What to Wear for Children Summer Pictures | Maris Ehlers Photography

The first question I get after a a client has booked as session (whether new or current) is most often:  what do we wear?

The best thing to do is to pick a palette based on one of two things:

1.  Where you plan on using the final photographs (if you want to hang it above the fireplace and your living room is deep reds and blacks, picking earthy colors for portraits like browns, yellows and greens probably isn't going to make the cut).  You'll end up with images that are mismatched to where you want to put them, and that's not good!

2.  Location - if you are going to be utilizing a very detailed, unique or color specific location, you might want to choose your wardrobe accordingly.

Next week I'll be photographing some grandchildren in their grandmother's flower gardens (I hear they are spectacular, so I can't wait to see them.  Er, to clarify, I can't wait to see the grandchildren, too!  :)  With five children of various ages, the moms did ask the question, and here are my answers.  It will be fun to see what they show up in - if they take any of the suggestions (all or part of them), I'll be sure to post an update.

I wanted to pick color palettes that would be suitable for perennial gardens, because when you have a lot of flowers in the mix there can be a lot going on in the images.  My first set plays off of the colors of summer, and the tones all work well together.  Sorry to say, the girls get to have most of the fashion fun, but the outfits for the boys are easy to work with and they can wear again and again.  Best of all, this scenario is pretty inexpensive! $70 for five outfits!  Summer clearance sales are happening everywhere right now, so it's a great time to pick up some easy pieces (maybe even a size bigger for next year) that will photograph well.

This next set takes on a more neutral tone, but I love playing with the polka dots on the girls.  The ENTIRE set is from Target. These options were found online, not in stores.   Both of the older girls could be in the brown with white and the baby in the pink and white, otherwise I've shown another brown dress as an option.  Again, I'd buy a size bigger so that they can all be worn next summer - the styles can handle it, and I love the soft blue for one of the boys.  These outfits will look great in the grass with purple, pink, and blue flowers.  Lovely!   All of these outfits together came to just under $76.

For my last option, I was inspired by a dress I bought at Gymboree for my daughter a few weeks ago, which you will see soon in some summer portraits assuming I can find the time!  This is probably one of my favorite collections that Gymboree has had, and it's super versatile.  If you visit their site, you'll have to check out the fringed cowboy boots and purple cowboy hat.  Um, yes, those both came home with us, too.

The two older girls (ages 7 and 9) could either both wear the lavender floral dress with the baby girl in the tiered floral piece, or one of the girls could wear the soft sage/celery green dress with the smocking and the two sisters in the coordinating dresses.  All in all, I think this is a fantastic look and again, all five dressed and ready for $112.

My favorite of the three is probably the Gymboree / Target layout.  I love the softness of the colors, I always love blues and purples together, and I do like how the two sisters (7 and one year) can be further connected with the similar dresses.

I can't wait to see what the moms come up with.  Oftentimes a client doesn't go with the items I've chosen for the idea boards I lay out for them, but it serves as a visual springboard for them to see how colors and tones can work together (or not) and give them confidence to build their own palettes and patterns!

Links to the girls outfits are here:

Layout 1:  Yellow and Pink Dress with Orange Waistband, Target Pink Circo Dress, Gymboree Citrus Dress

Layout Two:  Target Brown Polka Dot Dress, Target Infant Pink Polka Dot Dress, Target Circo Brown Sundress 

Layout 3:  Gymboree Floral Dress, Gymboree Embroidered Knit Dress, and the Gymboree Infant Floral Tiered Dress

The first two dresses in this set were on sale online when I pulled them, but they may not be when you view it.

Enjoy, and if you purchase any of these sets (or parts of them), for your own children for photographs or just for wearing, send me a picture at maris@marisehlersphotography.com!