3 Tips for choosing the perfect color palette for your family photo session
I’m not sure about you, but I can hardly believe how quickly summer has flown by! In the blink of an eye, the kids are back in school, and the lazy days of summer are behind us. While it might feel like we're just entering fall, many photographers know that this is the beginning of "family photo season." These sessions are more than just capturing a moment in time—they're about showcasing the love, connection, and personality of your family. I always have questions from my clients regarding what to wear in sessions, especially from those who are attempting to coordinate an entire family or large group. A great first step to dressing your family for fall photos is selecting the right color palette. This choice will serve as the foundation for your outfits, ensuring that everything comes together beautifully. To help you make the best choices, I’ve put together three tips for creating a color palette to ensure your photos look timeless and cohesive.
1. **Start with a Neutral Base**
Neutral tones like white, beige, gray, and soft pastels provide a great foundation for your family's outfits. They work well with any setting and allow the focus to stay on your family rather than distracting patterns or bold colors. Once you have a neutral base, you can add pops of color or texture to give your photos depth and personality.
2. **Coordinate, Don’t Match**
While it might be tempting to have everyone in identical outfits, coordinating colors and styles without being too matchy-matchy often looks more natural and relaxed. Pick a color palette with 2-3 complementary colors and vary the shades or patterns within that palette. For example, if you choose blue and cream, one person could wear a navy sweater while another opts for a light blue dress.
3. **Consider Your Setting**
Your photo session's location can greatly influence your color palette. For outdoor shoots in nature, earthy tones like greens, browns, and soft blues blend beautifully with the surroundings. For urban settings, consider bold or jewel tones that stand out against the backdrop. Think about how your chosen colors will interact with the environment to create a harmonious look.
Here are three color palette examples that work well for family photo sessions, along with some styling suggestions for each: (for the sake of example, consider 2 grown-ups and 2 kids)
1. Earthy Neutrals
Colors: Soft beige, warm brown, olive green, and ivory.
Styling Ideas:
- Grown-up 1 wears a brown sweater with beige chinos.
- Grown-up 2 can wear an olive green dress or a cream-colored blouse with a soft brown skirt.
- The kids could wear a mix of ivory tops and brown or green bottoms.
- Accessorize with tan boots, a wool hat, or a cozy scarf to add texture.
2. Cool Blues and Grays
Colors: Navy blue, light gray, dusty blue, and white.
Styling Ideas:
- Grown-up 1 - navy blue sweater paired with light gray pants.
- Grown-up 2 might choose a soft gray dress or a dusty blue blouse with white jeans.
- The kids could wear combinations of gray and white or navy and blue, such as a navy vest over a white shirt.
- Add a bit of contrast with a patterned scarf or a statement necklace.
3. Warm Autumn Tones
Colors: Mustard yellow, deep burgundy, burnt orange, and charcoal.
Styling Ideas:
- Grown-up 1 wears a charcoal sweater with burgundy pants.
- Grown-up 2 might choose a mustard yellow dress or a burnt orange top with dark jeans.
- The kids can mix in these colors with a mustard cardigan or a burgundy skirt.
- Finish the look with brown leather boots, a warm-toned hat, or a chunky knit scarf.
These palettes coordinate beautifully in photos while allowing each family member to shine in their own unique way. all the while maintaining a cohesive look.