Are you planning a family portrait session but struggling with how to dress your family? Read more to find the best kept secret in color coordination!
Back in college, I remember taking the fundamental art courses that were required for graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Most of these classes were designed to hone down one's interest in becoming an artist and determine his or her intended area of focus. At the college I attended, these classes included Drawing I & II, 2-D Design, 3-D Design, and Color & Design. Color & Design was by far my favorite of these courses. I’m sure some of you are thinking, “How can there be an entire college course just on color?” This class was mainly about color theory, how people interpret colors and about which colors complement each other best. It was very interesting to learn about all of the colors in the spectrum, how colors make people feel and which colors the eye is likely to go to first. Ultimately, the course was very helpful and has benefited my career as a photographer substantially.
Now, am I suggesting you need to take a college level course on color to learn how to pick the best colors for your family portrait session? Of course not! This is one of the reasons you hire a professional!
You may already have a color scheme in mind for what to wear to your portrait session and if so, that’s great! If not, take a look around your home for some inspiration. It is best to think about where you would like to display your portrait session images in your home and coordinate with that. I’m sure that, like most people, you have designed the rooms in your home to suit your family’s style and with that, chosen colors that you already love! So why not coordinate your outfits to match that style!
Here’s where a fabulous tool comes into play – it's called Adobe Kuler. Oh man, how I wish I knew about this tool when I was in college! Adobe Kuler, available online and as a smartphone app, is available for free and anyone can use it.
Here’s how it works:
If you prefer to use the smartphone app, download it from the iTunes App Store. Once it has finished downloading, go to the room where you would love to display your family portraits. The app uses your iPhone’s camera in real time to display the colors around you in complimentary color shades. Once you find a set you love, tap on the screen to freeze the image and save it to your camera roll. You may also use an image from your camera roll that you have previously taken if that works best for you.
If you prefer to use the online tool, use any camera to take a snapshot of the location of your choosing. Make sure there is plenty of natural light in the area so the colors show most accurately. Once you have a few photos of your space, go to the Adobe Kuler website. This tool is available even if you do not create an account, but I do suggest creating one because it is free to use and you can save your colors to view at a later time. On the homepage, look for the image of a camera. This will allow you to upload an image that you took and create a color palette based on your image. Be sure to check out the suggestions for colorful, bright, muted, deep and dark for even more ideas!
Now that you have a color scheme picked out, head to your closets and find what matches best. And if you don’t have clothes that fit your vision, well then I guess it’s time to do a little shopping! Oh darn another excuse to go shopping ;-)
Then give me a call or send me an email and tell me how excited you are about finding the perfect outfits for your family to wear to their portrait session. Trust me, I will be just as excited as you will be!
About the Author:
Photographer Caitlin E. Jenkins is based out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and specializes in special events and portraiture of families with pets. Caitlin Elizabeth Photography LLC is having a Back to School Promotion for Families in Santa Fe! Mention seeing this event on Macaroni Kid and receive an EXTRA $50 print credit when you book your session before September 8, 2014. Check out more from Caitlin Elizabeth Photography LLC at www.caitlinelizabeth.com!
