How to plan for your photoshoot shoot – your guide to getting the best from your portrait session

Once you are ready to schedule your portrait session, the fun begins. Planning your portrait session and what clothes to wear ensures the best possible portraits. A fully illustrated style guide is offered as standard for everyone who books their portrait session as part of my service to you.

Clothing

Most of my clients enjoy some guidance in selecting clothing that will work well for their portraits. Knowing what ‘works’ (and what doesn’t) before the session leaves you free to enjoy your portrait experience.

If you bring along a friend, suggest they consider the following clothing guidelines too – I often sneak in an extra portrait or two if someone has come along to support their friend.

Here are a few suggestions I have to share:

#1 Choose outfits that fit your personality

#2 Avoid heavy patterns or stripes

#3 Select 1 signature colour

#4 Solid, neutral colours photograph well

#5 Long sleeves, skirts or trousers make posing easier

Props, themes and accessories

Hats, sunglasses, and similar items can add that extra punch to your portraits. Similarly, clothing that allows you to interact with your environment or encourages you to adopt a persona – surfboard, guitar, reading a book, or iPad – can inspire a great image. With young children, large props encourage role-play and can serve as devices to add an extra dimension to the image.

Tell a story

Whilst on location, I tell a story to pull the images together. Quietly showing my clients how to settle into position, I natter on ‘we’re walking through the park, take a hold of your scarf. Now look over to the horizon, point out the runner in the distance’. Implementing everyday actions with your props creates exclusive portraits that show who you really are.

Enjoy trying out different outfits ahead of time. Pack the night before in a small sports bag or ‘trolly dolly’. Now head over to the Isle of Wight BLOG POSTS or my STYLE BOARD FOR INSPIRATION!

I hope you find these tips helpful and that your next natural portrait session on the Isle of Wight is a hoot. I’d love to know which tip you think is the most helpful.

For more advice on natural portrait sessions or to book a natural portrait by an Isle of Wight photographer, get in touch and I’ll be happy to help.