Death before white button-up

I don’t know who decided that for every formal event, a man must wear a white button-up shirt? I know there’s a high chance you’re guilty of this, dear reader, because more than half the time, men and boys are turning up to my photoshoots wearing white shirts, despite reading my client guide. Tut tut.

Every wedding, birthday, every sunday at church, for school, even their own damn wedding.. crack out the iron and the white button up that strips you of any individuality, any personality you may have developed, hide all your sins behind this clean white cotton and polyester blend uniform of all well behaved boys and men.

By now you may have noticed that I am unimpressed by the school shirt. Here’s a few reasons why it’s the absolute worst.

-It reflects colours, usually the blue of the sky. Us photographers need to go in and desaturate the colour cast from every photo when editing. 

-It’s boring. Photography should capture the essence of what makes you you. A white shirt says polite and respectful, but it doesnt tell us anything about who you are. 

-It’s messes with the camera’s exposure. In a well lit scene a white shirt can dominate by reflecting too much light and can be difficult to balance in post. 

-It’s always crinkled. Doesn’t mater if it’s pressed to perfection and carried by snow whites sparrows all the way to the location, the minute you put it on, it’s creased. And guess who’s job it is to fix it in post?

-Your husband actually hates it too. Most of the reasoning behind men hating photo day is that he feels silly. He wears what hes told and stands here and smiles just like he’s told. Let him have a say on what he wants to wear and you’d be surprised how different his attitude is towards having his photo taken. 

The potential of the final product relies heavily on what everyone wears. The texture, fit, colour, how it flows.. are all important factors to consider. Layers and textures create softness and an emotional element, especially in the cooler months. 

See this Pinterest for examples- https://pin.it/2YV6UmFZE