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Remember when I told you that my family finally “what not to wear-ed” my closet? One of the best decisions I made for my business! It forces me to not be lazy when I’m out and about and it is important to look the part.
In an ideal world no one would ever judge us based on how we look, but we’re not in an ideal world and even though we don’t like to admit it, every one of us judges businesses based on how their employees look. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve had bad experiences with a business and part of a client’s first impression of a business is going to be how you look. I wish I could wear my husband’s gym shorts everywhere I went, I mean, they are SO comfortable, but that would be more appropriate if I was a really short basketball player.
As photographers we have to balance professionalism with comfort, because comfort is equally important. It would be impossible to shoot a 10 hour wedding in heels. You also don’t need to dress in all black because it’s the trendy photographer thing to do.
When you’re photographing it’s great to dress business casual and the same when meeting with clients. Old jeans, flip flops and tank tops just won’t do. People are going to treat you based on how they see you. If you don’t look professional they aren’t going to treat you professionally. Clunky accessories, high heels, and clothes you’ll end up tugging and pulling on all day are going to be a distraction. Keep it simple and dress in layers just in case it gets cold or you get too hot.
You would be surprised at the amount of people that will judge you based on the quality of your shoes. The bottom line is that if you dress like an experienced professional photographer and are well-groomed you will win the trust and respect of your clients. As a business owner it’s vital that you dress at the level you want to be perceived and treated as.
