Who knows what to wear on camera? Whether you are filming a commercial, a promo video, a docu-series, or a simple vlog, the wardrobe, and accessories, you choose to wear on camera are important. Sometimes what you are wearing can be more distracting than your message, which skews the point of the video. Your wardrobe and accompanying accessories are almost as important as the video messaging. You want to assure you are not taking AWAY from said message with a crazy, floral, ruffle top.
You want viewers to walk away thinking “wow, that was insightful, I cannot wait to share this info with *insert your friend’s name here* later.” What you do NOT want is someone stopping the video and thinking “wow! What WERE THEY WEARING?! …and I have no idea what they even said because the polka dot shirt was WILD.”
We are NOT saying that having a unique sense of style is bad. However, unless you are promoting your own line of jewelry, accessories, OR you are a new-aged organization and funky, bold clothing matches your brand, keep the following tips in mind when getting dressed and choosing what to wear on camera.
Wear Solid, Rich, and Neutral Colors
When choosing an outfit to wear on camera, think about your audience and the way they will see you. Solid, jewel tones and neutral colors work very well on camera. Solid, jewel tones draw the eyes to the closest area to the color (your face). Plus, vibrant, neutral colors keeps things looking fresh on screen.
Solid black and white can be problematic, mostly because you seem to have less depth or even blend in with your background! Other issues include white being a bit see-through when studio lights hit, and black clothing tends to be harsh and dull on screen, especially when paired with a dark-colored background.
Keep in mind, though jewel tones work very well, be sure to NOT wear green if you are shooting in certain settings. For instance, in front of a green screen or outdoors with a lot of greenery.
Say No To Bold Patterns on Camera
Have you ever looked at someone’s button-down, tiny-striped shirt in a video and felt like your eyes were going crazy? It is almost like an optical illusion. Because of this, stripes are one bold pattern to stay away from when on camera.
This rule also stands for polka dots, florals, animal prints, and any other bold pattern that could be deemed distracting to those viewing a video.
Leave The Logos At Home
Logos on shirts can be trendy, but they are not meant to be on camera. Not only can logos pose a copyright issue for B2B and B2C video work, they are distracting.
Unless your company asks you to wear their logo while on camera, skip it. Instances where this may be true is if you are shooting a commercial for a business, such as a gas station, restaurant, or even a dental office. Logos work well in those circumstances, but not so much in others.
Time To Get Dressed For Filming
If you learned anything from reading this, remember to dodge distracting clothing and accessories when on camera. Viewers should be focused on the message at hand. (And we don’t mean the message that may or may not be on your graphic tee!)
This is also helpful when it comes to work and Zoom calls. Additionally, video conference interviews have become the norm lately, and the tips for what to wear on camera (color-wise) tend to be the same.
Additionally, if you’re looking to plan a video shoot in the near future, check out our video production offerings or contact us to learn more.
Dressing is a very important part of shooting and photography. Thanks for sharing such a post!