Here are some examples you can use to help pick out your outfits:
- Stear clear of heavy patterns in the woods or in a busy city. Instead, dress up with solid colors – it fits the vibe!
- Where there is typically more wind, like on the beach or an open field, choose a flowy outfit or dress.
- When you’re at an art gallery, like the photos in this blog post, you can wear fancier clothes or casual outfits without loud patterns.
The Most Important Photography Guide Outfit Tip
We want to capture and remember your love, emotions, and this season of life through your photos. The goal is to have the first thing someone notices about the photo to be you & your love, then the beautiful or meaningful background, and finally, how cute your outfits are. If you’re feeling stressed about finding the perfect outfit, remember that it isn’t the main focus of your photos! And better yet, I can help you.
Chloe Marie Photography | Couples & Elopement Photography
Check out more engagement photos from this gallery below! Save outfit inspiration to your Pinterest or jump down to “The Final Tips of the Photography Outfit Guide.”
Are you looking for an engagement photographer for your engagement photos? I would love to capture your love story! You can learn more about Chloe Marie Photography here.
The Final Tips of the Photography Outfit Guide
You can do an outfit change!
If you have multiple locations you want to go to, want to have a fancy outfit and a casual outfit, or simply can’t decide which outfit is best, change your outfits!
Bring a bag of JUST IN CASE items.
Trust me, you’re feel relieved to have this bag in case anything happens! Here are some items I recommend you include: a coat or blanket to wrap up in between photos if it’s cold, some towels if there’s a chance of getting wet or muddy, extra shoes (especially if you’re wearing uncomfy shoes for photos), an extra outfit, make up bag, and hair brush or hair spray.
Try out your outfit BEFORE your photoshoot.
Check yourself out in the mirror or have someone take a video of you walking down the hallway. Do you like it? Maybe even do a twirl! You should feel confident that you like your outfit and how it fits for your photos!
Feel free to disregard everything or anything I have said!
If you were born to shine, please wear that bright red dress on the beach – YOU DO YOU! I will cheer you on either way!
Did you find this post helpful?
I’m so glad! You can find more photoshoot resources and tips to feel prepared for your session on my blog. You’ll also receive the photography outfit guide once you book with me as your couples or engagement photographer to further assist in your outfit selection! To book with me for your photoshoot, you can fill out my inquiry form here. I am so excited to connect with you! I will be in touch soon!
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