What to wear for a business portrait session.

I get this question before almost every session. And it's a good question – wardrobe is the one thing you fully control before a photoshoot. The short answer: solid-colour clothes without fine patterns, fitting well at the shoulders. If in doubt, take what you wear to important work meetings. Here's why.

The main rule

A business portrait should show you the way you'll show up to a client. Not a more festive you, not a more formal you, not a different you. If you wear a suit twice a year, the photoshoot is not the third time.

The second criterion is comfort. A garment you keep adjusting, or one that makes you feel constrained, shows up in the frame through your posture – even if the garment itself looks impeccable.

Which colours to choose?

Navy, grey, grey-green, brown, wine tones and olive green look best in photos. They don't reflect light and don't pull attention away from the face.

What to avoid and why:

• Pure white. It often burns out under studio light and turns into a bright patch.
• Very deep black. It loses fabric texture and merges into a solid mass, especially on a dark background.
• Neon and very saturated colours. They distort facial tones and create colour casts.
• Shiny fabrics. They reflect light sources and create hot spots.

If your company has a brand colour, introduce it through a detail – a shirt, the shade of a blazer or an accessory – rather than the whole outfit.

Can I wear patterned clothes?

Fine, dense patterns start to shimmer on camera. The result looks like a video glitch and can't be fixed afterwards. It's a technical problem, not a matter of taste.

• Safe: solid fabric, a very fine texture invisible from a distance, a large and sparse pattern.
• Risky: thin stripes, small checks, dots, geometric prints.

Cut and silhouette

Since a business portrait shows only the upper body, everything depends on the shoulder and collar line.

• The shoulder seam should sit on the shoulder, not below it.
• The collar should be neat and hold its shape.
• Clothes that are too loose add volume in the frame; too tight, and they constrain your posture.

How many outfits to bring?

The recommended set: one more formal outfit for official communication and press, one everyday outfit you feel natural in, and optionally one with a brand-colour accent.

Bring shirts and blouses on hangers, not folded. Retouching can fix creases, but it takes time and doesn't always look natural.

What about jewellery and accessories?

The jewellery that works is the jewellery you wear every day. New pieces bought specifically for the session usually look foreign – and it shows.

Things to keep in mind: large shiny earrings reflect light, a watch is only visible in certain poses, and a tie knot ends up at the centre of the frame, so it has to be neat all the way.

How does the outfit work with the background?

On a light background, darker clothing creates a clear silhouette. On a dark background, clothing that is too dark merges into one mass.

When shooting on a coloured background, we coordinate in advance – not the background to the outfit, but both to the brand. We discuss this in the very first call, so nothing needs to be decided in a rush on the day.

If you're unsure about a specific garment – write to me before the session. It's better to sort it out in advance than on arrival.