How to Dress for Your Senior Pictures In Pittsburgh

A question that clients ask me all the time is: what should I wear for my senior photos? As a photographer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we have a beautiful, diverse landscape of locations for senior sessions. While this is great, I understand the challenge of picking out the best outfits. So, I have developed a guide that I sent out to my clients on what to wear.

How many outfits should I bring?

For my sessions, I offer unlimited outfit changes. So, this really depends on how many you think that you would need and take into consideration how long changing takes. However, I would recommend 2-3 outfits for your session to provide some variety for your photos.

I would recommend:

One nice outfit (think Dress, Polo, Button-up)
One casual outfit (think Khaki Shorts or Jeans with a Graphic Tee)

What colors should I wear?

This is one of the most important things to consider for your session!

Aim for neutral and earthy tone colors, with our bright green Spring/Summers and our orange Autumns in Pittsburgh, these colors compliment the outdoor environment almost anywhere you choose to have your session. Neutral tones just mean softer colors. Primary colors such as blue and red are distracting and clashes with the style of my photography. Instead of a bright-blue, go with a lighter shade of blue like a sky blue.

(A mustard dress in a deep green forest will look epic, however, a bright pink, patterned dress would not.)

To sum it up, stick with these colors!

White
Navy – looks better than black
Light blue
Pastels (Pink/Yellow)
Greens (more Olive toned)
Beige (make sure it doesn’t clash as a skin-tone color, though!)

What About Graphic-Tee’s?

Generally, no, however, if it helps to tell your personality and your story then go for it! Iconic brands with nice logos can work great, however, I would proceed with caution.

In the gallery below, these logos work well with the seniors and tells their personality.

What Accessories Do You Recommend?

Accessories are a great way to tell your story and share your personality. If you are someone who enjoys reading, bring a couple of your favorite books! Blankets to sit on in a park with lots of trees helps to create an unique environment. An open button-up shirt can change up an outfit and keep it fresh for a new set of photos.

Jackets
Sporting equipment
Books
Musical instruments
Jerseys

Head Shots and Close Up Photos:

While I mix up photo-styles, I usually tend to get close up photos, so I would recommend wearing a neckless or a collared shirt

Let’s Recap:

Dress for the season and location
Compliment – don’t match (unintentionally)
Wear something comfortable and that you feel like yourself in
Natural fibers and Earth-tones look amazing in most settings.
Throw some accessories like a hat or denim jacket into your bag (or Bible/books!)
Avoid large prints, logos, and patterns