Choosing Colours for a Photoshoot

Start with the photograph you want

You do not need a perfect colour scheme before booking a photoshoot. Start with clothes you like wearing, then check how they work with the location and the purpose of the photographs.

I find it more useful to see your outfit options than to give you one supposedly safe colour. A work portrait, a relaxed family session and a bold personal portrait may need different choices.

This guide is about making those choices. If you want to understand the associations behind colours, read colour psychology in photography.

Build a simple palette

Choose one main colour, then add one or two supporting colours if needed. This keeps the decision manageable and gives clothes, accessories and surroundings a clear relationship.

These swatches suggest combinations to try with clothes you already own. You do not need an exact colour match, and the location may change which combination works best.

For a softer result

Try related colours or muted shades, such as beige with brown, or pale blue with grey. A small difference in lightness can keep the outfit readable without making it dominate the photograph.

For more separation

Try a lighter outfit against a darker background, or a darker outfit against a lighter one. A different colour family can help too. Strong contrast draws attention, so decide whether that attention belongs on your clothes or your face.

For a business portrait

Consider where the picture will appear and whether your company has brand requirements. A colour that works on its own may clash with the website or layout around the finished image. My corporate photoshoot preparation guide covers the wider preparation.

Check colours beside your face

Hold the actual garment beside your face in daylight and compare your options. Look at the whole impression: do you like the combination, does your face remain the focus, and does the colour suit the photograph you want?

I would not rule out a colour just because a skin-tone chart says you should avoid it. The exact shade, fabric, light and your preference all matter. Very bright fabric close to your face can also reflect some colour onto your skin.

A quick phone photograph can help you compare outfits, although its automatic processing may change the colours. Send outfit photos if you would like to discuss the options before the session.

Try the outfit and background preview

Change the outfit and background to compare how much the clothing stands out. The figure is deliberately simple: this is a colour comparison, not a prediction of how you will look.

Screen settings, fabric texture, shine, lighting and editing affect real colours. The three skin shades are simplified illustration options, not a skin-tone assessment or a recommendation. If an outfit blends into the background here, real lighting may still separate it.

Coordinate outfits and groups

For couples and families, agree on a small palette rather than asking everyone to wear exactly the same outfit. Different shades and textures can look connected while leaving each person some choice.

For example, cream, beige and brown can work together, as can blue, grey and white. These are starting points, not compulsory combinations. Keep comfort and personal taste in the decision.

Give everyone some room to choose

For a family, share the palette first and ask each person to choose something comfortable within it. Lay the outfits together, including the children's clothes, before buying anything extra. If one outfit is much brighter than the others, decide whether you want that person to stand out.

For a couple, you can repeat one colour in a small detail rather than wearing identical tops. If either of you dislikes a suggested colour, change the palette: feeling at ease matters more than following an example perfectly.

Patterns, logos and small details

A bold print or large logo can become the first thing people notice. If one person wears a strong pattern, quieter clothes on the others may help. Fine repeating patterns can also produce distracting ripples in photographs, so bring an alternative if you are unsure.

Check shoes, belts, jewellery and outer layers together. You do not need to match every detail, but a bright accessory may draw more attention than you expect.

Plan for your location and light

Look at the main colours of the location before choosing your outfit. In a garden, green clothes may blend into foliage; against a pale wall, pale clothes may give a gentle result with less separation. Both can work if that is the look you want.

A busy mural already contains plenty of colour. A simpler outfit can help keep you visible. For a plain setting, a stronger outfit colour can provide the main point of interest.

Consider the finished photograph

If the portrait will sit on a website, look at its background and brand colours. If it will be printed for your home, consider the room where you will display it. You can show me the intended setting so we can discuss whether the outfit should blend with it or provide an accent.

Test the actual fabric

Check white clothes for transparency and dark clothes for visible texture. Shiny fabrics and metallic gold behave differently as the light changes. A swatch on a screen cannot show those effects.

Leave room for lighting and editing

Natural light changes with the weather, surroundings and time of day. Indoor lights can shift colours too. I would rather start with clothes that work together than rely on editing to replace an unsuitable colour later.

For more on these decisions, see my lighting guide and outdoor portrait photography tips.

Before your photoshoot

• Decide where you will use the photographs and whether you want a quiet or bold result.
• Choose an outfit you feel comfortable wearing.
• Compare it with the main colours of the planned background.
• Check the actual fabric beside your face in daylight.
• For a group, agree on a few colours and compare the outfits together.
• Bring an alternative if a colour, pattern or fabric is uncertain.

You do not need to get every colour decision right by yourself. A few outfit photos and a clear idea of how you want to use the pictures give us something useful to discuss before your portrait photoshoot.