What to wear
What to wear for a birthday photoshoot
One outfit that photographs as a statement — texture, sequin, a strong colour — and one you can actually sit in. Avoid busy prints if there is…
What to wear
One outfit that photographs as a statement — texture, sequin, a strong colour — and one you can actually sit in. Avoid busy prints if there is…
In short: One outfit that photographs as a statement — texture, sequin, a strong colour — and one you can actually sit in. Avoid busy prints if there is already colour in the setting. If the shoot is around a real event, plan the photographs for the first hour, while the styling is intact.
Colour. One statement colour against a quiet background, or the reverse. If the room is already styled in a palette, wear something outside it — matching the balloons makes you disappear into your own party.
Fabric. Sequin and metallic photograph brilliantly under direct flash and badly under warm ceiling light, where they turn muddy. Ask which is being used before choosing.
Footwear. Whatever you can dance in. Half the frames are taken after the second hour and standing discomfort shows in the face.
The thing that ruins frames. A change of outfit halfway through, which splits the gallery into two unrelated sets. If you want two looks, shoot the styled sequence first and change once, early.
Milestone birthdays, or anyone who has realised there is no decent photograph of them from the last five years.
Location changes the answer: A real venue during a real event, or a simple interior with a strong wall. In London, rooftops and hotel bars photograph well in the hour before sunset; parks work earlier. Anywhere with overhead spotlights is the hardest light of all — bring the session to a window if you can.
Mariya charges £300 per hour for fashion, portrait / personal branding and brand / commercial photography. The booking includes 10 retouched photographs for the whole shoot, delivered within two weeks. Bring your own wardrobe at no styling charge, or add clothing, accessories and shoes supplied by Mariya at £100 per look. Studio hire and applicable travel are separate.
Bring each proposed outfit as a complete look, including its shoes and accessories. The final choice is made against the actual background and light rather than from a generic colour rule.
One outfit that photographs as a statement — texture, sequin, a strong colour — and one you can actually sit in. Avoid busy prints if there is already colour in the setting. If the shoot is around a real event, plan the photographs for the first hour, while the styling is intact.
For a one-hour session, plan one complete look and one quick variation such as a jacket, shoe or jewellery change. Two hours can normally support two or three resolved looks. More changes reduce shooting time, so photograph the most important outfit first and treat extras as options rather than promises.
Choose colours that separate clearly from the location and suit the intended use of the pictures. Solid tones and controlled texture are reliable; very fine checks, tiny stripes and reflective logos can distract or produce moiré. Send phone photographs of the options with the brief if you want a decision before the shoot.
Bring the garments on proper hangers, matching underwear, the shoes for every full-length look, a lint roller and simple touch-up products. Pack one neutral backup layer. Steam everything beforehand, but keep a small steamer nearby for travel creases and final adjustments on set.
Send the date, location and what you need photographed.