{What to Wear} Family Photography

One of the common questions I get from families preparing to take portraits is "what should we wear?"  While my first answer is always "something you," I also believe that coordinating your clothes can really take your photos from good to great! Coordinating your clothes doesn't mean that everyone wears the same thing, rather colors and styles that compliment each other.

Here is an example of a soft color palette with muted patterns (clothing styles available from GAP). This combination would look lovely for family portraits in a country or nature setting - perhaps a field of tall grass.

This next bold color palette with fun patterns would be great for family portraits in a downtown or city park setting (clothing styles available from Old Navy).

Tips for choosing your clothing

• Choose a color pallete that will compliment the complexions of family members. If you have family members with very dark or very light complexions it's usually best to avoid black and white.
• Try starting with neutral shades of gray, brown or beige and then add a color or two to make your photos pop.
• Try layering clothing that mixes textures.
• When incorporating patterns, try to find patterns that compliment each other.
• Don't hesitate to incorporate matching hats, scarves, sunglasses, umbrellas or other accessories, but if you do this, you may want to limit patterns in your clothes to allow for more variations in accessories. Adding and removing accessories can add variety to your photos.
• Choose clothes you feel comfortable in - if you're not comfortable, it tends to show in the pictures.
• Look for inspiration online. We've created a pinterest board just for Family Portrait Planning.