When it comes to family portraits, one of the most common questions I get is "What should we wear?” It’s a hard decision! Since this photos will be for a lifetime, you want to make sure your entire family looks good as possible. You also want your family to look like themselves and most importantly, you want to wear clothes that makes all of you comfortable. I always recommend wearing clothes that makes you feel and look your best, and this can be different for every person.

Understanding what colors complement each other, will really help the colors in your portraits. Aqua, turquoise, navy, and sea glass always photograph well and work with nearly all skin tones. If you leave in Florida you should avoid wearing solid green, because here the majority of the backdrop will probably be GREEN!

1. COMPLEMENTARY COLORS:

Using combinations of these colors with your subject and background, will help create a flattering portrait. I love this pink, blue, and yellow combination! Yellow is an awesome color to pop the image!

2. PULLING COLORS TO DRESS EVERYONE:

3. FUN COMBINATIONS THAT ALWAYS WORK:

Using bold colors, blues and tons of maroon and hot pink is always fun, like examples below:

You have lots and lots of teal in your closet? Not a problem! Teal really pops with white… But it also works with cream, navy, pink and specially brown tones. Look below how teal contrasts well with blue and pink. Teal, white and black is also a timeless combination.

4. LET’S TALK ABOUT DOS AND DON’TS

SAY YES TO: timeless and classic pieces

• simple dresses

• button downs

• pea coats

• khakis

• v-necks

• cardigans

• ballet flats

• brown knee high boots

• scarves

• blazers and fedoras

YES to classic choices: Try to steer away from current trends, since they’ll date your photos 10 years from now.

YES to mixing patterns. Checks, plaids and stripes are all okay to include in your photo session wardrobe! Keep them on a smaller scale if you are trying to style a big group.

YES to TEXTURE!!! Add some visual interest to your images with unique fabrics, like: laces, cable knits, chambray, tweed, herringbone, faux fur and wool.

YES to keeping it real. I have never gone out and bought something special for a photo shoot and I tell my clients they don’t need to either. I can guarantee you that there is already something in your closet that will work perfectly for your photo session wardrobe. Keeping it comfy is key, too. Anything stiff and too formal will translate so in the picture, especially for kids. Keep the dresses and boys clothes in soft cottons or flannels. Not only will they be more relaxed in these types of items, but these materials photograph better, too. They don’t get wrinkled or look too starchy, know what I mean?

SAY NO TO :

NO logo wording on clothing. No “GAP,” “Old Navy,” or “POLO” splashed in huge letters across a shirt. Sorry, but this is never okay. When shopping for your family, just stay away from this trend all together and you will never have this issue. Your eye will go straight to those words, therefore deeming them the most important part of the picture!

5. BRING PROPS!!! It adds a special/personal touch to images;

6. ACCESSORIES: Accessories give your photographs that needed punch!

They lend pops of color, personality, and interest. Everybody wears them well and they work for all ages. Here are some ideas and what they can do for your photograph:

• HATS: Hats frame the face, protect the eyes from squinting in full sun, and overall are just fun, fun, fun! You can also use them to strengthen and/or tell your story better, for example putting a baseball cap on the boys if you are shooting a baseball themed image. Wouldn’t a boy in a Cubs hat at a baseball game make your image that much stronger? Now you know what team the boy is cheering on! This image of my daughter was made stronger by giving her my hat to wear before I snapped this frame. It frames her, distracts the viewer from the background and gives the photo some juxtaposition… a little girl in a big fancy hat chowing down on a cheeseburger!

• BELTS, SOCKS, SCARVES and JEWELRY: All these things are going to give pops of color, and work to completing the outfit. They can be unexpected bits of fun, too, like crazy and colorful knee socks on a girl. Striped belts make a boring khaki and polo outfit more interesting. Shiny necklaces give an image a little glimmer and can be a good prop to give to someone who doesn’t know what to do with their hands.

• SHOES: I photograph in homes a lot, so I actually am a big proponent of no shoes. To me, they don’t look right in the setting of home sweet home. Who hangs out on their bed or couch with their shoes on? Not anybody I know! But shoes in other settings can really help support a story and can be an important part of the photo session wardrobe. Patterned or colorful rain boots for a rainy day, cowboy boots to pair with a feminine dress for that awesome prairie girl look, motorcycle boots to amp up a street casual look, boating shoes to lend that extra dose of preppiness… the possibilities are endless!

• GLASSES: I love all things glasses: sunglasses, reading glasses, movie glasses, weird glasses. Glasses can be so fun to work with. Big sunglasses are so fun on a little one and on a sunny day can help eliminate squinting and raccoon eyes from harsh shadows. Tortoise eyeglasses can make a library story way more interesting or be the perfect thing to pair with a school day theme shoot or a really preppy session. No movie picture is complete without the free 3-D frames that are handed out. And weird and silly glasses can make for some exciting shots, too!

7. LET KIDS HAVE INPUT

If your daughter hates wearing dresses, don’t force her to wear one for picture day. If your son thinks that bowtie is uncomfortable, ditch it. Happy kids make for happy photos!

COLOR PALETTES

PLEASE don’t get overwhelmed … you can use this sample colors and tips as a starting point:

• Choose your palette,

• Pick two or three bright colors,

• Then filled in the rest with neutral colors like beige and gray.

NEED A BIT MORE INSPIRATION?

Look below for more sample clothing boards and color palettes.

Still in doubt? Just go to your room and decide, who has the most colorful dress/outfit for the session? Maybe you or your daughter? Lay it on your bed! Now you can build/add all other colors… laying all at your bed can really give you an idea if colors go together or not. Don’t forget the Accessories!

Take pictures on your phone and text me! I would love to see it (407) 773-2463

No need to be afraid of colors! BE BOLD BE FUN!

CALL/TEXT ME ANYTIME!