The clothing question comes up before almost every shoot I do. Usually it arrives a day or two beforehand - sometimes as a message with three outfit photos attached, sometimes just "what should I wear?"

It's a good question, and it's worth thinking through properly. What you wear has a real impact on how your photos read. Get it right and your clothes support the image. Get it wrong and they become a distraction - or worse, they make you look like someone you're not.

Here's what actually works.

Fit matters more than anything else.

Before colour, style, or any other consideration - fit is the thing that makes or breaks an outfit on camera. A well-fitted basic t-shirt will outperform an expensive shirt that doesn't sit right on your body every single time.

Clothes that fit properly make you look more put-together, more confident, and more attractive. Too baggy and you look shapeless. Too tight and it reads as try-hard. The test is simple: does this look like you bought it for yourself, or does it look like you grabbed it out of someone else's wardrobe? If it's the second option, leave it at home.

Bring more options than you think you need.

For most shoots we suggest anywhere from five to twelve outfits, depending on which one of our packages you choose. What looks good in your bathroom mirror doesn't always translate the same way on camera - certain colours and patterns behave differently depending on the light and location. Having options means we're not stuck with something that isn't working.

Solid, muted tones tend to photograph cleanly - navy, white, grey, olive, stone, black. They sit in the frame without competing with your face. A well-fitted crew neck t-shirt is one of the most versatile things you can bring. A shirt - buttoned up or open over a tee - adds a layer of intention without looking overdressed. One slightly smarter outfit is worth including, not formal, just a step up from your everyday casual. It shows you can make an effort when it counts.

What to leave at home:

Bold patterns and large logos tend to pull focus - the camera reads the shirt before it reads you. If it's congruent with your style though, we can make it work. Novelty clothing, anything heavily ironic, anything you'd hesitate to wear on a first date. Clothes you've never worn before, bought specifically for the shoot - unfamiliar clothing often looks unfamiliar on camera in a way that's hard to pinpoint but easy to spot.

And don't wear all one colour head to toe. It tends to look flat in photos. Some contrast between your top and bottom works better.

Think about where you're shooting.

Melbourne has a lot of personality to work with - laneways, inner-city parks, interesting architecture around the CBD and inner suburbs. What you wear should make sense in that environment.

A very dressed-up outfit in a casual outdoor setting can look out of place. Overly casual clothing in an interesting urban location misses an opportunity. When we talk through locations before the shoot, it's worth thinking about your outfits in that context at the same time.

Grooming matters too.

Get a haircut in the week before the shoot - not the day before. Fresh cuts can look sharp in person but sometimes read as stark on camera. A few days of settling in tends to look better in photos.

If you have a beard, make sure it's shaped and tidy before you show up. Patchy or messy facial hair is one of the most common things I notice that spoils an otherwise solid photo.

The bigger point underneath all of this is simple: show up as yourself, not a performance of what you think you should look like. Women on dating apps are good at detecting when someone is projecting something that doesn't fit. Authenticity photographs better than performance, almost without exception.

Clothes that fit, that you feel comfortable in, and that reflect how you actually dress - that's 90% of the brief. The rest is what we workshop with you on the day.

If you're thinking about booking a shoot in Melbourne, take a look at our packages or book a free discovery call and we can talk through what would work best for you.