Ever get 'stuck' and start to panic when you think about what to wear for photos? Let me help with that!
Finding a color scheme you want to work with is great place to start! You'll want to try and focus on coordinating colors and tones together rather than having everyone in the exact same shade. This helps keep your photos and outfits visually stimulating and it allows for everyone to stand out as themselves in group photos.
Neutrals (tans, creams, white, black) and muted colors like sage green are almost always complimentary to every scenario and skintone. They look amazing together and are easy to mix and match to build outfits for everyone. Adding a pop of color is a great way to break those muted tones up and add variety without being distracting.
Alternatively, you can pick three or four different colors that compliment each other and build outfits that way. But keep in mind, the colors on your clothes will cast onto your skin and the skin of those posed close to you ESPECIALLY in natural light situations. This means if you're wearing a bright red dress in your family photos the people around you would likely have much brigher and stronger red tones in their skin from the light reflecting off of your dress. This is called "color casting" and it can totally change the tones in your photos! (and also why so many photographers perfer those neutral tones)
Another way you can spruce up your outfits for your photo session is by playing around with textures and patterns! Mixing up fabrics is a smart strategy to add extra dimension to your images. A good cotton shirt is a good start, but add knits, silks, leather, lace and the like to add some more depth. When adding in pattern just use caution and go with the "less is more" method!
Shape is another fun way to add some diversity to your session. Flowy dresses allow for really beautiful movement and evoke big time romantic vibes while a sharp blazer and tight crop top on a pregnant mama gives strong, powerful, mama bear energy! Typically loose fitting clothing suggests a more relaxed and whimsical mood while form fitting outfits evoke chicness and sophistication.
Some things to consider
- The location of your photo session:
Where are you getting your photos taken? Is it a colorful environment like a tulip field? If so, you'll want to wear something more neutral as to not distract or clash with your backdrop! You'll want to consider what colors will be present in the background and make sure that you can compliment them, not blending in with them or clashing.
- The oufits:
Are they comfortable? Can you (or your kiddos) move comfortably in them? Have you worn them before? An outfit can be STUNNING but if you're uncomfortable in it, it's going to show through your photos in your face and your posture. You don't want that and I don't want that either! I want you to be comfortable so you can immerse yourself into the experience, not be tugging at your shirt the whole time!
You'll also want to make sure your outfits match the same level of formality. If you're wearing jeans and a top and your partner is wearing a full tux, they could color coordinate fully but you'd still look pretty silly. Make sure you're all dressed at similar levels.
- Your shoes!!!:
For some reason this is super easy to forget. And don't get me wrong, I LOVE a barefoot vibe in my photo sessions, but it's not applicable for every situation. If you're not going for that super natural, boho barefeet look, then make sure you don't forget to consider your footwear when building outfits!
Pro tip for my families: Dress the parents first!
You will be the biggest people in the frame likely, so you'll take up the most space visually initially! Once you both coordinate and look good together, you can start to add on the kids one by one. When you get one outfit done and the vision in mind, it starts to get easy to pick outfits that look good with the rest!
Hopefully this information will help ease your outfit anxiety for your next photo session!
Looking to put this to good use with a photo session of your own?