Custom Chicago Family Photography

What should your child wear for their portrait session this spring or summer?  See some great examples below from Bullfrogs and Butterflies Children’s Lifestyle Store in Wicker Park and read on to learn some of the most important things to consider when planning your family’s outfits.

Kristen Hardin, owner of Bullfrogs and Butterflies, and I went through her spring/summer clothing line and pulled out some adorable examples that would photograph great! She can help you put together a perfect set for your son or daughter, birth to 10 years old.  Plus she’ll give you 20% off your selections- Bonus!!

I often tell clients to select bold and bright colors, accessorize, and incorporate textures into the outfits. Hats that don’t shade the face too much can be a great addition to a portrait and a nice way to incorporate texture, like a little straw panama hat.

Choosing a pattern can add interest to the photo but if there are multiple people in your portraits, be careful not to select too many patterns that may clash with each other. Speaking of more people, most families are involving more than just their little ones in their portraits, so how do you dress the whole family?

Well, start off with the shining stars of the show and then build your outfits around theirs, utilizing about three colors in everyone’s clothing. For example, light blue, dark blue/blue jean, and tan or a bold pink, light aqua, and brown. Be sure to have a blend of darks and lights to add more contrast to your portraits. The whole family doesn’t need to be matching, but incorporating the three colors you’ve chosen in different ways, will unify the group nicely. Mom can add the bright, bold color in her outfit with a light scarf or fun shoes. Dad can wear a bright colored shirt under a sport coat.

Layers! (if it’s not a 90 degree Chicago day) With the little sun dresses shown in the examples above, a jean jacket or contrasting lightweight sweater adds more texture and depth to the picture. Also, put some cropped leggings with a lace trim under the dresses too.

Get creative and browse fashion magazines or Pinterest for some ideas! I just stared a Pinterest board with some clothing ideas, check it out- What to Wear for your Session 

While the beautiful faces and expressions in your photos are most important, the clothing is the foundation that can really make your pictures POP! I’m sure you’ve seen professional portraits where the family looks like they’re straight out of a fashion magazine. The clothing has been carefully selected and you may not really notice what their wearing, but it’s this subtle difference that makes ALL the difference. Family portraits are definitely an investment and taking the time to put together your clothing carefully will be well worth it!