What should I wear for corporate photography?

Are you about to get a new corporate headshot, but you’re not sure what to wear?

You’ve come to the right place! As a corporate headshot photographer in Melbourne, I photographed hundreds of people a year to capture headshots that are professional, friendly and relevant.

The most common query I receive is regarding what to wear. We often dive into our wardrobes and assume nothing we have will work.

This simply isn’t the case. In fact, the things you already own are going to look best, and they are also going to look most like ‘you’. Which is incredibly important.

Corporate Styles To Look For:

As mentioned above, don’t rush out to buy new clothes. Your corporate headshot should look relevent and current. That means opting for styles of clothing that you usually wear.

Here’s where to start. Think about what you would wear to:
– An important meeting.
– A consultation with a client.
– A speaking event.
– A networking event.
– A job interview.

You want to wear clothing that represents you at your very best, so think about what you would wear in a professional setting as a start. Also consider your industry, and what is appropriate for your industry. Look for styles that are worn by the leaders in your field (check out other headshots on LinkedIn by using the search function). This will help you make decisions about style choices, such as if to wear a tie, whether a collared shirt is appropriate, if to wear a blazer – etc.

Colours & Cuts:

Once you determine what sort of style is the right combination of industry and personality, you now need to consider colours, and what sort of ‘cuts’ suit.

Colours:

When considering what colours to wear for your headshot, neutral tones are always safe. Block colours work well, and can add life and vibrancy into your photos. In the corporate world, softer colours tend to be the most popular: blues, beige, and pink.

Patterns can be fun, but I always suggest bringing an alternative option to try as well. Sometimes patterns can be a bit dominating and distracting. You can soften a pattern by pairing it with a jacket if needed.

Cuts:

When we talk about cuts, we are talking about the shape of your clothing. For a head and shoulders “headshot”, we are really looking at chest-up, focusing on the neckline and the fit of your top/shirt and jacket.

Try to bring a few different neckline options. This could range from collared shirts to round neck tops, to higher necklines. Women generally have more options for neckline variations in their clothing, and it can make a big difference. Avoid really low-cut tops.