Family Portraits - What Do We Wear?

Denver Photographer - Family Portraits

CONTACT ME

Enberg Photography

Like us on Facebook

Twit with us on Twitter

Pin with us on Pinterest

A lot of clients as me, "What do we wear?"

Scroll to the bottom to find out.

 

We understand that families have different needs and come in all sizes, whether it's 3 or 30. We have a warm studio with backgrounds to take your family portraits, or we can travel so you can have portraits unique for your family. A small family will photograph well in studio, but anything larger than 4 (maybe 5) should be scheduled outdoors. 

What do we wear for family pictures?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when choosing coordinating outfits:

• Will your family portrait be displayed year round, or just for Christmas cards?
• If it will be displayed year round, choose something more neutral or coordinating with your home and not Christmas outfits. 
• What kind of background will you be photographed with?
• You will want to wear appropriate clothing for the setting. Hip hop clothing would not be appropriate to wear in a beautiful field with the sunset. Nor would country (boots and hats) be appropriate on a spray painted art mural. 
• What will the weather be like? 
• Choosing to have your portraits taken with the changing leaves is beautiful, but you don't want to ruin a beautiful warm picture by wearing something out of place for the weather, like short shorts and flip flops (YOUR FEET WILL SHOW)
• Coordinate with the weather. Warm colors for falling leaves. (brown, tan, mustard, burgundy,  Cold colors for snow portraits (white, grey, blue, purple, red).
• In other words, don't clash with the scenery.
• If it's freezing, (that's fine, we don't have to reschedule) but coordinate hats, coats, scarves into the portraits. Please don't attempt to strip babies of their coats and expect me to get a good picture. It won't happen. 
• Will the family see each other ahead of time?
• If you are coordinating a large extended family portrait, say over Thanksgiving, start planning early. Create a shared pinterest board where the families can look. If that's not possible, take screenshots and text them. 
• Especially with a large extended family, it will be more visually appealing to have some of the women wear skirts or dresses, rather than a group of 30 people all wearing pants.
• Perhaps once all of the family arrives into town, schedule a morning where they can run to target if they need to get something last minute. 

I've created a Pinterest board for Family Portrait ideas; posing, outfits, etc.

My website also has a good page on What to Wear and How to Prepare for a sitting. 

Preparing to photograph Children: 

Being prepared to photograph children is critical. Children shouldn't have unrealistic expectations about the sitting.
For instance, sometimes parents tell their children, "We're going to play at the park."  Well.....no. You're not. You are going to have your picture taken, and I will expect them to sit still (or at least not run off) for a short period of time. BUT, I do have candy. And they may have some when we're finished. And maybe Mom and Dad can take them to get a prize from Target later.

Strongly disciplining children is discouraged during a photo shoot. Disclaimer: You know your child best, please do not think that I am trying to tell you how to raise your child. However, letting them jump around for a few seconds just might give me that smile I need. Scolding them for taking half a second to pick up a rock will certainly make their smile fade and take the twinkle out of their eye. 

I need that twinkle!

I have tricks to get them to look at the camera. Making them feel bad is not one of them. ;)

Trusting your photographer, as well as being prepared with bribes for children, can help you get the portraits that you spent so much time planning.

Contact me to schedule your session!