A: There are no hard and fast rules for what you should wear in a photo, but with some planning you can ensure that your family portraits look pulled together and cohesive without looking like everyone is wearing the same thing!
My number one suggestion is to pick a color palette and choose everyone’s outfit from it. If you are having a hard time coming up with a palette, try finding a great patterned dress or shirt for your child and pull colors from that piece to use for everyone else. You can also visit http://www.colorcombos.com/. You can select one color, such as blue and it will give you several palettes that include it, making it easy to build a family look around one outfit.
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| Color Palette Example |
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| Patterned sweater to mix with solid colors |
Think about adding fun and colorful accessories. For your baby you might want to try headbands, bows, leg warmers or knit hats. For children or adults try scarves, hats, jackets, necklaces, boots or great shoes.
Remember - Let your family’s personality shine through in the outfit choices you make. If you feel comfortable and beautiful in the pieces, your photos will reflect that!
A few things to avoid:
White: White is a difficult color to photograph, because it often looks blown out (or overexposed) in pictures and it tends to pick up the color casts of the surrounding colors.
Logos and writing: Anything that has a company logo on it fits this category. It just doesn’t translate well to photos and can be distracting.
Competing patterns: Some pattern can liven up an image and provide visual interest but too many patterns can be distracting. Children in a patterned shirt or dress look great and coordinating solid colors can be worn by the adults or other family members. Just remember to balance out patterns with solids.
Special Considerations:
Newborn/Baby: Babies photograph beautifully wearing nothing at all! This is a great opportunity to capture all the sweet little aspects of your new baby. Soft simple clothing is another great option. Consider a solid or brightly colored onesie!
Cold Weather: Pay special attention to outerwear if part of the session will take place outdoors. Layer your clothing for warmth or wear a beautiful tailored coat. Use fun and colorful scarves and hats to spice up an otherwise classic look.
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