What NOT to wear: five mistakes
Before you think about what to put on, take out what works against you. These five things do the most damage to a studio photo, even when the clothes are beautiful.
- Big logos and lettering: they distract and date the photo.
- Neon and fluorescent: they bounce color onto the skin of the person next to you.
- Thin stripes and small checks: they vibrate on camera (the moiré effect).
- Optical white: it burns out under flash; raw white or bone works better.
- The whole group in the same print: one print per group, at most.
Studio trick: if the styles in the group don't quite fit together, a black and white edit pulls it all together.
A big group edited in black and white: the mix of styles comes together instantly.
The colors that work best
The colors that come out best in a photo shoot are earth tones and neutrals. Coordinate the whole palette and the result goes from nice to editorial.
- Earth tones: terracotta, sage, olive, warm brown, camel.
- Classic neutrals: cream, grey and black.
- Group monochrome (everyone in the same color) = editorial result.
- The formula that never fails: white or cream + denim.
- Accent color: everyone on a shared base plus one strong detail that repeats (a lipstick, a necklace, one piece of clothing).
The trick you won't find in other guides: since you shoot on our studio backdrops, pick your palette with the backdrop in mind. On a dark backdrop, earth tones and monochrome palettes win; on a light one, white and denim. If you're not sure, ask us the backdrop color before you come.
Three women in all brown: one palette, three textures.
White on a dark backdrop: light clothing stands out on its own.
Long dresses in cool tones: blue, navy and black, one color world.
Everyone in black with a red accent that repeats: a lipstick, a necklace, one piece of clothing.
Warm brown from head to toe.
White and denim: the formula that never fails.
How to dress for a family photo shoot
To dress the family, pick one main look and build two or three colors around it. That way you coordinate without being identical, and the photo gains depth.
- Pick a main look (the boldest one, usually mum's) and build two or three colors around it.
- Play with textures (denim, knit, linen, corduroy) to give depth to the same palette.
- With kids: let their clothes pick up the parents' colors, without everyone looking identical.
A family in earth, olive and terracotta: coordinating without matching, textbook.
The kids' striped polos pick up their parents' colors.
A family in white: simple, bright and always right.
Mum with her kids in white: simple and full of feeling.
With a shared idea, like the team shirt here, even matching works: it reads as a concept, not an accident.
Outfits for a couples shoot
For couples, what works best is staying in one color world with two intensities: one lighter piece and one darker piece in the same tone.
- Same color world, two intensities: one lighter, one darker in the same tone.
- On a dark backdrop, a single palette = magazine look.
A couple in khaki on a dark backdrop: magazine look.
Casual, grey and denim, barefoot: natural and alive.
Group photos and photos with friends
Groups follow the same rules as families — shared palette, your own clothes — and turning up with a shared idea makes the photos better.
- Group rules are family rules: shared palette, your own clothes.
- A concept raises the level: the groups that arrive with an idea (and the outfit planned) walk away with the photos that stand out.
Black and denim, building a column.
White and denim forming a star.
One idea (heart balloons and silly glasses) and the group loosens up.
Retro concept: hats, suspenders and blazers.
Planning a hen party (bachelorette)? We have a guide just for that: what to wear to a hen party in Barcelona.
Studio details: flash, glasses and layers
Beyond the clothes, four details make a difference in front of the studio flash.
- Matte makeup: flash brings out the shine from highlighters and glow foundations.
- Glasses: they reflect the flash, so anti-reflective lenses help, or take them off for part of the photos.
- Layers (a jacket, an open shirt, a cardigan): they change the look in seconds, with no wardrobe change.
- Seamless underwear under thin fabrics.
Shoes
On our backdrops we shoot you barefoot, especially in summer: it looks more natural and the backdrop stays clean. If you'd rather wear shoes:
- Avoid black soles: they leave marks on the backdrop.
- Bring them clean, or we'll clean them here.
What to bring on the day
What's worth having on hand on the day of the shoot, so you don't have to improvise.
- Clothes ironed and on hangers until the last minute.
- Blotting papers or translucent powder.
- Lip balm, a hairbrush and hairspray.
- One extra layer for a quick look change.
- Your own props if you feel like playing: they give your hands something to do and take the shyness away (we have props at the studio too).
- Clean shoes, if you're not going barefoot.
Number balloons for a birthday.
Hats to play with: they change the energy of the group in a second.
Frequently asked questions
What do I wear to a photo shoot?
Solid colors in earth or neutral tones (beige, olive, terracotta, cream, grey or black), coordinated in one palette without everyone matching, and comfortable clothes. White or cream with denim is the formula that never fails for families, couples and groups.
What clothing color works best in a photo shoot?
Earth tones and neutrals: beige, olive, terracotta, cream and black. Always solid colors before prints; they flatter almost everyone and they don't compete with each other in a group photo.
What should I not wear to a photo shoot?
Avoid big logos and lettering, neon or fluorescent colors, very thin stripes and small checks (they vibrate on camera) and optical white (it burns out under flash). And don't let the whole group repeat the same print.
How do we dress as a family or a group?
Shared palette, different clothes, varied textures. The rule is coordinate, don't match: pick two or three colors and everyone wears them their own way.
Can I wear jeans to the shoot?
Yes. White or cream on top and denim on the bottom is the formula that never fails: it works for families, couples and groups, and it's clothing you already have at home.
Shoes or bare feet in the studio?
In the studio we recommend bare feet, especially in summer: it looks more natural and the backdrop stays clean. If you'd rather wear shoes, make them clean and without a black sole (it leaves marks).