What to Wear Wednesday...with Ashley Westphal

It's WTWW and this week we have Ashley Westphal Seniors joining us! Check out what she has to say about neutrals:)

"As a color-loving photographer, what I’m about to say might surprise you:I love neutrals.  No really.  I do.

When I have my pre-consultation meetings with my seniors, the first thing I tell them is to absolutely NOT be afraid of bringing bold color.  But, what I’ve learned over the years is that neutrals are just as valuable to my style of imagery as bold colored outfits are.

A clean neutral outfit gives me options in terms of what setting I’m going to put my senior in and allows the focus to be on the strong color and the senior herself instead of competing with the color and the senior.

So what do I consider a neutral?

Whites:

Many photographers are afraid of white clothing, but I’m not one of them.  It gives a clean  slate for bold color, and has a tendency to brighten an image, which shows off bold color beautifully.  From a photographer’s perspective, it also minimizes casting on the skin from clothing, which is a huge bonus!

White also gives a beautiful, neutral base for dreamy light and park-located images.  From a color theory application perspective, the greens here in GA can be a bit challenging for me, as they have a strong yellow tone, but the white gives a clean base to work from, and helps give an ethereal look for those backlit images.

Beiges and browns are also a great option for outdoor images, especially in the fall, and can give a nice glow for city images.  When I’m shooting these colors, I prefer to bring in some visual interest elsewhere to give them a pop (I’m not typically going to shoot a simple headshot in this outfit).

Black!  Black can be so much fun when shooting bold colors.  I think photographers often think of this as boring, but black brings the drama, and if you love to shoot fierce fashion-y images, black is a fantastic option.  The images below simply would not have had the same feel if the girls were wearing predominantly white.

Navy blue should be thought about as as much of a neutral as black.  Navy works with nearly every color and can really bring the drama with a little punch!  It’s also a great neutral for a good, clean headshot.

Neutrals can be a great addition to any session, and can give you the power to bring your color vision to life in nearly every circumstance!  Boring they are not!"

Love these tips, Ashley! You're definitely bringing neutrals to a whole new light:) Thanks for joining us!

Stay Stylish!Megan