Good morning, Elisha Show here with you this morning! Sometimes the actual preparation and planning for a family photo shoot is more stressful than the photo shoot itself. But it doesn’t have to be! Not knowing where to even start can be the biggest problem of all. Here are a few steps for choosing the perfect look for your family.
Decide with your photographer where you’re going to do photos and what the setup is like. Is it pretty, country, urban, etc? The location of your photo shoot will help you determine colors and style. Make sure that any colors you choose won’t clash with the backdrop. For example, if you’re taking pictures in front of a bright red wall, you want to make sure that the colors you wear will compliment that wall rather than clash with it.
Decide what style of clothing everyone will wear, based on your family’s personality. Does it make more sense wearing dresses and suits and ties, or jeans and sweaters? Choose something that everyone will be comfortable with and that reflects your personality. Be authentic! If your teenage son is wearing dressy clothes (something he would never normally wear) his feelings of discomfort will show through in the photos.
Decide which colors you will wear. Choose 2-3 main colors and 1-2 accent colors. Will the colors blend well with the colors at the shoot setting? Will the colors coordinate with the other decor in your home? The key word is to COORDINATE colors, not match them. Never put one person in one color, one person in a second color, another person in a third color, etc. Weave the colors through every person in the family, using the accent colors to make the photos really stand out. Picking a color combo is probably the most stressful part of preparing for family photos so use resources such as Pinterest for inspiration.
Shop your closet FIRST. I rarely go out to buy clothes to wear for our family photos. I always make things that we have in our closets work. Try starting with one item that you really love (whether it be a little girl’s dress, a pair of your own boots, or a husband’s tie) and build around that one item using clothes from everyone else’s closets.
Layer, layer, layer. Start with the bottom half of your outfits, since those are usually the most neutral part of your outfit (jeans, khakis, etc.), then layer the shirts. Think collars, cardigans, cuffs, short sleeves over long sleeves, vests, etc.
Choose accessories (and don’t be afraid to add them!). Start with shoes that work well with each outfit then add belts, scarves, hair accessories, jewelry, etc. These accent items really go a long way to add pop and personality to your photos!
Lay out every piece of the outfits (including all accents and jewelry) together on a bed or floor. This is KEY! You need to be able to see how everything works together. Make sure that colors coordinate well together, and make sure that accent colors and accessories are balanced well throughout the whole group.
I hope these ideas help you achieve a beautiful family photo!
Great tips!! We are hoping to get a family portrait with 4 generations this winter and I am going to refer back to this when we are getting outfits and such together!! THANKS SO MUCH!
inspiring photography!
Great tips that I’ll have to remember for the Christmas photo I want this year.
All such beautiful photos! Love the variety and great tips! :)