Choosing Your Wardrobe for Family Photos

Pick Your Colour Palette

Picking a colour palette is very personal but it is something that you can get really wrong. My wife for example does not look good in yellows but she looks fantastic in blues. BUT when you have a a big family group it is important to get it right. Having everyone compliment each other can create a great picture and clashing colours can make a photo horrendous. I find that neutral palettes work the best, be they dark neutrals, autumn colours or blues for example. Having 2-3 colors to center everyone’s look around is a great way to have everyone in your photo look cohesive. Too few colors and you run the risk of boring and bland. Here are a few samples of my favourites:

Most of the colours and tones I have shared above are all muted and pleasing to the eye. None jump out at you and none are to gaudy and bright. The other thing about them is that they all work together, as can be seen in this mish-mash I put together below. I would not suggest a mish-mash as it can go horribly wrong I would stick to 1 or 2 palettes that work well together. Your colours don't have to match what I have shown in the palettes above they just have to be in the same tonal range.

NOTE: Be cautious with a bright palette!

Ideas

• Find a starting point colour.
• Coordinate don't match
• Add some texture by layering up, add a jacket, a scarf but remember to stay in your palette
• Iron out wrinkles, wrinkles will ruin your shoot and make it look cheap.
• Add Patterns but also Limit Patterns, don't have everyone in the same stripes for example.
• Be comfortable! There is nothing worse than scratchy clothing when having your photo's taken.

Dont's

• NEON!!!!!
• Text and Logos (Dad's are usually guilty of this)
• Identical Outfits. This can work and I have seen it work but it can also go wrong.

Further Ideas

As a photographer I am inspired by other photographers and I have more than a few of my favourite photographers that I follow on the socials and who's work I admire. Here are a few dedicated studio photographers for some inspiration. I really like the way they use muted tones in their work.

Piccoli Fine Art Portraits - I love the work of Australians Robert Piccoli and Kristian Piccoli. They top my list for inspiration.

Jane Thomson Photography - Jane Thompson is a Canadian photographer from Vancouver.

Paulina Duczman - Is a fine art portrait photographer form the United Kingdom

Click on the photos below for further inspo with wardrobe ideas.