Family pictures are timeless and are part of our treasures. Unfortunately, some people tend to wear just anything they want.
But after a few years, they hate their photos and regret what they wore that day. In fact, you have probably seen some old family photos with ridiculous outfits on social media.
Picking something to wear for family photos can sometimes be challenging. If you hire a professional photographer, he or she is likely to give you some advice. But at the end of the day, you will still be the one to decide.
So, if you are planning to have a family picture, here are tips on how to have a perfect shot and the dos and don’ts of what to wear.
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How to Prepare for a Family Photo?
Preparing for a family photo is not only about choosing the clothes to wear. Whether you decide to be taken inside your home or outside, there are a lot of preparations to be done.
This is not just an ordinary photo shoot, and you don’t want to postpone it because you forgot some important details. Below is a comprehensive checklist to help you:
1. Choose a Location
The outfit for family photos should match the location. So, before choosing what to wear, find a location where the entire family will feel comfortable.
It may be in your favorite part of the house, your favorite park, or somewhere that you have always wanted to have a family photo but never had the chance. Don’t choose a crowded place, though.
2. Choose a Season
Fall is the most popular season for family photos, but most professional photographers are fully-booked. Winter is not ideal if you have small children, but it is perfect timing if your children are all grown-ups.
Spring is when flowers start to bloom but is also the rainiest season. Summer is great with the beach sunset, but can be too hot in some areas.
3. Choose a Professional Photographer
Anyone can take a family photo, but only professional photographers can do it perfectly. But before hiring one, look at their earlier works and see if their style suits your taste.
Tell them everything you want for your family picture. Check for reviews, and if possible, talk to their previous clients. But more importantly, search for them as early as possible.
4. Choose a Color Pallet
When it comes to clothes, choose coordinating colors instead of every family member wearing the same color. Also, gone are the days when everyone in a family photo is wearing jeans and white shirts with the same print.
An ideal color scheme may consist of 2 to 3 colors. Choose a color pallet that can give a more natural look to everyone.
5. Match Colors With Home Decor
If you plan to hang your family photos in your home, you can find some clues on what colors to choose for your outfits. Look at the colors of your walls and home decor, and match your color scheme with them.
If they have bold colors, then go for the bright ones, too. But if you have babies, you might want to use neutral or warm colors instead.
6. Choose Flattering Clothes
When it comes to the design of clothes, you and your family should wear those that look flattering to the eyes. Very simple dresses and those with the same textile look boring. Jeans are fine, but strap tops are not.
For women, wear A-line style (fitted waist) skirts and avoid swing dresses. For men, wear a collared shirt with short or long sleeves.
7. Be Careful With Accessories
Wearing accessories in a family picture is fine, but be very careful. Belts, hats, scarves, gloves, and necklaces are great additions.
Note, however, that most young children don’t feel comfortable with hats, and they might remove them. Also, make sure that they are not too flashy and are not overly exposed. Test them first before the photo session.
8. Shop at One Store Only
If you cannot find favorable clothes for your family photo in your cabinet, shopping is the best solution. Shopping for clothes is always fun, especially for women.
However, it can be challenging since you need to shop for the entire family. Different stores have different designs and shades of colors of clothes. This is why it’s better to shop in only one store.
9. Don’t Forget Your Hair
Aside from clothes, hair also plays a vital role when it comes to family photos or any photoshoot for that matter. So, the day before the photoshoot, make sure you and your family visit a salon.
But then, don’t follow the trend or wear hair extensions, as they may not look good in the next few years. Instead, have a hairstyle that fits your personality.
10. Be Excited
Having a family photo taken is a very wonderful moment, and every family member must enjoy it. Once any one of you is stressed, it will be seen in the final output.
But if all of you are happy, the smiles will flow naturally. Don’t be worried about how to pose or feel nervous. Professional photographers can help you with this. Instead, be excited about it.
11. Practice
As they say, practice makes perfect. So, to ease the pressure, get the entire family and imagine that this is the day of the photoshoot.
Position everyone in different places and take some photos with different poses as many as you can. If you have adult children, you can also ask their opinions on what poses they will look best in family pictures.
12. Ask for Suggestions From Professional Photographers
If you are still confused about what to wear and how to pose for family photos, veteran professional photographers can give you some solid advice. So, go ahead and don’t hesitate to ask for suggestions before hiring them. For sure, these professionals will also give you some tips on locations and when it is great to have your family pictures taken.
How to Dress Kids for a Family Photo?
Babies are so cute, and it’s not hard to find clothes for them for a family picture. On the other hand, dressing toddlers and small children can be tough. At their age, they prefer playing and running rather than posing in front of a camera.
To help you out, here are some tips for preparing and dressing your kids and small children for a family photo:
- For girls, choose long dresses rather than shorter ones so they will still look appropriate even if they are playing. Better yet, have them wear spandex shorts inside their dresses.
- For boys, they can wear shorts but not too short. Avoid baggy or loose shorts.
- If your child still wears a diaper, cover it or hide it from the camera.
- Don’t give food and colored drinks to your child once they are already dressed. Otherwise, they might spill on their clothes.
- Toys are fine, as long as they will not distract your kids during the photo session.
What Colors to Wear in Family Pictures for Different Seasons?
Technically, there are no rules in choosing the color scheme for outfits in family photos. But then, different colors represent different emotions, and some of them may also not fit with the season.
Here are some common colors and their meanings, along with the recommended color schemes on what to wear in a family photo for different seasons:
- Red – action, energy, and passion
- Orange – happiness, social, and vitality
- Yellow – cheerfulness, deceit, and hope
- Green – calm, down-to-earth, and natural
- Blue – honest, peaceful, and responsible
- Purple – creativity, royalty, and wonder
- Pink – compassion, feminine, and romance
- Brown – comfort, security, and wisdom
- Gray – conservative, mature, and neutral
- White – clarity, innocence, and purity
- Black – authority, mystery, and elegance
Recommended Colors for Spring Family Photos
- Baby blue
- Blush pink
- Cream
- Lavender
- Light gray
- Mint green
- Pale peach
- Soft yellow
- Spring green
Recommended Colors for Summer Family Photos
- Bold Pink
- Bold Red
- Bright Orange
- Royal Blue
- Turquoise
- White
- Yellow
Recommended Colors for Fall Family Photos
- Brown
- Mustard Yellow
- Burnt Orange
- Dark Shades of Green
- Dark Purple
- Neutral
Recommended Colors for Winter Family Photos
- Black
- Blue
- Brown
- Cream
- Dark Purple
- Emerald Green
- Medium to Dark Gray
- Ruby Red
- White
How to Create Color Scheme for Your Family Photo?
As previously mentioned, using the same color in a family photo is not recommended. Therefore, you should mix different colors depending on the personality of each family member.
However, this can be difficult since some colors don’t look good once they are combined. Below are the different color schemes, along with some examples of clothes:
1. Complementary Color Schemes
As the term suggests, these are the colors that complement each other. This pairing of colors should come from each of the exact opposite sides of the color wheel.
Examples of complementary color combinations are red and green; orange and blue; yellow and purple; green and magenta. You can add a third color to make the scheme less intense.
2. Analogous Color Schemes
Analogous colors are any three colors on the color wheel that are adjacent to or next to each other. In this color scheme, the combination should start with a primary color and will look very harmonious.
Examples of analogous color combinations are green, blue-green, and blue; red, red-orange, and orange; and yellow, yellow-green, and green.
3. Triadic Color Schemes
A triadic color scheme also has three colors and is considered a variant of the split complementary color scheme. The three colors in the color wheel should have equal distances between each other.
It’s like placing an equilateral triangle on the wheel. A classic example of a triadic color scheme is the combination of red, yellow, and blue.
4. Tetradic Color Schemes
A tetradic color combination is almost the same as the triadic color scheme. But this time, you should choose four colors on the color wheel that have equal distances between each other.
Here, you will draw a rectangle instead of an equilateral triangle. A great example of a tetradic color scheme is yellow, purple, blue-green, and red-orange.
5. Square Color Schemes
Square color schemes are very similar to tetradic color schemes. But instead of forming a rectangle in the color wheel, you should draw a square.
Therefore, you should choose four colors that are evenly spaced on the wheel or two colors apart. The combination of orange, yellow-green, blue, and violet is an ideal example of a square color scheme.
6. Monochromatic Color Schemes
Monochromatic color schemes are a combination of one color and its different variations or shades. Here, you will only choose one color in the color wheel as your motif.
Then, pick two or three darker or lighter versions of your chosen color. For instance, choose red and add white to red to create pink. Then, add black to red which results in maroon.
What Not to Wear in Family Photos?
If there are recommended clothes to wear in family pictures, there are also clothes that you should not wear. Not only that they don’t only fit the occasion and look unpleasant, but you might also feel awkward during the photo shoot.
To help you avoid hating yourself once you see the final results, here are some of the don’ts on your family photo shoot:
- Don’t wear matching outfits. If you decide to wear a single color, everyone should use different shades.
- Don’t wear loose or unfitted clothes and cargo pants.
- Don’t wear hanging shirts or blouses. Otherwise, you will keep on adjusting them.
- Don’t wear short dresses and tops with low necklines or those that can reveal your bra straps.
- Don’t wear clothes with huge, distracting patterns, characters, prints, or logos.
- Don’t wear hoodies, huge hats, and anything that can cover your eyes.
- Don’t wear clothes with very bright colors (neon colors), especially during summer.
- Avoid wearing all-white or all-black, and black and white.
- Avoid wearing sandals, running shoes, and skate shoes.
- Avoid wearing distracting accessories such as huge hats and sunglasses.
- Don’t wear clothes that are too formal.
- Empty your pockets. Keep your smartphones, coins, and keys away.
- Avoid wearing glasses, even if they are prescription glasses. Otherwise, they can create glare and unwanted shadows around your eyes.
- Don’t wear clothes that you don’t feel comfortable in.
