What to Wear?! What to Wear?! - A simple guide on how to dress for family photo's.

One of the most asked questions I get before a family session, is what should we wear??!? It is a difficult choice to make for sure. (Hopefully, no matter where you get your photo's taken this year) you will love your family photo's and they'll be on your wall for years to come...so how do you choose what outfits will be on display in those images?

Here is a quick simple guide on how to build a wardrobe for your family pictures. 

1. Start with a colour palette of 2 to 4 colours. Throw in one or two neutrals; such as grey, beige, white, blue jeans (yes that's a neutral to me lol) etc.
2.  Choose 2 or 3 colours that either compliment each other or are analogous colours to go with your neutral(s). You can google complimentary and analogous colours or look at some options below. Or you can choose to go with the same colour, just in different shades, to go with your neutrals.
3. Start building your outfits! Keep in mind these helpful tips:
   - Each outfit can have all the colours, or 1, 2 or 3 of the colours
   - If using a 3-4 colour palette, make sure not everyone has the same coloured tops. Mix and match the tops using your colour palette. 

Here are some DON'Ts when putting your outfits together. 

1. Try to stay away from clothing with logo's or sayings. It's very distracting in an image.
2. Remember to wear clothes you like! If a little girl does not like wearing dresses, don't put her in a dress. I remember I put one of my sporty boys in a dress shirt for pictures, and the entire time, he wasn't happy and I kept thinking that he just didn't look like my son but some well dressed impostor.
3. Try to only have one person in a pattern that ties everyone together. If everyone has different patterns, it can be very distracting as well. 
4. Don't stress too much about staying tidy and clean. If you've hired an experienced photographer, they can easily edited out any creases or dirty marks. So let the little ones play, explore and have fun during the session!
5. Don't wear something you can't move well in. We get our best family photo's when we play, relax and interact with each other. So don't limit your movement.

Just remember; have fun with it, be comfortable and be yourself - you can't go wrong if you follow that advice :) 

Here are some examples, from some of my clients, who rocked the colour palette idea! 

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Which ever photographer and colour palette you decide to go with...I wish you all a stress free, happy, memory building session this fall. xoxo

​Julie Spray - Memory Garden Photography