Coordinating Colors for Extended Family Pictures

Family photos have come a long way from the stuffy portrait studios

and are now often very candid and casual..

What to wear:

• First and foremost, do not wear the same thing. The BEST photo’s have a mix of neutrals, textures, and accessories.
• Dress smart-casual style which is a mix between dressy and formal and more casual and laid-back.
• Stick with neutrals and/or subtle colors. The number one suggestion I have is to pick three colors, with at least one of the colors being a neutral. This gives you enough variety.
• Neutrals are: white, gray, cream, tan, beige
• Ivory, beige, tan, and cream are all lovely with an accent color like blush, sage green, russet brown, mist blue, or navy.
• Plan each individual family separately.
• Another way to do colors is by color families! You can go all warm colors (red, orange, yellow) or all cool colors (purples, blues, greens) or even pastels..
• Add textured clothing to your styling. Think knit or waffle fabrics, linen, corduroy, lace etc. Adding texture just adds interest and depth to your photos.
• Limit your brighter colors and prints to just a few people, 2 max (for e.g. Grandpa & Grandma). It will add a great dynamic element to your family photo.
• BUT if everyone is in bright/bold colors and/or patterns, it can overwhelm the photos and take away from your beautiful faces.
• Avoid the white/black tees & blue jeans combo. It does not flatter all skin tones.
• Do not wear plaids or noticeable logos, graphics, neon colors, bold prints and patterns. They are too busy for a large family shoot and takes away from the classic, timeless, masterpiece you are trying to create.
• Avoid light-colored or ripped jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and tank-tops as they tend to not photograph as seamlessly.
• Color looks great on the beach!
• TIP: Share a color palette. For extended family, you need to go BIG. Give family members colors to choose from, so they don’t feel limited. The positive of a big palette is that you still look cohesive, but not too matchy-matchy.
• Most important is for each family member to show some personality and have each individual represented as their unique self!

Cadence Feeley, professional family and maternity photographer, says: “You’re going to look back at your family photos decades later, so I always recommend wearing something you feel comfortable with. You want your photographs to reflect your personality, and picking an outfit is a part of the overall vibe and energy of that moment of you and your family’s life.”