What to Wear for Corporate Headshots: A Photographer's Straight Answers

The short answer: wear solid mid-tone colors, clothes that fit the real you (not aspirational-you), and bring a second option. Skip fine patterns (they shimmer on camera), logos, brand-new clothes you haven't moved in, and anything you'd tug at between takes. Dress one notch above your normal workday — the photo outlives the session by years.

This is the guide I send before every session, written from behind the camera. None of it is about fashion; all of it is about what a lens does to fabric, color, and comfort.

Colors: mid-tones win

Pure white blows out; pure black swallows detail. Everything between — navy, slate, olive, burgundy, warm gray, muted blue — photographs beautifully against almost any background. If your brand has strong colors, don't wear them literally; complement them. And know your background: if the shoot is against white office walls, a light gray sweater will ghost into it.

Patterns: the moiré problem

Thin stripes, small checks, and fine herringbone create a shimmering interference pattern on camera sensors — it can't be fixed in retouching, only avoided. Texture is fine (knit, oxford weave); repetition at small scale is not. When in doubt, solid.

Fit beats formality

A well-fitting sweater photographs better than an ill-fitting suit, every time. The camera exaggerates excess fabric at the shoulders and collar, and it captures physical discomfort as facial tension. Wear clothes you've worn before — you already know how they move — and if your company lives in t-shirts, a sharp t-shirt or knit is more honest than a costume blazer. The team page should look like the team.

Bring a second option

Thirty seconds of changing beats a reshoot. One option might clash with the background, match a colleague too closely on the team grid, or just not feel right on the day. Two choices — one safer, one with more personality — covers everything. For team sessions, I'll sequence people so adjacent faces on the grid don't wear identical colors.

The details mirrors don't show

• Collars: check them seated — that's roughly the camera's angle. Crooked collars are the #1 retouch request that shouldn't exist.

• Glasses: wear them if you wear them — anti-glare handling is the photographer's job, not a reason to squint through a session without them.

• Jewelry: simple reads as intentional; busy reads as noise at headshot crop sizes.

• Grooming: come as the polished version of normal. Dramatic haircuts the day before are a gamble; day-of touch-ups are gold.

If you're prepping for something bigger than a headshot — an on-camera interview or a brand film — the full on-camera prep checklist extends all of this to talking-head video.

FAQ

What should a whole team be told before headshot day?
Send this guide, tell them the background color, and ask for two clothing options. That's it — over-directing a team's wardrobe produces stiff photos of people in borrowed clothes.

Should executives dress differently from the team?
Consistent formality reads as culture; a CEO in a suit floating above a team in knits reads as distance. Pick the notch that's true and apply it top to bottom.

What about makeup?
Normal daily makeup photographs well; heavy coverage can flatten under lighting. Matte beats shine; powder handles the rest.

Does this change for video?
Same rules, stricter on patterns — moiré is worse in motion.

Booking headshots soon? Here's what sessions cost in NYC, what the packages include, or book a free 20-minute call and I'll answer the wardrobe questions specific to your team.