Okay if Sheila E and Prince are done singing in your head, let’s talk about styling.   What should you wear or have your subjects wear for a photo shoot?  This is a loaded question.  I realize my next statement is going to alienate half of the readers out there but… PLEASE NO MATCHING SHIRTS!  I mean really, do you walk around in the real world with your family in matching tee’s?  Okay maybe at a sporting event I can see that, but for pictures?

My years shooting commercial work taught me about styling.  At first advertisers wanted it to be all classic.  You know, Gap khaki’s and white t-shirts or plain sweaters, jeans, loafers, and polos.   I always told my models that were bringing their own clothes to think of J Crew, Banana Republic as style guides.  You should also avoid logos, and loud prints. Here is a shot created for commercial use using generic clothing.

The reason this becomes important for your own photography is because you don’t want to look at an image years from now and say…”oh yeah, that was 1983”.  If you are shooting private portraits or your own family I think dressing yourself or your subjects in classic clothing allows you to concentrate on what is important, the people and the emotion portrayed.  So choosing the fluffy pirate shirt that was all the rage in high school may come back to haunt you.  Same goes for the Farrah Fawcett hairstyle.  When I look at an image I don’t want to be distracted by clothing, trendy hair and jewelry.  By the way, I still stand by my 1991 wedding dress.  The head piece was a little much but luckily I took it off for most of the day.  Other than that, I really don’t think the images look that dated.  Okay maybe my husband’s hairline and my waistline are a little different:-).  When I look at a photo all I want to see is the subjects, how they feel and how I feel about them.  Check out this image below.  It is shot of my neighbor’s kids at the local Y.  I think it really captures the joy of childhood.   What could be more fun than hanging out at the pool with your siblings?  I took this photo last year, or was it …..16 years ago.  See my point.

Fast forward to today.  In commercial photography now, agencies want to see trendy clothes.  The abundance of images in the system makes their shelf life and usability limited.  Once the trend is over there will be the next million images for sale with the latest whatever. Those decade specific looks have gone from kitsch to cool.  If you want to play up a look or exaggerate it that has a place too.  I always remember the shot in the movie “Garden State” of Zach Braff the lead actor wearing a printed shirt standing in front of a wallpapered wall of the same print.  It was so visually striking.  I think if you are going for a specific look you should carry it across the whole image, from clothes to lighting, think of the impact.  Maybe you love old Hollywood?  Start with a glamorous dress, add the period makeup and hair, and then of course the dramatic studio lighting.

For your traditional portrait sitting I still think your best bet is classic clothing in neutral colors.  I tell people black is okay, with the exception of black turtlenecks which make you look like you have a floating head in photos.  Texture is extremely important.  I think this mom did an excellent job dressing herself and baby.  See how nicely the texture of her sweater goes with the wheat grass.  The baby’s nubby white sweater adds depth to the photo without being distracting.

Instead of matching colors to show family unity try complimentary patterns.  See in the photo below how the girl’s tank top has small bands of color that match (there I said it, but it is in a very small amount) her sister’s and mom’s dresses.   The older girls both have on solid brown and the Dad and son have on khaki.  This color combination and composition leads your eye around the photo in a circular manner.  If you must do the same color at least do different cuts and styles in the clothing.  That way everything looks pulled together but not like identical twins.  All that said, if you are shooting a portrait for a client, not just yourself, make sure your subjects are comfortable.  If they feel good in what they are wearing, even if you think it is hideous, their self confidence will shine through.

Next time you take out your camera don’t forget about the styling, it can make or break your picture.