Summer is one of the perfect times of the year to schedule family portraits. In fact, it is the best period for family outdoor photographs. The earliest sunrise and latest sunset are some of the features that make summer the best season to pose for the camera with your family. One of the most vital things to consider when planning a summer family portrait is the outfit! Some families have clear ideas about what to wear for summer family photos. On the other hand, other families do not have a clue. Thus, this article will be detailed and concise.
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You will learn some of the best outfit suggestions for children and adults, including the right color combinations for summer family poses. Furthermore, we have provided tips about how you can look best in photos, even if you think you are not photogenic.
What not to wear for summer family photos?
For summer family photos, avoid heavy, dark colors that can cause heat and discomfort during the session. Similarly, stay away from clothing with large logos or distracting designs. Opt for light, breathable fabrics, and coordinating colors instead.
Summer Family Photos – Key Factors
Before we talk about the getups and photo ideas, below are some key factors to consider when planning outfits for summer family portraits.
Your Comfort And Personality
Comfort is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a summer outfit for yourself or your family. You must wear clothes that will allow you and everyone else to move or pose with ease. Therefore, we recommend that you avoid figure-hugging wear.
Aside from your comfort, your personality is another important factor to consider. There is a popular phrase that says, “you are what you wear.” The clothes you choose to wear and how you wear them reveal a lot about your social class, how you see yourself, and how you want others to see you.
Your clothes reveal your identity. So, you must choose outfits that can send the right message about your family. Apart from that, family portraits are a form of memory investment. Thus, choose clothes that will make the pictures appear bright and stunning, even after many years.
Color Harmony
Choosing the best outfit for your summer family photos depends on so many factors- color is arguably the biggest factor because it can make or mar your photographs.
Some colors can make you and your family appear radiant and glowing, while others can make you look pale and tired. According to research, choosing family outfits in the right colors brightens and smoothes the complexion and minimizes face lines, image blur, and shadows. Furthermore, it adds an extra healthy aureole to the face and can create a visual illusion of a balanced body.
According to another research, some of the most trendy summer colors include pink, blue, orange, kelly green, brown, gray, and pale purple. Generally, the colors of summer are cool and muted. Thus, we recommend you choose plain color outfits, without patterns.
However, if you feel comfortable mixing outfits or want everyone to appear in different colors, you can try different combinations. It doesn’t need to be a total match, but the same color range will make the photos appear stunning. You can combine about 3-4 distinct but complementary colors that go through the entire family outfit for the summer photos.
However, research shows that the effect of each color on the overall complexion and appearance of an individual depends on their skin tone.
Skin Tone
Skin color/tone is one of the main characteristics of human identity. It is the visible color of the skin. Thus, before deciding on the best colors for your family’s summer outfits, you have to consider the skin tone of every individual in the family because colors have distinct effects on the body, depending on the complexion.
Note: One’s skin tone can change due to many reasons, such as illness, exposure to excessive sunlight, drugs, and other related conditions.
Choosing the appropriate or complementary skin tone color outfits will make everyone appear attractive and bright in the pictures.
Location
Before even deciding on the colors and outfits you’d like your family to wear for the summer photo session, you have to consider the location. Will you be posing on the beach or in a boat? Or on a mountain? The location determines the outfits and colors.
Generally, the outfits can be sporty, formal, dressy, or casual, depending on the time, season, place, and occasion.
Most families often use beaches and low grasslands for their summer family photo session. If you have no location in mind, you can talk with your photographer to decide on the best nearby site for summer pictures.
Ensure that the location features the attributes of the season. And finally, the outfits should at least make your family match and stand out from the scene.
Makeup And Jewelry
“Never underestimate the power of accessories; they are the touches to an outfit that expresses individuality and style” (Marjorie M. Beker, 2007).
The beauty of makeup and jewelry is that they can make outfits versatile and more attractive. In fact, a piece of good jewelry can transfer a classic or simple family summer outfit into something decorous and spellbinding.
It is the perfect way to bring your outfit and family portraits to life and enhance the overall appearance of everyone. However, we do not recommend heavy makeup or jewelry when preparing for the photo session.
For women, we encourage a simple necklace or beads and a wristwatch or wristband for men. We advise you to dress for the weather and occasion. However, ensure the accessories complement your skin tone and the color of your clothes.
Yourself
Further, another key factor to consider when planning the best summer family outfits for your wards is yourself. As a mum, you might feel tempted to pick your girl’s or little boy’s outfits first. Nonetheless, take the lead.
Select the outfits you think will fit you best and then make others march after you because you are the one going to schedule the photo session, print, and hang the frames on the wall.
Other key factors include budget and family size. Some things to avoid are:
- heavy makeup and accessories
- bright color clothes
- oversized outfits
- formal dresses
- multicolored dresses, etc.
Best Outfit Ideas For Summer Photos
For summer family photoshoot outfits, there are many options to choose from. Many families opt for simple clothes like summer dresses, basic blouses, casual wear, and tailored khaki pants or shorts. Others go for sporty polo dresses. Nonetheless, below are some summer outfit suggestions for your family!
Light Cotton Clothes
In some places like Norway and other American and European countries, you can wear wool clothes throughout the year. So if you don’t know what to wear, you can rock light summer cotton clothes for the photos.
Airy Fabrics And Linen Clothes
Linen clothes are so breathable and give relaxed and cool summer vacation vibes. Your family will never be worried about the hot summer weather if they rock an airy dress for the family portraits.
Summer Floral Clothes
Summer flora dresses are another outfit you might want to consider for your family’s summer photoshoot. They are bright and resonate well with the weather. Furthermore, they are light and breathable.
The Relipop women’s floral dress in the picture above is a great fit if you want something short. Generally, all floral dresses add stunning effects to photos, without stealing the focus.
Simple Overall Look Dresses
Perhaps your desired or chosen location has beautiful and bright background objects such as scenic paintings and flowers; in that case, we recommend neutral-tone simple dresses to complement and make the color scheme perfect.
Beautiful Casual Red Dotted Dress
You can also try a beautiful casual red dress to express how much you love the summer. This choice can also add some extra radiation to the family photographs.
Shorts And Shirts
For men, simple shorts and shirt combos will serve you well for summer family photos. Vertical green and white stripes short or long sleeve shirts will make you look best in the pictures. You can complement the dressing with a pair of premium sneakers and a neutral-tone hat or face cap!
Plain And Neutral Outfits
Matching or complementary neutral colored clothes are also great for family summer photos. For guys, we recommend you go for something simple, plain, nice, and very neutral. You can rock something like a cotton linen henley shirt or a collared shirt with some nice neutral colors.
Furthermore, steer clear of shirts with logos or graphic designs because they can steal the focus of the picture from your family.
Matching Shoes For The Kids
In addition, we also recommend you get matching shoes for your kids – if you have more than one. This will make the family’s summer photo more fun, creative, and cooperative.
However, if you find it tough to get matching outfits for the kids, you can make everyone pose barefooted. It feels a lot better than mismatching shoes! Nonetheless, the room is open to all levels of creativity.
Tips For Getting Successful Summer Family Pictures
Some families are often disorganized and chaotic when posing for group pictures. Some children can be problematic too. Generally, this can lead to an unattractive family portrait.
Therefore, below are a few tips to get your family organized and click stunning summer family photos.
Prepare Your Kids
Your children have the power to make or destroy the shooting session. So, ensure to lecture them beforehand about the importance of the pictures. Realistically, kids hate posing for family photos.
Thus, make them understand how important the clicks mean to you and them in the future. Furthermore, promise to reward them if they behave well. This will definitely make them cooperative.
Test The New Clothes Before The Day
Do not wait until the photographer arrives before you test your new summer outfits. This will help you decide earlier if the clothes are fit, comfortable, and ready to go!
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Prepare Your Family For Different Poses
Furthermore, we recommend you surf the internet for family summer pose ideas and practice ahead with your wards. Aside from easing the photographer’s work, it will make everyone ready, cooperative, and versatile when the shooting starts.
You might be interested in the article – How To Pose? Ways To Look Better In Photos – Men Edition
Use Creative Photo Props
Photo props never disappoint when it comes to adding extra aura to family summer pictures. However, ensure to choose props that resonate well with the family outfits and shooting scene.