Five Tips for Choosing the Perfect Colors to Wear for Family Photos

Five Tips for Choosing the Perfects Colors to Wear for Family Photos

Color plays a crucial role in shaping the emotions conveyed in your family photos and enhancing their overall aesthetic. Your color choices can either beautifully complement your family’s personality and the story behind your images or become a distracting element. Discover five tips for selecting a harmonious color palette for your next family photo shoot.

1. Choose colors that make sense for the season
2. Consider the location and choose colors that will complement the scenery
3. Choose colors that reflect the vibe you want to convey
4. Chose colors that complement your home décor and opt for a complimentary NOT matching palette
5. Consider color theory

Choose colors that make sense for the season

Consider the time of year when choosing a palette for family pictures, particularly for outdoor sessions. Jewel tones like emerald, plum and wine will look lovely in fall against a backdrop of foliage, but would out of place in a spring garden session. Similarly, soft pastels pair nicely with neutral tones against a backdrop of flowering trees and shrubs in spring or summer, or at the beach. See sample spring versus fall colors palettes below.

Planning a Fall family photos session? Be sure to check out this post with lots of inspirational style boards for great color to wear for fall sessions.

Consider the location and choose colors that will complement the scenery

The location of your photoshoot is an important factor in selecting clothing colors. Similar to considering the season, you’ll want to choose colors that stand out against or harmonize nicely with the scenery. Likewise, avoid colors that will clash or overly blend with the location’s background. For example, many families have photoshoots in parks with a lot of greenery so avoid wearing shades of green that are too similar to the foliage. Instead choose contrasting or complementary colors. Urban settings typically offer backdrops with brick or cement buildings that provide rich texture. Consider colors and patterns that will complement or contrast with the city scenery.

Choose colors that reflect the vibe you want to convey and individual personalities

Color psychology plays a pivotal role in conveying emotion and setting the tone of your family portraits. Soft shades of blue, grey, and green evoke a sense of serenity and calm. In contrast, bolder colors like mustard, teal, or purple can inject a sense of energy, joy and vibrancy into your images. Want to evoke nostalgia and a bit of a romantic vibe? Opt for soft shades of blush, rose, and cream. Do you want your images to have a timeless feel? Choose classic colors, earth tones and plenty of neutrals rather than trendy colors.

Choose colors that complement your home decor

Whether you’re planning to update a gallery wall in your living room, or add a stunning fine art canvas above your master bed, be sure to choose a palette that will work with the decor in your home. A red and green palette may seem like a fun choice for the holiday cards you’re planning to send out, but will look out place on your walls come spring and summer.

Aim for two to three complimentary colors for family members rather than overly matching.

Consider color theory: Use color harmony to enhance your photos

Color theory can be a powerful tool for creating visually appealing family photos. Here’s how to apply it:

Analogous Colors: These are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel (e.g., blue, green, and yellow-green). They create a harmonious and soothing look.
Complementary Colors: These are colors opposite each other on the color wheel (e.g., red and green, blue and orange). They create high contrast and can be bold and eye-catching.
Triadic Colors: These are colors evenly spaced around the color wheel (e.g., red, yellow, and blue). They create a vibrant and energetic look.
Monochromatic Colors: These are different shades, tints, and tones of the same color (e.g., different shades of blue). They create a sophisticated and elegant look.

Color Palette Inspiration

• Classic and Timeless: Neutrals with pops of navy or burgundy.
• Soft and Romantic: Pastels like blush, mint, sage and lavender.
• Bold and Modern: Bright colors like burnt orange, mustard yellow, and teal.
• Earthy and Natural: Browns, greens, and golds.

Final Note: Consider Skin Tones

Selecting clothing colors that complement your skin tone can significantly enhance your appearance in family photos. Here are some tips:

Identify Your Skin Undertones

• Warm Undertones: Your skin has a golden, peachy, or olive cast. Veins appear greenish.
• Cool Undertones: Your skin has a pink, rosy, or bluish undertone. Veins appear bluish-purple.
• Neutral Undertones: You have a balance of both warm and cool undertones.

Best Color Choices for Specific Skin Undertones

Warm Undertones: Choose colors with yellow or orange undertones like:

• Earthy tones: brown, olive, mustard, terracotta
• Warm reds: brick, coral, orange-red
• Soft pastels: peach, cream, ivory

Cool Undertones: Opt for colors with blue or pink undertones like:

• Jewel tones: sapphire, emerald, ruby
• Cool pinks: rose, magenta
• Classic neutrals: navy, black, white

Neutral Undertones:

You’re lucky! Most colors will look good on you. Experiment with both warm and cool tones.

Additional Tips for Choosing the Perfect Colors to Wear for Family Photos:

• Contrast: Create visual interest by contrasting your clothing color with your skin tone.
• Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try different colors. You might be surprised at what looks good on you.
• Consider Hair and Eye Color: Hair and eye color can also influence which colors flatter you.

The most important thing is to choose colors that make your family feel comfortable and confident and flatter your skin tones. Need more personalized assistance? I offer complimentary styling assistance when you book a session with me.

If you enjoyed these tips for choosing the perfect colors to wear for family photos, you might enjoy reading What to Wear and What Not Wear for Family Photos. To learn more about great locations for family photos in the Westfield, NJ area, be sure to read this post.