When it comes to professional photos, it is so important to feel comfortable and confident, just like you are at work, or with your career! We want to give suggestions to these professional photos for your business cards, website, portfolios, or maybe your published book!


-First, we want you to create a vision. What story do you want to portray? What message do you want to give to your clients and peers? Don't be afraid to search on Pinterest or give us some inspiration photos from maybe a fellow colleague. Feel free to ask us about all the possibilities. We hope that the outfits we put together will give you some inspiration.

-We want your true personality to come through these photos, and accurately portray your professional life. So wear something that would wear to meet clients, connect with your audience, or consulting during a meeting.

Colors:

-For the ladies:  Complement your skin tone. If you have fair skin, avoid wearing pastels, creams, and whites. We suggest classic blacks, navy, and greys, or jewel tones like purple, emerald, and royal blue. If you have medium to deep skin, consider wearing brighter tones like teal, magenta, and mustard. These will really bring out your skin tone, and you can definitely sport some white and ivory.

-For the Gentlemen:  It is also important to complement your skin tone, but when it comes to the base of your outfit, like your dress shirt, it is okay to wear your classic light blue and white shirt and add a classic printed tie. Your base colors should always include, light blue, white, navy, black, and grey, and then add those pops of colors throughout. Those pops of colors can bring out your skin tone. For example, if you have a lighter complexion try burgundy, dark green, and navy. If you have a darker complexion you can style some mustard, dark pink and red.

Prints:

-For the Ladies: Avoid bold patterns and lean into simple plaids, stripes, and dainty floral prints. However, solids are the way to go. Simple is better! Sometimes those bold prints take away from our face and they do not photograph as well. Try a solid blouse and some plaid printed pants as an option. Fabrics like silk or chiffon can always add the dimension that you may be looking for, so reach for those first.

-For the Gentlemen: We would suggest avoiding patterns as well, However, subtle plaid prints and stripes are always welcome. Think about simple geometric prints for your ties and even subtle polka dots. A way to incorporate texture and dimension is finding knits that have two tones within the fabric, like the sweater in our outfit examples.

Silhouettes:

-For the Ladies:  Learn what necklines look good on you! Some people look great with v-necks and others are better suited with a scoop or boat neck. We suggest that broader shoulders go with v-necks and a smaller frame complements a boat neck well. Think about rises and the fit of your clothes. For example, if you like a looser fit versus a slimmer fit. Wear what feels the most you!

-For the Gentlemen:  Fit is just as important. When thinking about timeless photos it is always good to have a regular to a slim fit, you don't want to be swimming in your clothes. It is also nice to lay