The Best Colors & Clothing to Wear On-Camera

​If you've never been on-camera for something important before, figuring out what to wear can feel quite stressful. You probably know you look good in certain colors, but how do you know if those colors are going to be OK for camera?

"I wonder if that houndstooth jacket I have will look good in pictures..." 

"Should I wear my favorite pink top or will that look unprofessional?"

"Will wearing a black suit jacket look too formal?"

Definitely overwhelming. But what would it feel like if suddenly you knew the exact answers and were 100% confident in what to wear? Pretty good, right?
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​Well that's the aim of today's article.
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Since 2009, we've worked with people wearing the full gamut of clothing, from ripped, dirty T-shirts (yes, really) all the way to full tuxedos (which we don't usually recommend). It's been a whirlwind of color, textures, and styles, but we've learned a thing or two over the past decade and we'd like to sum these things up into a few, key rules.
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​First, if you like video, feel free to watch this. Even though the video is about headshots, the rules are mostly the same for any type of photography or video work. Then, scroll down to continue reading.

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​Tip 1:
​Any Color Can Technically Work

First off, any color can work if you like wearing it. If the shooter knows how to light you properly and balance the background colors with the colors you're wearing, pretty much any color can look good on camera.

You name it, white, gray, black, blue, purple, yellow, green, brown, orange, red, pink... anything will work if it's lit properly and you love the color.

We highly recommend you bring different variations of your favorite colors to your shoot so you have options. Then the photographer or stylist on your shoot can help suggest which versions might look best.​ For instance, if you love blue, bring a light blue, dark blue, and really dark, navy blue. Then, based on where you're shooting and the backgrounds and lighting in the image, certain versions of that color might work better than others.

Why do we recommend wearing colors you love? Because you'll be most comfortable in those colors and this translates to feeling more confident on-camera, which leads to a more successful shoot and better expressions. Remember that as long as all the technical details of your photo or video project are perfect, your emotion is going to be the key determining factor on how memorable it is to people.

Now, having discussed that all colors can work, let's get into some specifics of what colors generally are easier to shoot, and which ones will really pop on camera. Scroll down to read more.

​Tip 2:
Certain Colors Pop More on Camera

Rich, Deep Colors Pop More
In general, you should shy away from using white and other pale colors like pink, pale yellow, light green, or sky blue as the main color. Sometimes they can overexpose on camera and distract from your face, especially during outdoor shoots. What this means is that the lighting might show up too bright on the clothing and make it look flat white in places (like on top of the shoulders), even if the shirt you were wearing was pink!

What if you want to wear a really pale color anyway? If that's the case, either make sure your photographer or videographer can light it properly without certain areas coming out too bright or wear a jacket or other darker layer over the pale color.​​ If you don't take these precautionary steps, you'll wind up having a photo or video that has some technical issues that can be distracting.

The best colors to wear on-camera are deep, rich ones that stand out.​ A bright yellow might not necessarily be dark enough to not overexpose, whereas a darker, forest green would look great because the amount of light that reflects from it is less.

Complimentary Colors Pop More
In the case of headshots, keep in mind that most only show your upper body, so you don't have to worry about your pants. However, if you're going to be wearing layers (like a jacket over your shirt - layers look really great in headshots), you'll need to be sure the colors compliment and support one another​ or they won't look as good. For videos and other types of promotional photography, you might wind up seeing your pants too, so don't forget about them!

Scroll down to continue reading.

​Tip 3:
Let's Find Out What Colors Go Well Together

So how do you combine colors? Well, it's all based on what type of combination you want to do. We find that more intense color combinations can be distracting, so it's a bit easier to keep your colors less starkly contrasting so they don't draw too much attention away from your face.

​Make sure the color combinations you wear are made of solid-colored pieces layered over one-another (as opposed to single-layered shirts with patterns). Layers add more interest and make you look more dynamic and visually appealing.

Below is a list of color combinations you can use:

​​Red
Pairs well with light green, pink, dark brown, and purple.

Yellow
Pairs well with dark blue, red, light blue, and black.

Green
Pairs well with dark blue, dark purple, dark green, and black.

Teal
Pairs well with dark green, dark red, peach, and dark blue.

Blue
Pairs well with dark green, pale green, white, and dark red.

Purple
Pairs well with dark blue, red, pale purple, and pale green.

Pink
Pairs well with gray, blue, red, and black.

​Tip 4:
Avoid Certain Patterns and Other Pitfalls

It's really important that you don't wear strong patterns on-camera.​ Remember, wearing the right colors doesn't help if what you're wearing is distracting because it's got patterns on it!

So what patterns to avoid?

​Keep away from plaid, big checks, and any really small patterns such as tiny stripes or checks.​ Bigger patterns can draw too much attention to themselves if the colors are high-contrast, meaning they are opposite one another on a color wheel. Very tiny patterns can be distracting because they cause a phenomenon called moire where it looks like there is a weird pattern showing up on-camera (that's invisible in real-life) because of the way the pixels on the camera work.

So if you can't wear big patterns or tiny patterns, what kind of patterns can you wear? The only kind that work are very subtle ones with a slight difference between the colors. And if that sounds confusing, keep it simple and just use solid colors. Or email our stylist with any questions you have.

And stay away from logos or pictures on your clothes! Those are incredibly distracting and definitely don't look good in headshots (although they can sometimes work for promo videos or photos if you're attempting to advertise the product on the shirt).

​​Tip 5:
Consider Using Color Meanings to Enhance Your Outfit

Did you know that certain colors can unconsciously say you're "jealous" or "inexperienced?" And others can say that you're "calm and confident?"

Color meanings can subtly influence what a viewer thinks when they see you on-camera and can be used to increase the overall effectiveness of your photo or video.

Although hidden color meanings are outside the scope of this particular article, we're happy to send you the special, in-depth guide we've written on the topic for free.

Just let us know where to send it by clicking the button below:

Send Me the "Hidden Color Meanings" Guide

Do You Have Any Questions?

Please leave a comment below if you have any questions about what to wear, or whether certain colors go together, etc.

We'll get back to you quickly with an answer and then we'll use that answer to make this article even better!