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In this video with Eugenia, a professional wardrobe stylist, we talk about how you should dress up for a professional photoshoot. Because when you wear the right clothes, the confidence comes along with it. Tune in as we discuss the right clothes for the right activity.
Welcome back. In this episode, we’re going to be talking about how to dress for a professional photo shoot. So, if you’ve got a photo shoot coming up, you definitely want to make sure you watch this episode beforehand. So, stay tuned. Alright. So, this is Eugenia. Good friend of mine. No person better to be talking about this. Then how to prepare for a professional photo shoot? So, first of all why don’t you take a moment to introduce? Why are you the best person to talk to? Why do I pick you? -Because I’m really cool and awesome. And… -I told you. No, I’m a wardrobe stylist and I work with people on their outer image. I work with people on developing a personal style so that it can speak to true to who they are and because at the end of the day, you are your business card and you want to represent such. So professional photo shoot. So, I have had the privilege of working with some good photographers and I’ve also had not so good of a privilege to working with some that have not been good photographers. And what I mean by that is that they didn’t know really how to help me prepare for that. For… For my portrait, for my headshot or whatever you’re there to do, right? A good photographer will guide you on and give you some guidance on what you should wear. Some colors and will prepare you to as to where you’re going to be shooting, hopefully. What the background is like. And hopefully they will have hair and makeup there at your disposal to make sure that you look your best. If they don’t, make sure to get hair and makeup on set. That is very, very, important. I’m not saying don’t look like yourself. Absolutely to look like yourself. That’s also another big mistake that I see a lot is that people think that they need to dress or wear makeup or do a hairdo that… That’s not what they normally look like. So for example and this happens a lot with real estate agents, right? They give you a card and they have a headshot. A picture of their headshot on their card and they’re often wearing a suit. Like a dark suit. Well, that kind of makes you look like an attorney or a door-to-door salesman. So it’s an example. So… And often, when I’m talking to them and they can be their card, it’s like they are… They look nothing like what they’re handing me. So be sure to be true to your brand, to who you are. you don’t have to look stuffy or wear a suit just because you’re taking a picture. -Okay, so before we go to the photo shoot then, it’s important to have a conversation about kind of strategy and what the purpose is.
-Again, plan ahead. That is very important. If you don’t love anything that you have in your wardrobe to wear, so you should be looking for something that is maybe bright, that has shape. But make sure the clothing isn’t wearing you, that you are wearing the clothing. Because that will also showcase. So, don’t wear a lot of big bulky jewelry because that will…. As the time goes by, that will look dated. -In my own experience, there’s a lot of things that I’ve been doing to up my brand and brand for the first time. Both with photography, with wardrobe, with books and writing my speech and whatnot. And I chose to go in a certain order. Before going to my photo shoot, I worked with you for a wardrobe. And in this case, we’re talking you know, this I had a professional reasons for doing this. It wasn’t like for preparing for a family portrait. But… -It was to develop your personal brand. So, the experience that I had in working with you and preparing for the photo shoot and the experiences I’ve had since. I definitely see the value in. So I want to share that experience and efforts that you’ll see kind of the value and understand what more can be accomplished or how that photo shoot can be so much better. So, I mean, I basically… I called you with short notice and said, “Hey, I’ve got this photo shoot coming up and I didn’t really know what to… What to expect.” But I just said, “I need I need wardrobe help.” -Yes. -Remind us, what did we… What was our first step? -Well, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve been wanting to work with me for a long time. -Many years. That for many years. But just now you felt that you’ve been ready to do that, take that step. So, first of all, I asked you a lot of questions. You know, who are you, Nate? What is your business? What are your trying to portray and say to the world? What is your brand? So, we need to define that first and you did. You said, “Oh, I’m this and this and this and this.” And I said, “Okay, well now let’s… Let’s develop that personal style and then we picked a few outfits for a headshot.” -We went shopping together. -We went shopping together. We got we made sure the clothing that we purchased fit you. So we got alterations. -We went to a thrift store, right? (Both Laughs) -Close, no. -We went to… We went to Dillard’s. we went to Nordstrom’s. -We did, we went to Dillard’s, we went to Nordstrom. And that is all we have here locally. But we got some things that speak to your brand. And within your budget too. You also gave me a budget. I want to stay within this or some people don’t have… -I stretched my budget a little bit. -Yeah, you did. Because it’s hard to know exactly what it is if you’ve never done this or to expect. So, I kind of gently either push you or explain to you here’s what to expect. And when we are in the thick of things then I kind of make suggestions as to where to stretch it and what is not worth stretching the for. So… And then we went on and got you ready for her photo shoot. But even then I really wanted to know what you wanted to say and who you were. And you were a little apprehensive, I think, if I may say. In the beginning about wearing button-downs. You weren’t really sure about that. You felt… And correct me if you think I’m wrong, a little stuffy. So I was suggesting the t-shirt route with the Blazer and the dark denim. And cool sneakers. Not tennis shoes but sneakers. And that spoke a little bit more to true to who you were and you wanted more of a casual ,business casual vibe. You didn’t want it… You didn’t want to look like a serious, you know… -So, I have all these biases and and I guess habits or judgments of what is cool and what’s me and what not. And while I still have those and I kind of bring them up, “Is it okay to believe this way or not?” I wanted your advice but sometimes I was just like, “That shirt is so not me.” But you say, “It’s good.” So I’m going to go with it. And I also want to say that we did a second shopping experience without me there. And this shirt that I’m wearing… Eugenia picked out for me. She bought it without me being there and then had me try it on later. And when I saw this, I was like, “Alright.” I put it on it like, so you say this looks good, right? -Well at the end of the day you are the one wearing it. So you do need to love it. I mean, I’m only going to suggest and push you so far. Because I… We’re investing in these items. I want you to wear it, I don’t want you to not wear it. But there is something to be said about just give it a try. Just try it and let me show you some things. And it’s amazing how… It’s almost like a light bulb goes off in your head and you go, “Oh, my gosh. You’re right.” -Yeah, it took a few days initially and then even more so over the next few weeks of just a mindset shift of… I mean, I’ve shared this with before. This specific shirt was the one I was wearing at the airport and the security guard of all people, is the one that, “Wow, I love that shirt.” And it’s just like, “This is the one that I almost refused to even accept.” So, one… One thing… One piece of advice that I’d share that I’m glad that I implement is I was just coachable or teachable. I was willing to go outside of my comfort zone and just trust your judgment and I really think it’s paid up. And I… And I love this shirt. You got to remember. You don’t know what you don’t know? So give it a try in a lot of cases. You… You don’t know. We… We usually, we’re creatures of habit, right? So, we keep going and wearing and buying the same… -But I wanted different results. -You want a different results then you needed to do different things. -Mm-hmm. -Okay, so this might be kind of a… What’s… Let me think that word.
So, this might be kind of a leading question. But do you feel it’s important to work with a photographer and a wardrobe stylist that are used to working with each other? Do you think that that’s a good a good fit or can you…? -That’s absolutely a very good fit. But if you don’t, you don’t. I mean at the end the day, you are the client. So work with whomever you are comfortable with. Now, a wardrobe stylist is is very personal. So there are many wardrobe stylists out there. So you obviously want to work with someone that you’re comfortable and that gets you. That gets real brand, that gets where you’re trying to go. Because only then they can get you there. If they understand that. So… But if… If this, this photo shoot is super super important, which usually is. I mean… It’s… People are going to see that before they meet with you in a lot of cases. They’re going to be googling you, right? So, that is… That is the hello shot. First introduction, first impressions of you online. You might just want to hire someone and invest in that. I promise you, it will not be a waste of your time or money. It will be a lot safer in it and it cuts out… It takes all the guessing out of it. Because you don’t want to be spending all that time and money into those photos and then get them and you go, “Oh, my gosh. What am I wearing?” And I don’t like it. It doesn’t speak to you. Which that happens a lot. I’ve had a lot of people call me afterwards and say, “Okay, what do you think of these pictures? I’m not loving it.” And I’m like, “Yeah, I agree with you. Here’s why.” -Well and I can’t even speak to that that I I definitely was way better prepared than I… Than I would have been otherwise. And I have some amazing photos that I’m really pleased with. But I’m also excited for a… You know, 6 months down the road doing another photo shoot. And I’m going to do some additional things. Now that I’m just learning and learning and growing. So… -Yeah. -Anyway, I highly recommend a wardrobe stylist before your professional photo shoot. If you liked this video, be sure to subscribe. And then I know that you’ve got a busy schedule. And it’s hard because we’ve got viewers all over the country and even globally. So working directly with you may or may not even be possible. But what’s a good way to connect with you. -Working with me, it doesn’t matter where you are, it’s always possible. -Okay, cool. -I work with people all over the world. Obviously more in the country but the best way to connect with me is go to my website. And it’s eugeniawardrobestylist.com. -So, we’ll include a link. -So, include a link below and… Or you can find me also on Facebook and Instagram eugeniawardrobestylist. -Awesome, thanks.