Finding the Perfect Family Photo Color Palette
When family photos are on the horizon, you might feel like you have a million things to do before they arrive. Finding clothes for each member of your family is most likely a big item on your to-do list! I know it can feel like a daunting task, but if you set yourself up with a tried and true method for selecting outfits, it’ll be a breeze.
Most of the moms that I work with have two main desires for their family photos (besides smiles from everyone in their crew). I want to help my clients create perfectly coordinated family photos that suit the interior of their homes. When you’re displaying large photos of your family on your walls, the colors you’re wearing are an important thing to consider!
In this blog post, I want to break down my best tips for creating the perfect color palette for your family photos. Let’s jump right in!
Before Making Decisions
It will be helpful if you consider all the different elements that might weigh into your outfit choices. A few of those things might include:
1. The interior decor of your home (or wherever the photos will be displayed). You want your photos to feel right at home on your walls, so think about colors and styles that you usually gravitate towards in your decorating.
2. The location where you’ll be shooting. You always want to make sure that the clothes you choose to wear don’t clash with the background. Ask your photographer for details about your location if you need help picturing it!
3. How many people are in your family. Smaller groups will most likely have one or two people in each color of your palette, while larger families will have more people wearing similar colors.
Creating The Perfect Outfits
Now that you’ve done the groundwork, it’s time to start your search for the perfect outfits. To narrow in on a color palette that is realistic for your family and location, start with a pattern. It can be a simple print on your little boy’s button-up, dad's tie, or your floral dress. Make sure it’s made up of colors that you love! From there, you’ll be able to pull out colors for everyone else’s clothes.
I like to recommend starting with your entire outfit first. Moms are the most difficult people to shop for, usually because they care the most about how the photos turn out. Once you’ve nailed down your outfit, it’s smooth sailing from there!
As you’re creating the outfits for the rest of your family, try to add in three or four different colors. At least one of them should be a neutral shade. Great neutral options include tan, navy blue, white, khaki, cream, or grey. Pants are a good way to work in neutrals, but really any clothing item works!
A few things to keep in mind
- You don’t have to use every color in the “base” pattern you chose. Too many colors can actually make your outfits feel busy and uncoordinated.
- Choose colors that complement one another. An example of this could be white, navy, light blue, and brown. Another option is khaki, burgundy, a softer red, and cream.
- Incorporating texture can uplevel everyone's outfits. Solid colors are great, but they can be a little basic. Instead, opt for subtle patterns, interesting textures, or fun accessories.
I hope this advice helps guide you as you make decisions about your family photo outfits. As always, if you find yourself struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out! You can chat with me through my contact page, or check out my portfolio and blog for inspiration.
