What to Wear for Family Portraits |
So you’ve booked the big day. You’re going to get your portrait taken! You’ve wrangled the family/kids/fiancee, synchronized your watches, planned a fabulous location that reflects your arty style and the wardrobe… THE WARDROBE?!
Nothing seems to strike fear in the hearts of the about to be photographed like planning out what to wear for portraits. I agree. It’s a big decision. What looks great on you when you went to that birthday party a few weeks ago but turned out to look not so great in all the pictures taken is a tough problem to solve. Luckily, we have some experience and some great ideas to share on the subject. Of course, all good rules are meant to be broken, but you do so at your own risk!
Definitely YES!
- Color harmony. Wear similar tones or colors in the same family. Even a matching accent color works well.
- Solids or very simple patterns.
- Flattering neck lines. V-necks draw attention to the face, a good place for it to be.
- Long Sleeve Shirts. Long sleeve shirts draw focus to the face.
- That little black dress. Coco Chanel knew what she was doing.
- Fitted styles. Baggy clothing does not hide any flaws. Don’t worry. We all have them. Dressing in a sack or in clothing with too straight of lines will only make it worse.
- Accessories! Scarves, hats, chunky jewelry, jackets, sunglasses (all of the above are especially cute on the little ones).
Definitely NO!
- Busy patterns or horizontal stripes.
- Shirts with writing on them.
- Exact matching outfits. It may seem like a cute idea but people don’t actually go out in public like that. In a few years you’ll laugh at yourself for being so cheesy and your kids will groan every time they see the pictures.
- Short short skirts, low low necklines. Anything risque will be a distraction.
- Shirts with short hemlines. Longer shirts that hit at the hip will make you look long and lean.
Fun ideas and things to bring with you.
- Any props or things you like to do together as a family or couple (frisbee, dogs, bikes, musical instruments, etc.)
- For an urban shoot, bring some comfy shoes to walk in if you’ll be wearing heels.
- A change of clothes in case one gets dirty or if you’d like a different look. (this really only applies if you are planning a shoot some place your family is prone to get dirty; a field in spring, the park after a rainstorm…)
- Match clothing style to location. Think more dressy and sophisticated for an urban, edgy look, whimsy and romance for a beautiful natural setting, casual and comfortable for a favorite family spot. Let your creativity work here. Contrasts are interesting too.
- If you are planning to use the photos as a gift or a Christmas card, bring a poster board with a message written on it to hold in your photograph. “Happy Holidays from the ___________ Family.” “We love you Grandma and Grandpa!”
- Generational or growing bigger themes can be fun too. For a newborn shoot, bring an enlargement of yourselves as babies to hold up in a picture with your new little one. Heirloom photos of ancestors make memorable multi-generational portraits.
When in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask. We can help take the pain out of what to wear for your next family photography session. Remember to have fun, flex your creative muscle and relax.
As always, we look forward to creating some great portraits for you and your loved ones.
- Any props or things you like to do together as a family or couple (frisbee, dogs, bikes, musical instruments, etc.)
- For an urban shoot, bring some comfy shoes to walk in if you’ll be wearing heels.
- A change of clothes in case one gets dirty or if you’d like a different look. (this really only applies if you are planning a shoot some place your family is prone to get dirty; a field in spring, the park after a rainstorm…)
- Match clothing style to location. Think more dressy and sophisticated for an urban, edgy look, whimsy and romance for a beautiful natural setting, casual and comfortable for a favorite family spot. Let your creativity work here. Contrasts are interesting too.
- If you are planning to use the photos as a gift or a Christmas card, bring a poster board with a message written on it to hold in your photograph. “Happy Holidays from the ___________ Family.” “We love you Grandma and Grandpa!”
- Generational or growing bigger themes can be fun too. For a newborn shoot, bring an enlargement of yourselves as babies to hold up in a picture with your new little one. Heirloom photos of ancestors make memorable multi-generational portraits.
When in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask. We can help take the pain out of what to wear for your next family photography session. Remember to have fun, flex your creative muscle and relax.
As always, we look forward to creating some great portraits for you and your loved ones.
