Last year as I pulled colors together for my own family photo outfit ideas, I hesitated as I was thinking about what colors we should to wear. It sparked the desire to put together a series of blog posts to help you when you’re thinking about colors to pair together.
My first post focused on family photo outfit inspiration in the blues. So if you love blue, I highly recommend you go check that one out! I also have a basic guide of What to Wear for Family Photos, but today is all about the color Red.
Think about your location first when deciding what to wear.
Before you begin deciding on your colors for your family photo outfits, think about the location you have chosen. Will there be trees, a field, near the river or will you be by buildings? Think about the colors found at your location (if you don’t know, don’t hesitate to ask! I’m here to help).
Next is to think about whether you want to stand out or to compliment the location. The idea is that you do not want to blend in nor clash. If you have chosen a wooded location, for example, being in all green may make you blend in to the trees and greenery, but in blue your family outfits will pop against the backdrop of your photos. The beautiful part of nature is that most colors looks beautiful wherever you are.
Let’s talk about the color red for family photo outfit ideas.
Red is one of my favorite colors. It is bold, classic, it works well for boys or girls, and is found in many holidays/seasons (i.e., Christmas, Valentine’s Day, 4th of July). Red also stands out well against the blue river rocks and even compliments the deep green evergreen trees. And red in a snowy field on the mountains is a gorgeous way to stand out.
However, red can be a tricky color to work with. If your red is too bright, it may cause color casts on your skin. Reds are also not very forgiving. What I mean is that reds easily clash with each other. So if you do not have the same shade of red, they won’t look good together. A simple trick to combat mismatched reds is to purchase from the same store, as each season retailers will typically use the same shade of colors across all of their clothing lines (giving you a seamless match for your outfit ideas for family photos!).
With that being said, don’t let red detour you from such a great color addition to your pallet. I should also be clear that in this article, I’m going to include various shades of red – from classic to maroon or burgundy. Now for the color inspiration: red!
Red with Neutrals (White, Grey, and Black)
Adding red to neutrals will not only give you a little pop of color, it will provide a classic look. This color combination is a great way to add in some patterns (my favorite being red and black buffalo plaid). You can layer up clothing with pops of red peeking out, too.
Red with Navy
This is the most classic “Americana” palette idea for family photo outfits. I LOVE the bold red with a deep navy for family photos. This is a timeless color combination that works well and most people have pieces in their closets to pull these colors together.
Maroon with Navy
Another great color combination that photographs beautifully in fall. The deep maroon against the yellow leaves helps you to stand out. As you can see from the photo below, my own family used maroon and navy one fall, adding grey and cream for additional layers as well.
Maroon with Neutrals (Grey, tan, creams, etc.)
Again, spice up your neutral palette by adding the deep maroon tones. Maroon, again, photographs well in fall and in winter, adding to the depth and warmth of your images and contrasting with the surrounding locations.
Maroon with Teal
Teal is one of my favorite colors, so when this family showed up with teal and maroon, I knew I had a favorite color combination. The maroon serves as a nice deep hue while the teal gives a bright pop of color. Notice in the photo below how the family mixed patterns to break up the solid maroon and really tie the colors together.
What family photo outfit color ideas will you reach for?
I should mention one last color combination that I love, maroon and mustard yellow. However, I haven’t had a family wear that yet! Will it be your family this fall?
I hope you’ve found some inspiration and are ready to tackle picking out outfits for your family photos this year. Whether you pick a classic red or a variation like maroon, you have a beautiful color that will help your family stand out this year.
Now that you’ve picked out your colors, make sure you get your session booked at the link below!