Every client asks me what they should wear. The answer: wear what you love, what makes you feel like a million bucks. I promise you, if you wear something you don’t really love, it will show in the image.

That said, some things photograph better than others. A piece of wardrobe should either help tell the story – in which case it needs to be part of the overall composition – or it needs to get out of the way. Let’s look at some recent sessions with my “low-key” black-and-white images, those with lots of shadows and dark backgrounds, where the wardrobe’s purpose is to focus attention on the supermodel who is you.

My rules of thumb: turtlenecks, bare shoulders, bare collarbones, or a v-neck. Here are examples, starting with turtlenecks. Whether your features are dark or light, a high neckline helps to focus attention tightly to your eyes and smile.

On the other end of the spectrum, bare shoulders are so powerful. Without uttering a word, they state both femininity and strength.

Bare collarbones also frame your face nicely, and can add a slightly more formal tone than bare shoulders.

Finally, a V-neck creates more angular lines that are perfect in certain compositions.

What should you wear? It depends on the wardrobe pieces that you love and, as always, the story you want to tell. What’s your story? Tell me about it here.