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Different topic? What colors for family portrait?

16 years ago

I am hoping to get my small family together to have a family portrait done. There will be my son, daughter in law and their 4 month old baby boy, my husband and myself.

I don't really want to do holiday colors of red and green and would like to keep it not too dressy as I don't want them to have to go out and buy clothes for this.

Can anyone make a suggestion? Will go someplace to have this taken. We can do home shots but always seems someone isn't ready or someone looks goofy!

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Comments (3)

alisande
16 years ago
White is a flattering color. If casual appeals to you, I've seen some very nice portraits where everyone wears white shirts or blouses, and blue jeans (or black pants). If you feel you need more color, scarves would do it.
zitro_joe
16 years ago
Wear a color close to the complexion of the skin. That why the exposure isn't off. IF you have darker skin but wear a bright white shirt then contrast of the tones will place havoc on the metering and the exposure of the picture. For example, with darker skin you might have to pump out more power to properly expose the skin color, that pump of power might cause the white clothes to be over exposed. IF you have white skin, flash power is powered down to properly expose the skin, and if your wearing a dark fabric, then it becomes underexposed, a dark blob.

Nothing too bright nothing too dark and you ll be fine, you are going to a pro so if make a tad bit easier for him it should turn out great...also stay away from sheen material...oh the pain of taking pictures of wedding dresses.
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mboston_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, I have seen the family shots on the beach with kahki pants and white shirts. Always looked nice but then thats on the beach.

We are all light skinned, mostly blonde or brown hair. I am leaning towards pale blue shirts and kahki pants for the guys, perhaps a little darker brown top and pants for me as I am the lightest hair color. My daughter in law probably has light blue to wear and the baby - has a tan and blue outfit that I gave him that I have never even seen on him.

Do you think that would work? Would the darker brown - say the color of mocha would be too dark for the other colors? I guess I could do white top with a darker scarf if that would work.

We once did a family picture of the three of us - all in black and we looked like the Adams family with brown hair!

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