To help prepare you for your photo session, here's a guide to help with your outfit choices. A nice outfit can really make or break a photo.
Everyone has their own style and these are, of course, just suggestions. My goal is to help guide you and your family to wear what you will feel best in, and what you can see yourselves enjoying most when you receive your portraits!
I’m sending a link to photos of different color combinations, to help in deciding what might look best, as well as, some tips below:
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! Mom's Outfit:
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND PICKING OUT MOM'S OUTFIT FIRST and then building around it. Something you feel beautiful in. Next, pick for the rest of the ladies in the family. It's usually easy to find some solid colored shirts for guys that will coordinate with just about anything the ladies might choose. Sometimes, when you pick the guy's outfits first, it's harder to find a women's dress or top to coordinate. It is VERY IMPORTANT for mom to pick first!
Timeless:
I suggest a timeless look. Stay away from trendy. You will have your portraits forever and I want you to always enjoy and treasure them. If style isn't what you need help with, consider what your living room decor looks like (or whichever room you plan to hang your portraits). Usually neutral and/or earthy tones will coordinate with just about any decor. Pink, purple and green might be the kids' favorite colors, but they might not go so well with your interior decor.
Solids:
Solid colors often look the best. Many prints and stripes tend to be distracting, and you really want the focus of the photo to be on the family, and not your clothes. The same is said for cartoon characters or logos on clothing. Of course, there's exceptions to any rule. If one person has a small print or detail on the bottom of their dress for example, that will usually look nice.
Coordinate:
I recommend coordinating, but not matching. When you match, it tends to look unnatural. Navy, pale blue and grey look great together for example. Cream, tan and just about any color photograph beautifully, as well.
Avoid Bright Colors:
Bright colors tend to cause color casts on skin, which most people don't want in their photos. If you wear a bright pink, orange, or lime green shirt outside on a sunny day, you’ll likely see the color reflecting on your skin. This probably isn't the look you’re going for in your family portraits! :)
Accessories:
Statement earrings for Mom to coordinate with your daughter's necklace, can be quite appealing, too. Does Dad have a favorite belt he loves to wear? He can add it to his outfit and maybe another family member coordinate with the color or style. It's important to remember though, shy away from busy patterns on scarves, jewelry, etc.
Season:
It is important to think of the weather when you are selecting your outfits. You don't want the kids to be freezing in short sleeve shirts on a windy fall day, nor do you want them sweating in long sleeves on a summer night. Choose outfits that will be comfortable for the season. At the same time, you want to remember that you’ll have your photos year round, so you might not want to wear your Halloween costumes to fall photos, nor reindeer hats to Christmas photos. :)
Comfort:
Don't forget about comfort. Example: If your youngest daughter HATES wearing bows, I suggest you consider skipping that style so she isn't pulling at her clothes or appearing unhappy during the session. If your son dislikes button up shirts, opt for a nice tee shirt and a sweater. A happy kid will make you enjoy the session, and your portraits, that much more!