The way your subject dresses changes how an image feels and where the viewer’s eye goes. Bright colors, bold patterns, and high-contrast elements all compete for attention, sometimes pulling focus away from where you want it. Understanding how to control this effect can give you more control over your compositions.
Coming to you from Lindsay Adler Photography, this insightful video explores how clothing affects the way people see an image. One of the key takeaways is that our eyes instinctively go to the brightest part of a photo first. If your subject is wearing a dark top and a light skirt, your eye will be drawn downward before it ever settles on their face. Patterns work the same way. A bold design on a lower half will pull focus away from the most important element in a portrait: the face. By understanding these tendencies, you can use styling choices to guide the viewer’s attention where you want it.
Adler demonstrates how contrast plays a role in directing focus. The place where two contrasting elements meet—such as a dark sweater against a patterned skirt—naturally draws the eye. If the goal is to highlight the subject’s expression, balancing contrast throughout the frame is key. She also discusses how loose-fitting clothing can unintentionally make a subject appear larger, particularly if their arms merge into the fabric. A simple pose adjustment, like lifting a hand toward the face, can break up that visual block and redirect attention upward.
Another factor that influences focus is texture. Our eyes gravitate toward detail, whether it’s lace, ruffles, or decorative stitching. If a subject wears a top with intricate details, that’s where attention will land. Adler suggests using this knowledge to emphasize or de-emphasize different parts of an image. If a subject is wearing wide-leg pants, their size alone will draw focus. Posing adjustments—like narrowing the stance or shifting weight—can change how dominant they appear in the frame. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Adler.
