If you’re planning a horse photography session in the Chattanooga area, or anywhere around East Tennessee and North Georgia, you’ve probably already realized there’s a lot to think about.
Your horse. The location. The weather. The timing.
And then there’s your outfit.
Most people don’t struggle because they have nothing to wear. They struggle because they have too many options… and no clear idea what actually works on camera.
So let’s simplify it.
If you’re still in the early planning stages, you can start here with the Ultimate Guide to Horse Photography in Chattanooga
Loud Patterns and Logos
Patterns aren’t automatically bad.
But busy patterns… the kind your eye immediately locks onto… tend to take over an image.
The same goes for large logos or graphics.
Instead of noticing the connection between you and your horse, your eye keeps getting pulled back to whatever is printed across your shirt.
It’s not subtle.
And once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
Simple, solid pieces tend to age better and keep the attention where it should be.
What Most People Want To Know
What Should You Avoid Wearing?
You’ll want to steer clear of anything that pulls attention away from you and your horse.
That usually includes loud patterns, neon colors, clothing that doesn’t fit well, unsafe accessories, and overly trendy pieces that won’t age well.
The goal isn’t perfection.
It’s keeping the focus where it belongs.
Neon and Super Bright Colors
Bright colors can be fun in real life.
On camera, especially in outdoor environments around places like Knoxville, Ooltewah, or out toward Lookout Mountain, they can feel out of place really quickly.
Neon tones reflect light differently. They can cast odd color onto your skin or your horse’s coat, and they tend to compete with everything else in the frame.
Instead of blending into the environment, they fight it.
And suddenly the image feels less about the moment… and more about the outfit.
Anything That Doesn’t Fit Well
This one is less about style and more about how you feel.
If something is too tight, too loose, or just not sitting right, you’re going to notice it.
You’ll adjust it. You’ll think about it. It’ll pull your attention away from what’s happening with your horse.
And that shows.
You don’t need a perfect outfit.
You just need something that fits you well enough that you can forget about it once the session starts.
Unsafe or “Questionable” Accessories
This is where practicality comes in.
Some accessories look great until you add a horse into the equation.
Large hoop earrings, for example, might feel like a small detail… until your horse decides they look interesting. Or they catch on something at exactly the wrong moment.
Anything that dangles, swings, or could potentially get caught is worth reconsidering.
The same goes for certain shoe choices if they’re not planned for. Sandals or barefoot looks can absolutely be done, but they require a little intention and the right setup to keep things safe.
We can make it work. We just don’t wing it.
Trends That Won’t Age Well
This is the one people don’t always think about until later.
Trends move fast.
What feels current right now can feel very tied to a specific moment just a few years down the road.
And these images?
They’re not just living on your phone. They’re becoming artwork. Something that hangs in your home, that you walk past every day, that you’ll still see years from now.
So when you’re choosing what to wear, it’s worth asking:
Is this something I’ll still love long-term?
Timeless doesn’t mean boring. It just means it won’t feel dated when everything else around it changes.
Overcomplicating the Entire Outfit
Sometimes the issue isn’t one piece. It’s everything together. Too many layers. Too many competing elements. Too many ideas trying to exist in one outfit.
And suddenly, instead of supporting the image, the outfit becomes the main event.
Simple tends to win here.
A well-fitting outfit, clean lines, a cohesive look… it doesn’t need much else.
What This Really Comes Down To
None of this is about getting it perfect. It’s about removing distractions.
Because when nothing is pulling your attention away, your eye naturally goes to the right place.
The way your horse looks at you. The way you stand together. The small moments that don’t need anything extra to feel meaningful.
That’s what lasts.
If you want to see how all of that comes together, you can explore the full experience here.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need to stress over what not to wear. Just keep it simple.
Avoid anything that feels loud, distracting, unsafe, or overly trendy. Choose pieces that fit well, feel comfortable, and let the focus stay on you and your horse.
That’s more than enough.
Planning Your Horse Photography Session?
If you’re still working through the details, the best place to start is the full planning hub.
You can explore how to prepare your horse, what to wear, how to choose locations around Chattanooga and the surrounding East Tennessee and North Georgia areas, and how your images turn into finished artwork.
Because at the end of the day…Your outfit should support the moment. Not compete with it.
Betsy Bird of Ride the Sky Equine Photography spends her days doing insane things to make horses look at her. Clearly, she’s desperate for attention. When she’s not acting like a total goofball, she’s mentoring photographers, wrangling teenagers, or hanging with Derby, hanging out with Derby, the new puppy who is currently training to be office assistant (jury’s still out on whether “chewing cords” counts as professional development).
Betsy is an award-winning equine and pet photographer based in Chattanooga, TN, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Professional Photographers of East Tennessee (PPETN) and is the current President-Elect of the Tennessee Professional Photographers Association (TNPPA). Her work has been published nationally and is found in barns and homes across the U.S. Ride the Sky is creates heirloom artwork for horses and their humans.