Fit Check, Hair Toss, Lights, Camera, Action: 10 Wardrobe + Style Tips for Photo Shoots
from a Personal Stylist by Maggie Greene
Don’t wait the last minute to pick your outfits for the shoot.
WHY: You want the day of your shoot to go as smoothly as possible. If you put off selecting your wardrobe, this may cause undue stress. Take advantage of the opportunity to plan in advance so you know exactly what you need.
Consider consulting with a personal stylist ahead of time.
WHY: Having a conversation with a provider like Maggie Greene Style can help you think through your options. They can also help you align your wardrobe with the messages you want your photos to send. A stylist is an expert at curating just the right outfit for the occasion, for YOU. Consider it an investment in self-care!
Don’t make a dentist appointment the same day as your photoshoot.
WHY: It may seem obvious, but if you have tooth or gum pain, or your face is numb from local anesthesia, your smile muscles may be compromised. If you want your teeth bright white and clean for your shoot, get a cleaning a few days before.
If your photos are for branding purposes, you should consider NOT buying a new outfit for the shoot.
WHY: A whole new outfit is one that’s not been seen by your audience, so it’s possible they may not recognize you right away. If you have “signature” pieces that you wear often, wear those instead. It will help build consistency for your brand and ensure that people know you are who you say you are.
If you plan to wear new shoes for the shoot, break them in first!
WHY: Because blisters. It doesn’t happen with every shoe, but this is not a chance you want to take before a photo shoot. Up to a month in advance, consider putting on a pair of socks, then your new shoes, and walking around the house for a while. There are also DIY methods like this for stretching and breaking in new shoes.
If you plan to wear makeup, consider a mattifying primer.
WHY: This is helpful for two reasons - one, it helps your makeup last longer (even through perspiration), and two, it helps reduce glare and sheen on your face. If you are prone to oiliness, you may get shiny in front of the camera and all the studio lights. A mattifying primer will help ensure there is no glare in your photos, even in the closest of closeups and headshots.
Even if you don’t normally wear makeup, consider a translucent powder.
WHY: This is a handy tip for ALL gender expressions, even men. For the same reasons a mattifying primer is helpful, a light “beat” of translucent powder can help reduce glare and sheen from oils that may appear on the surface of your skin. It’s an age-old technique used by newscasters, actors, and public figures alike.
Avoid cutting or coloring your hair sooner than two weeks before the shoot.
WHY: For similar reasons as those listed under tip # 4, it is best not to color or cut your hair right before a photoshoot. Fresh cuts and color can be harsh under studio lighting and can appear unnatural. A photo shoot is not the time to debut a dramatic new look, unless that’s an intentional part of your brand image.
For all genders: use hairspray to tame stray hairs and flyaways.
WHY: There is no such thing as perfection. However, photos can illuminate all the little things you may perceive as imperfections. Especially stray hairs aka “flyaways.” You can minimize them yourself with this technique: For straight hair: to tame flyaways the day of, consider spraying the palms of your hands lightly with strong hold hairspray and then gently swipe stray hairs down against your head. For curly hair: you can use a similar technique but focus the hairspray on your fingertips and gently smooth and twist stray hairs into place.
Wash your hair the day or night BEFORE, not the day of your photo shoot.
WHY: Squeaky clean hair is a magnet for static cling which causes flyaways. Giving your hair up to a day to produce some natural oil and body will help keep it in place.
If you'd like Maggie's help on our photoshoot, please reach out to her. She can help you plan your outfits for the day. While I do go over outfit ideas with you, color and general style of clothing for that story set, I'm not a stylist. She can also come with us the day of the photoshoot and do makeup and keep you looking stunning in every photo. A second pair of eyes on hair, makeup and clothing wrinkles is always helpful!
Guest Blog Post by
Maggie Greene is a personal stylist and personal brand coach based in Seattle. She is a recovering marketing professional, a trauma and abuse survivor, and the Chief Everything Officer of Maggie Greene Style. She helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and individual contributors show up as their most radically authentic selves online and IRL. Her robust and highly individualized services include hair, wardrobe, and makeup styling for photo shoots, events, and other visibility projects as a true "Style Team of One." You can learn more about Maggie by following her @greenstylemags on Facebook, Instagram, and (sometimes) TikTok, connect with her on LinkedIn, and visit her 100A% DIY website at https://maggiegreenestyle.com.
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