Everything you need to know about what to wear, what to bring, and how to show up to your shoot feeling like your most confident self.
You’ve booked your session, we know where we’re going and what we’re doing. Now comes the final details in your planning: figuring out what to wear.
Here’s the thing about this kind of cinematic photoshoot: your outfits don’t need to come straight out of a fashion magazine (but if that’s your style, go for it!) They need to feel like you: true to your style, right for the setting, and comfortable enough that you can move around and enjoy your shoot the entire time.
This guide covers everything: color, texture, fit, props, logistics, and what to do if you’re still not sure. Read it through, save it, and reach out if you want my professional opinion before your session. That’s what I’m here for.
Start With the Story
Before you open your closet, think about the experience we’re building.
Your session is based around an activity or a place that means something to you (it’s not just a backdrop you’re standing in front of.) That context matters for styling too. Your outfits, your props, everything you bring should feel consistent with the activity and location.
What does that mean? If your session is a cozy evening by the water watching the sunset, a ballgown and heels won’t carry that feeling. A sweater and bare feet makes more sense. If you’re planning a hike to a viewpoint, dress for movement. If you’re recreating a real date you’ve had before, pull the details that make it actually feel like yours.
The goal is for everything about this to feel intentional and cohesive. When the wardrobe, the setting, and the activity all pull in the same direction, the photos stop looking like a photo shoot and start looking like your life, which is exactly what we want.
Wear what makes you feel good.
This sounds obvious, but it’s not always.
The most important thing your outfit does is make you feel confident as you’re walking into your session. Confidence translates immediately into comfort on camera. If you show up wearing something you love, something that makes you feel like yourself, you’ll forget about the camera faster.
Start with pieces you already own and already love. Your favorite jeans. The dress that always gets a compliment. The jacket you reach for without thinking. Then build from there.
If something is too tight, too stiff, or makes you second-guess yourself every time you move, leave it at home. No matter how good it looks on a hanger, discomfort reads in your photos.
Think Through The Logistics
Match your wardrobe to the reality of your day.
If we’re hiking to your location, think about your footwear. Your favorite boots on an adventure session make perfect sense. Heels in a grassy field or on a trail don’t, and beyond the photos, you’ll just be uncomfortable the entire time. If it’s summer, a heavy knit sweater is going to have you sweating through your session. If it’s November, a t-shirt means goosebumps in every photo.
Dress for the conditions. (Which includes dressing for the movement!) We’re going to be walking, exploring, and embracing whatever the setting gives us, so your wardrobe should be ready for that.
A practical note: if you’re planning to bring a second outfit or layer options, that’s great. Just know you might end up doing a quick-change in your car between locations. Worth it for the variety, just be ready for it.
Color
My simplest rule: let the landscape do the heavy lifting, and let your connection be the focus.
This means choosing colors that connect to the environment: earth tones, neutrals, or muted natural colors tend to photograph beautifully because they don’t compete with anything else. Warm tans and sandy tones, dusty blues, olive greens, rust, rich burgundy… all of these feel intentional and never date badly.
Avoid neons and overly saturated colors. When something is very bright, your eye goes straight to it the moment you look at a photo. That’s the opposite of what we want. Your relationship is what we’re photographing, your neon orange jacket is not.
That said, color doesn’t have to mean only neutral. If blue is your thing, go dusty blue instead of electric. If you love orange, lean into rust. The toned-down version of the color you love will almost always serve the photos better.
Coordinate, don’t match.
When picking two outfits, aim for cohesion through colors that vibe rather than identical colors. Wearing the exact same palette can make photos feel stiff and stylized rather than real. Pick colors that feel complementary and exist in the same world. Think of a color wheel and choose two or three tones that sit across from each other. The visual example helps here.
Texture Over Pattern
If you want to add dimension in your wardrobe without introducing a distracting color, reach for clothes with a lot of texture instead.
Our brains make sensory connections when we see a material we recognize. A chunky knit sweater in a photo reads as warm and soft even in a still image. A fur vest adds richness and weight. A lightweight, flowing fabric catches the wind and adds movement to a frame in a way that nothing else does. These details add a whole layer of feeling to your photos without pulling attention away from the two of you.
Fabric also affects how you move (and movement is everything in documentary photography!) Soft, loose, flowing fabrics give you motion. A skirt that catches the wind, a scarf that floats, a lightweight layer that moves with you… these types of clothes create dynamic energy in photos and allow you to move a lot within the session. More structured pieces, like denim or tailored jackets, tend to give you less range of motion, so be aware of that trade-off.
On patterns: patterns aren’t off-limits, but keep them small, subtle, and limited to one piece. A patterned dress works beautifully if everything else in the frame is solid. If you are both wearing contrasting patterns, it can become overwhelming very quickly. When in doubt, texture over pattern is always the safer call.
On logos: skip them. A large graphic or brand mark across a shirt will pull attention in every photo it’s in.
Props & Details
The word “props” always sound a little staged, but when they’re done right, it’s actually the opposite.
Think about the things you reach for in your actual routine for a slow morning together at home, or what you pack to bring with you on a real date. That’s where your prop list comes from. A book if you love to read. A cute homemade charcuterie board if that’s a real Saturday for you. Your guitar if music is part of your relationship. Cards if you actually play cards together.
The goal isn’t just decoration, it’s context. A few props gives the two of you something to actually do with each other during your shoot, which is where the best candid moments come from.
One thing to keep in mind: bring props that are actually true to your relationship. If you don’t drink wine, don’t just bring wine because it photographs well. If flowers feel staged, it’s okay to skip them.
Every detail in the frame should be able to answer the question: is this a piece of us? If yes, bring it. If not, you can leave it.
Consider Bringing Options
You can absolutely bring more than one outfit (a lot of my couples do for a 2+ hour session).
Multiple looks are a great way to add variety to your gallery, especially if we’re moving between locations or changing the activities during your session.
If you want to stick to one outfit but still want some variation, layers are always useful: a jacket you can take off, a scarf you can add, shoes that change the whole feeling of an outfit.
Just know that switching on location usually means a quick change in your car or behind a few trees. That’s totally normal and I’m fully prepared for it.
If you want to bring two full looks and switch between them, just give me a heads up so I can make sure that’s built into the photoshoot timeline.
When you’re still not sure…
Send me a photo.
Seriously! If you’re debating between two options, unsure if something will photograph well, or just want a second set of eyes before your session, just reach out. I’ve seen a lot of outfits in a lot of different settings and I can tell you quickly whether something will work, and why.
I’ll always give you my honest perspective without overriding your personal style. You know what you love to wear, I know what reads beautifully on camera. Together, we’ll land somewhere that’s both!
And remember: none of these are hard rules. They’re the principles that tend to make photos feel timeless rather than dated, and cohesive rather than chaotic. But if you have a vision that breaks them in a way that feels true to who you are, let’s talk about it! The best shoots are always the ones that feel unmistakably like the couple in them.
RECAP (quick reference)
When in doubt: Send me a photo before your session. I’m always happy to weigh in.
