What to wear
What to wear for a studio photoshoot
The studio removes context, so clothing carries the whole frame. Strong silhouettes, solid colours or one deliberate texture. Bring more looks than…
What to wear
The studio removes context, so clothing carries the whole frame. Strong silhouettes, solid colours or one deliberate texture. Bring more looks than…
In short: The studio removes context, so clothing carries the whole frame. Strong silhouettes, solid colours or one deliberate texture. Bring more looks than for a location shoot — changes are fast in a studio and the light does not move.
Colour. With no location to carry the frame, clothing does everything. Solid saturated colour or a single strong texture. Avoid anything close to the background tone — grey on grey seamless is the most common first-studio mistake.
Fabric. Structure photographs well under controlled light: wool, denim, leather, heavy cotton. Thin jersey reads as flat because there is no environmental light to give it shape.
Footwear. In frame for every full-length shot, and studio floors are usually unforgiving white — scuffed soles show.
The thing that ruins frames. Bringing three outfits to a studio day. Changes are fast and the light does not move, so a studio booking rewards more looks than a location shoot, not fewer.
Anyone hiring a studio for the first time and discovering that an empty white room does not photograph itself.
Location changes the answer: In London, studio hire runs roughly £35 to £180 an hour depending on the space, with day rates that work out cheaper from about six hours. Check three things before booking: whether daylight or blackout is available, whether lighting is included, and whether there is a lift — carrying rails up three floors ends sessions before they start.
Planning pressure to account for: Booking a big space and using two metres of it. Arriving without a shot list, because a studio gives no prompts. And lighting the subject and the background with the same light, which is why so many first studio sets look grey.
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.
The studio removes context, so clothing carries the whole frame. Strong silhouettes, solid colours or one deliberate texture. Bring more looks than for a location shoot — changes are fast in a studio and the light does not move.
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.