Do you have a family photoshoot coming up and the thought of what to wear just makes you want to cancel or delay the shoot!? I find for most families that this is the hardest part of the photoshoot- deciding what to wear! Well, have no fear- I am here to save the day!! This does not have to be complicated- I PROMISE!!! I used to get very nervous and overwhelmed by this as well when having our own family shoot done- (we have 3 kids) so I get it, I really do!!! Especially since I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. For me, the simpler the better! Until now, I realize it can still be simple yet look all stylized and pulled together.
First and foremost the mom must and I repeat MUST pick her outfit FIRST!! Yes, first!!! Why? Because, it is much easier to coordinate everyone's clothing around mom's outfit! And, we all know if mom looks and most importantly feels good we are all going to have a better time!!
Coordinate colors? YES!!! Matchy-matchy? NO!!! What I mean by coordinate is pick 2-3 colors that compliment each other (which if you followed my first bit of advice should be found right in mom's dress or outfit). See! How easy was that!?? Here a few examples of coordinating outfits from some of my shoots.
Well, what if we are just getting the kids pictures done? If you have a girl, I suggest choosing her outfit first and coordinating the boy/s around that. If you have just boys- then just choose 2 complimentary colors and your good to go!! I just don't recommend getting them exact matching outfits because now we are all matchy-matchy and that is a no go! :) Of course, unless you have twins- then match away!!! With that said, I am not saying that matchy-matchy can never work- there are some situations where it would be absolutely beautiful, such as a portrait of two sisters wearing the same dress. One of the benefits of choosing me as your photographer, is that along with your photoshoot, you get a pre-photoshoot / styling consultation which can take place in person or over the phone. i prefer to meet in person if possible and I am here to offer help all along the way! You can even send me pictures of what you have in mind!
Another thing I like to mention to families is to consider what the colors are in your home are and how your outfits in the picture will look once up on your walls? For example, if you have a grey sofa with teal & cream throw pillows, try to pick clothing colors that compliment that as well. For this example, a grey, black and purple color scheme would look very nice- whereas a brown and orange coloring scheme would not compliment as well. One thing to consider is that neutral colors will typically always compliment other colors well. After all, you are investing in a piece of artwork that you will look at daily!
Keep in mind these are just suggestions and they are geared towards helping create a fine art image that reflects my work as a photographer and one you would be happy to display in your home!
Here is an example of our clothing choice for our last family session! (And, YES we have the grey sofa with teal and cream throw pillows!) This image was shot by my talented friend Christine Thomas who is the owner of Christine Nicole Photography in Sarasota, FL.
1 Comments
Sep 26, 2017, 11:40:29 AM
Cameron Bennett - I like that you mentioned that it's best to have the mom pick out her outfit first and have everyone coordinate around that. I never thought about doing that, but it makes a lot of sense! My sister and I are planning on getting our whole family together over Thanksgiving to do family pictures and I think this article will help us better plan for it. http://bettylaurentphotography.com/galleries/families/