What to Wear for a Family Portrait

When our children were young, my sister-in-law arranged an early morning family portrait session in a shady grove. Although the setting was enchanting, the five shivery cousins complained they were cold. Dressed for pictures instead of the weather, the children looked adorable from the neck down, but their unhappy faces made it difficult to select a photo later in which at least one child was not scowling. If only we had invested in some cute sweater sets.

Aside from wearing weather-appropriate attire, certain factors should be considered when dressing for family portraits. Should everyone wear matching outfits or be allowed to express their personal style? Should family members dress up for afternoon tea-or ready for tee-off, in sporty polos?

Here is some advice from the experts:

To Match or Not to Match?
You know how adorable it is when twins dress exactly alike? Well, it is not so adorable when a whole family dresses in matching outfits. Beautiful Life Images, a professional portrait studio, advises families not to dress up as "carbon copies." Instead, it recommends choosing three or four colors and having everyone dress within that palette. Yellow, aqua, brown and white, for instance, make a great summer photo combo.

Colors and Patterns to Avoid
When selecting colors and patterns, keep in mind it's a family portrait, not a fashion shoot. The best clothing makes the person look good without stealing the show. Professional portrait photographer Sharon Hartman recommends against very bright and very light colors, both of which draw the eyes to the clothes vs. the people wearing them. She also says to beware of bold stripes, checks and other prints because "they are confusing and do not photograph well."

Formal or Casual?
If your family is more Martha Stewart than Marge Simpson, family members should dress formally to convey that country estate image. If ribs and beans are your thing, under-dress accordingly. Not only will you feel more comfortable in clothing you are accustomed to wearing, the photo will feel more authentic if people do not look like they're playing dress up.

Props and Accessories
Having each person wear a fake Groucho Marx nose is a bit overboard, but simple props and accessories can personalize a family portrait. Caron Rich of Rich Beginnings portrait studio cautions "too many props or fake-looking backgrounds to a portrait can easily ruin it." Her studio supplies simple props and accessories, such as baby hats and tea sets, but she prefers it when families bring their own props and accessories that have special meaning for them, such as a favorite stuffed animal or even Fido, the family pooch.

Portrait Photo Eyeglasses Rule
People who wear eyeglasses often ask if they should wear their glasses in a family portrait. The answer: it depends. The lenses in the glasses can cause glare in a photograph, say Pat and Carol Clifton of Jacobs Photo. They recommend borrowing a pair of try-on frames without lenses from a local optical shop.

From personal experience, however, my brother-in-law was talked into taking his glasses off in one of our family portrait sessions. His eyes were squinty in every photo. Because he was not used to looking into a camera without the protection of his lenses, he protectively blinked each time the flash went off. In those pre-historic days before Photoshop, the portrait studio had to paint his eyes back into the photo.

Sources:
"What to Wear-Family Portraits Photography," Beautiful Life Images
"What to Wear," Photography by Hartman
"Advice for Your Session," Rich Beginnings Photography
"Portrait Preparations," Jacobs Photo