What To Wear For Your Portrait Session
The clothes should never become more important than you
One of the questions I am asked most often before a portrait session is:
What should I wear?
My answer is usually simpler than people expect.
You do not need to buy a new wardrobe.
You do not need everyone in matching outfits.
And you certainly don't need to arrive looking like a family who has accidentally joined the same choir.
What you wear matters.
But mostly because I don't want it to matter too much.
When I photograph you, I want to see faces, hands, expression and the way people relate to one another.
Clothing should help me do that.
Not compete with it.
Start with simple
Black is always a good place to begin in my studio.
I have photographed against a black background for more than twenty years. Dark, simple clothing allows faces and skin to come forward and gives the portraits the simplicity that has become part of how I work.
That does not mean everybody has to wear black.
Soft neutrals can work beautifully.
Creams, greys, browns and quieter tones can all work, depending on who I am photographing and the kind of portrait we are making.
What matters more than matching is that the clothes work together.
Coordinate. Don't clone.
Things I would rather leave in the cupboard
Large logos.
Strong patterns.
Fluorescent colours.
Very busy prints.
Clothes that need constant adjusting.
And anything you already know you don't feel comfortable wearing.
If your eye goes to the shirt before it goes to the person wearing it, the shirt is probably doing too much work.
But this is personal portraiture, not a business headshot.
Your clothes do not need to be new or perfect.
Some of my own favourite clothes have appeared in photographs for years. They are soft from wearing, familiar, and very much mine. Only I need to know where the holes are.
If an old jersey, shirt or dress feels completely like you, bring it.
Well-worn is not the same as worn out.
Think about shape
Clothing changes the shape of a portrait.
Long sleeves often photograph beautifully because they keep attention on faces and hands.
Simple necklines tend to age better than very fashionable ones.
Layers can work well, particularly when we want some variety without changing everything.
Fit matters too.
Something does not have to be tight, formal or expensive to photograph well. It simply needs to sit properly on the body.
I would much rather look at three tops in the studio and choose one than have you spend three days worrying about which one I might prefer.
Bring options if you're unsure. I'll help you choose.
Dressing together without matching
When I photograph more than one person, I don't want you dressed as a set.
You are different people.
There may be similarities between you, but the portrait becomes much more interesting when everyone still looks like themselves.
We can find a relationship between the clothes without making them identical.
Sometimes that is simply a shared depth of colour.
Sometimes similar simplicity.
Sometimes one person's clothing is slightly lighter or darker than another's.
You should belong together without looking packaged together.
And makeup?
For most of my personal portrait work, I prefer makeup to be quiet.
You should still look like yourself.
Professional makeup is not essential. If you usually wear very little makeup, you do not suddenly need a completely different face because there is a camera in the room.
If you would like professional hair and makeup, it can absolutely be arranged.
I simply ask that it remains soft and natural unless we have deliberately decided to make something more dramatic.
Because dramatic can be wonderful too.
But then we are making that photograph on purpose.
There is a difference between choosing theatre and accidentally arriving in it.
Before you leave home
If something needs pressing, press it before you come.
Bring clothes on hangers rather than folded in a bag if they crease easily.
If you are unsure between two or three options, bring them all. We can decide in the studio.
And if you are being photographed with a pet, a lint roller is never a bad idea.
A little preparation means we can forget about the clothes once we start.
Hands matter
Hands appear in my portraits often.
They hold children.
Rest on shoulders.
Touch faces.
Find one another.
Which means nails are often more visible in a portrait than people expect.
For personal portraits, I strongly recommend keeping them quiet — natural nails or a simple neutral polish photograph beautifully.
Bright colours, elaborate nail art, patterns, hearts, gems and other decorative details can quickly become the first thing you notice, particularly when a hand is close to a face.
That is rarely where I want your eye to go.
If your nails are usually part of how you express yourself and it matters to you that they are seen that way, of course they can stay. But if you are choosing them specifically for your portrait session, choose something simple.
Your hands should be part of the portrait, not the first thing you notice.
Don't dress for the photograph you think you should have
This may be the most important bit.
If you never wear dresses, you do not need a dress.
If heels make you miserable, leave them at home.
If your favourite black top has been worn a hundred times, that may be exactly why it belongs.
You do not need brand-new clothes for a personal portrait.
And if something you love has a tiny flaw nobody will ever see in the photograph, I am not going looking for it.
Bring me yourselves.
We can work out the clothes.
The portrait should still look like you long after you've forgotten what you were worried about wearing.
JOHANNESBURG PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
One Moment. One Portrait. Forever
© 2005–2026 Bridget Corke Photography
Blairgowrie · Johannesburg · South Africa
International Master's in Portrait Photography
One of only two in Africa.