Alright, so people sometimes ask, ‘what do photographers even wear?’ And honestly, when I first picked up a camera seriously, I was just as clueless. I think for my first few gigs, I probably looked like I was either going to a rock concert or about to paint a house. It was a mess.
I remember this one wedding. Man, I thought I looked cool. Some band t-shirt, ripped jeans, you know, trying to be ‘edgy’. Big mistake. First, I stuck out like a sore thumb. Second, those jeans were not made for crouching and running around for 10 hours. My knees were killing me, and I probably looked like a hot mess by the end of it. That was a wake-up call. You live and learn, right? I learned that day that what you wear can seriously affect your work.
My Journey to a Practical Wardrobe
So, after a few more of those ‘learning experiences’, let’s call them, I started to figure things out. It wasn’t about looking like some high-fashion photographer from a movie. It was about what actually helped me do my job better and feel, well, less like a disaster at the end of the day.
Here’s what I landed on, and it’s served me pretty well:
- Shoes are king. Seriously, this is number one. If I could only give one piece of advice, it’d be to invest in super comfortable shoes. You’re walking, standing, kneeling, sometimes even running. Bad shoes will ruin your day and probably your mood. I learned this the hard way, believe me.
- Dark and neutral colors. Black, grey, navy. These are my best friends. They help me blend into the background, especially at weddings or events. I’m there to capture moments, not be the center of attention with a neon yellow shirt. Plus, they don’t cause weird color casts on people, which I definitely learned by accident with a bright red shirt once. Oops. And spills? Less obvious.
- Comfortable, functional fabrics. Stuff that breathes and lets me move. Nothing too tight or restrictive. I need to be able to squat, lunge, and contort myself into weird positions to get the shot, and my clothes shouldn’t fight me on that.
- Pockets, pockets, pockets. For lens caps, spare batteries, memory cards, a cleaning cloth, my phone. The more easily accessible pockets, the better. Sometimes I look like I’m going fishing, but hey, it works. Beats fumbling in a bag all the time.
- Layers. Especially for shoots that go from indoors to outdoors, or last all day. A t-shirt, maybe a button-up over it that I can take off, or a light, packable jacket. Being too hot or too cold is just another distraction you don’t need.
It’s not about specific brands or anything. It’s about the functionality. I realized clients don’t really notice if your shirt is designer or from a thrift store. What they do notice is if you look sloppy or if you’re constantly fidgeting because you’re uncomfortable. You want to look professional enough, like you take your work seriously, but still be approachable and relaxed. Not too stuffy, not too ‘just rolled out of bed’. Finding that balance took a bit of trial and error for me.
And yeah, context matters. If I’m doing a corporate gig, I’ll probably dress a bit smarter, maybe a clean collared shirt. If I’m out in the mud for a nature shoot, then it’s all about durable, weather-proof gear. You gotta use your head. But the core principles – comfort, practicality, not being a distraction – they pretty much always apply, no matter the shoot.
So, my advice? Don’t overthink the ‘fashion’ part. Think about what’s going to help you do your best work and stay comfortable for hours on end. That’s the real secret to what photographers wear. It’s the stuff that lets you forget about what you’re wearing and just focus on taking great pictures. That’s been my experience, anyway, and it’s made my life a whole lot easier on the job.
