Choosing what to wear for family pictures can be pretty stressful for most people. You’ve got to figure out outfits for multiple people, figuring out a color scheme, how to get kids (and sometimes husbands) to wear what you want them to wear, etc. Its enough to make any parent want to rip their hair out. But I’ve got some tips coming your way that will help making your outfit selection a breeze!
Choosing a Color Palette to Wear for Family Pictures
Choosing a color palette is often times going to be your first step in choosing what to wear for family pictures. The one tip I can give for choosing your colors is to CHOOSE YOUR LOCATION FIRST. There are certain colors that won’t photograph well in certain locations. You don’t want to wear a lot of yellow in a location that has tons of green. Likewise, you don’t want to wear red if you’re photographing at the red rocks of Southern Utah. After you’ve got your location nailed down, think of picking out complimentary colors to said location’s colors. Take a look at a color wheel and pick colors that are opposite of each other. Personally though, I absolutely adore photographing more bold colors (teals, burnt oranges, mustard yellows, reds, blues, etc.). I also love photographing more neutral and earthy colors (creams, tans, browns, muted pinks and greens).
Style of Clothing to Wear
The style of clothing you choose to wear for family pictures can honestly make or break your images. Things like white tees and jeans are incredibly outdated and they do not photograph well because they aren’t super flattering on everyone. Clothing that has logos or graphics plastered all over them aren’t flattering either. Obviously this will depend on your family’s personal style, but more often than not, you’ll want to get at least a little dressed up for your family pictures. For the girls in the family, things like flowy dresses or skirts, jumpsuits for littles, cardigans, and kimonos all photograph really well. You want to think about wearing things that will allow a lot of movement in your images. For the boys, things like khakis or chinos (sometimes jeans depending on color palette), henleys (like this one from Express), button up shirts (no plaid though! It doesn’t photograph well!), or overalls for toddler age boys will all photograph well and compliment the girls’ clothing.
Accessories to Wear for Family Pictures
Accessories that you choose to wear for family pictures can add SO much to your images. But it’s super easy to go overboard with these, so keep it to more of a minimum than a maximum! Cardigans, chunky bracelets or necklaces, head scarves for mom or little girls, and hats can all add lots of interest to your images. My favorite places to buy hats especially are Gigi Pip if you want to splurge, or even this one on Amazon if you want to save!
Choosing Patterns and Textures
When it comes to choosing patterns to wear for family pictures, think that less is more. Too many different patterns (or too much of the same pattern) can be overwhelming. Try sticking to one or two patterns to give visual interest. As for textures, I love adding this in through things like cable knit sweaters or cardigans, lace details on dresses, rib knit fabric for baby outfits, etc. By adding in these small details, you’ll add so much character and visual interest to your images!
Ready to book a family session with me and try these tips for choosing what to wear for family pictures yourself?
I’d love to work with your cute family! Connect with me here to send an email and let’s get you on my schedule!
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