How To Dress For Portraits

We've all seen them.. those family pictures where we can't quite put our finger on it, but we just don't love the idea of it on our walls. Is it the poses? The lighting? Sometimes, yes. But usually, it comes down to the clothes. Be it the highlight of the nineties in the form of matching denim jumpsuits or the stiff formals where almost everyone looks slightly miserable. So how can you avoid a fashion faux pas in your next portraits? Sure, these may be extremes, but I find so many times that people are at a loss when it comes to wardrobe. The first question most of my clients ask after booking is "what should I wear?". So I thought I would just take some time to outline the do's and don't's of dressing for portraits: families, couples, or singles.

Cue the Jenner/Kardashians from Cosmoplitan.com

First, keep it simple. We don't want clashing colors that stick out like a sore thumb - hello lime green, purple, and orange of the seventies! But we also don't want monochrome and matchy-matchy like the all denim nineties pictures. As a good starting point, neutrals are your friends! Find a good base pallet of neutral colors for you or your group and decide if

Here this couple shows how simple patterns like florals and stripes can compliment each other. The red of his shirt isn't identical to the flowers on her dress so we avoid over-matching.

you're going for the lighter or darker spectrum to set the mood for your portraits. Darks like black, navy, and brown are more dramatic and formal. Lights like white, tan, and light gray are more casual. Once you decide which direction you'd like to take, throw in a pop of color or a basic pattern.

On that note, keep cohesion in mind. Wild patterns and graphics cause confusion in photography and go out of date quickly. Most of us don't want a picture of our family over the mantle ten years down the road featuring multiple graphic tees and an PJ Masks shirt. When it comes to a cohesive family wardrobe, basic patterns like stripes, dots, or something else repetitive flow together much better than words, printed images, or multicolored chaos. Be thoughtful when selecting colors. If your daughter is wearing purple, don't put your son in red. One thoughtful color pallet may include blues, grays, and yellows.

This family chose to start with a neutral pallet of denim, white, and navy. From there, they added in yellows and pinks for a more interesting combination. Though not highlighted in this picture, the older girls also wore floral patterns and the father's button down under his sweater was striped.

Navy and yellow really pop together. Even adding in some pink or pastels can peak interest. I personally gravitate toward keeping my family photos on the lighter side. I am currently in a stage where I really appreciate a mix of whites to create a soft clean look. Then, I generally incorporate earth tones like olive green, tan, light blues, and terra cotta. These colors invoke the relaxed and comfortable feel I strive for in my home life.

Soft off-white with olive green lends a natural comfort to the image. The orange in the background would be a great complimentary color for another family member.

Keeping all of this in mind, this is far from saying you should be anyone other than yourself for the camera. You should never put on an act when looking to create lasting memories; just be yourself! If your teenage only wears band tees and sneakers, go with it! I will gladly help you find a way to incorporate everyone's personal style. If your three year old is convinced she's a ballerina or he's Batman, embrace it! They're only little this once and these are the memories you will cherish years down the road. The tears that come from forcing them into clothes they don't love just isn't worth it. There is no way for everyone to embrace the joy of the moment if your kids aren't comfortable in their own clothes.