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When I first started shooting wedding’s I didn’t always dress professionally,

Infact I’m sure I pulled a few No No’s in the very beginning stages… Why? Because I didn’t know any differently.

I didn’t have anyone to teach me or tell me what to do. I am a self taught photographer and I honestly just

learned from watching other wedding’s I was attending and focusing on a professional image as I’ve gotten

a lot more business in the past 5 years.. and I thought to myself what about me and my business are my clients

and their families seeing when they see me dressed like this?  At first , I’m sure they saw  the

” I’m very new to this business , and have very little money for professional clothes”. photographer…

I’m also sure they saw the ” I don’t actually care what I look like , my work shows that I’m a professional ” photographer.

Now I know all of that sounded really bad… Like I should totally care what people think of me and my business.

Don’t get me wrong I totally did, but it started out as a hobby not a business. Once I started booking more consistently

I made us a “dress code” policy.. Now don’t laugh! Okay maybe you should. I have a sense of humor so it won’t bother me ! LOL

So our dress code was Khaki Pants, Polo Shirts ( with my logo on them ) and your hair and hygiene must be well taken care of.

NOW here’s the good stuff… So after we started wearing polo’s and khaki’s a lot more brides were wanting to book us…

WHY? because we were PROFESSIONAL! we dressed it, we acted  it and we talked  it.

We were it! that’s what I’m going to share today is that in order for them to take you seriously

as a business and as a professional you must dress and act appropriately.

Now we aren’t saying that everyone needs to wear khaki’s and polo’s with your logo on them.. and

while your job is not to be the center (or even off-center) of attention, remember that there are potential future clients at the wedding.

Anyone looking ahead to another wedding will be taking notice of the logistics, including you.

 At even more formal weddings, remember that you need to be comfortably dressed, because you are moving around a lot more than anyone else.

You aren’t expected to be dressed in a suit, but make certain that you look respectful of the general dress code.

 We have some great recommendations for you as far as a dress code. Are you ready??

Do’s of wedding photographer attire:

1. Men should wear dress pants and either a button-up shirt and sweater, or possibly a button-up shirt and jacket.

*This allows you to look professionally dressed, but still able to move around comfortably.*

2. Ladies should wear comfortable, but dressier pants, with a nice top.

3. Try to wear more neutral colors or all black * this is to help with blending in * ( more on this topic later )

4. Usually I can dress up a top with a cute blazer & statement necklace !!

5. Dresses are a cute way to look professional in the summertime… ( just not too short ! )

6. My standard “wedding attire recipe” is: Dress + Flats + Hair tied back + Nice earrings.

* NEVER wear shorts to photograph a wedding, Even if other guests are there wearing shorts, you should still avoid this.(

Now back  to the part of ” Blending In”  from earlier… just something to  remember also the important concept of being a “fly on the wall.” You want to see everything, but go unnoticed.

The wedding is not about you, as you well know, but you have to observe everything and be able to move around freely.

This requires a certain degree of blending in. Try to wear more neutral colors or all black. Be conservatively, but comfortably dressed. Comfort continues to be a driving force,

because the photographer is expected to move a lot, and crouching and bending frequently are part of the job.

It won’t be hard for people to figure out who you are and what you’re doing because you’re the person holding the camera and doing a lot of moving.

But as mentioned before, blending in is essential. The wedding guests are not there to see you and while you’re serving a very important function by preserving the day for posterity, you must still be respectful of the event itself.

Part of the reason to avoid wild colors and patterns in your outfit is because you don’t want to distract anyone at all.

The click and flash of the camera will be quite enough of that, so don’t let your appearance get in the way even more.

Avoid being in a guest’s way and if it’s absolutely necessary, make sure you apologize quietly and get your shot as fast as possible, then move to another location.

Your shoes are also an important consideration in what you wear. Don’t under any circumstances wear a brand new pair of shoes to photograph a wedding.

You won’t be doing your feet any favors to say the least. Because of your need to be on the move, make sure you wear a very comfortable pair of shoes that fits with your outfit.

(Don’t wear your yard shoes with dress slacks in other words.) Also, please consider the soles of your shoes. A soft sole is extremely important.

Wearing a hard sole shoe will cause a whole lot of extra clicking and clacking and is about the farthest thing from inconspicuous.

Here’s a little secret… I’m really short so sometimes I will wear heels or wedges in the summertime in order to help me get the shots I need until the ceremony is over..

Once, the ceremony is over I slip into more comfortable shoes for the reception. The choice ultimately is up to you.

Hope this helps you decide on what to wear that will attract better clients and help make your business more professional!

Happy wedding shooting! As always, I love to read your comments and see your shares, tweets and pins. Thanks so much!

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