2squared Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 My MIL has scheduled a crazy-large picture of our entire family, and now everyone is trying to decide what we should wear. The picture will include four generations with a total of 50-60 people. MIL & FIL have nine kids with family sizes ranging from 1 to 14+. The two ideas being thrown around are: (1) Each generation dress in one color. Color selections thus far are black, gray, green, and red. :tongue_smilie: (2) Each family unit dress in one color with MIL & FIL in their own color. A family unit would be up to three generations. I know there will be various combinations of pictures including: everyone, blood relatives, sibs & parents, grandparents & grandchildren, etc So, any suggestions for better clothing choices? The large size of the group is rather overwhelming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Ack! Your post brought back nightmares! My mom got the same crazy idea several years ago. She opted for the 4th of July T-shirts from Old Navy, each generation in a different color. The resulting picture was awful. The people wearing white really needed a darker color, as they were so washed out in the photo. The generation wearing red all had acne, so the red shirt and red face was a bit jarring. The XXXL people wearing the super-tight T-shirts really needed to wearing something - anything - more flattering. The photographer struggled to get everyone smiling at once. :lol: The final photo has my son in the front row, crying frantically while tugging at my T-shirt. But - hey! Everyone else was smiling. I keep the photo in the attic to keep away the mice. May you be blessed with a better photo experience. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 My mom got a Christmas card this past year with a pic of a large extended family. Every one had on khaki, white, navy, and/or denim or some combination of those. For example, in one family, the mom had a navy sweater and denim skirt, the dad had on khaki pants and a navy and white plaid shirt, the little girl had on a white dress, and the little boy had on a pair of jeans and a white shirt. It is a beautiful picture. Those colors worked so well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 What we have done (but never for a group that large) is choose a few colors that go well together and have everyone wear what they would like to in those "approved" colors. This year, it was red, navy, dark green, and khaki. It was easy for everyone to find something flattering in those colors and the photo turned out well. We've never tried to color-coordinate generations or families. I have seen some done that way, some better than others. I have a friend whose family did the tee shirt thing and her family was assigned bright yellow tees. She ended up wearing something rather tent-like and unflattering, as she was pregnant, and it was hard to find a shirt that both fit and matched her family's except a men's Hanes Beefy Tee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 I would do either jeans and white polos, jeans and brown polos, or khaki pants and black polos/t-shirts, depending on which color looks best with the family's coloring and the background. I like the *idea* of different family units in different colors, but the ones I have seen looked terrible. The only thing I've seen that looked worse was the Old Navy flag t-shirts as a previous poster mentioned... crew neck ts with graphics on the tummy are not flattering to very many people. My MIL pulled this stunt as well, the results are awful. (Fortunately she never gets out that picture since one of the couples got divorced, which means we never see or speak of that SIL ever again. Ahhh, family dynamics!!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 What we have done (but never for a group that large) is choose a few colors that go well together and have everyone wear what they would like to in those "approved" colors. This year, it was red, navy, dark green, and khaki. It was easy for everyone to find something flattering in those colors and the photo turned out well. We've never tried to color-coordinate generations or families. I have seen some done that way, some better than others. I have a friend whose family did the tee shirt thing and her family was assigned bright yellow tees. She ended up wearing something rather tent-like and unflattering, as she was pregnant, and it was hard to find a shirt that both fit and matched her family's except a men's Hanes Beefy Tee. The bolded is how we have handled large group photos in DH's family. (Although not 50 people!) Our last photo everyone wore either yellow or blue tops with khaki bottoms. (Except DD, she wore a yellow print dress, but she is the only girl in her generation and it looked sweet.) The photos turned out well. Jean or khaki material on the bottom and black tops also looks good across a group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Blue is a flattering color. I'd choose 3-4 shades of blue from near navy to sky and either divide them by generations or just let each person choose which would look best on his/her self. Pair with khaki bottoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 (edited) Have the pic taken in black & white? On the beach or lakeside. Perhaps plain/khaki pants & simple button down shirts on the men, solid blazers and or nice ties for those men who like that, simple dresses or down -played outfits on the women and girls (would be nice if all the litttle girls had light or white dresses), polo or button down-shirts and chino shorts on the boys. I would *never* try to color -coordinate 50 people, clothing -wise, unless there was someone who wanted to plan that with 50 people who were really into it. lol Bare feet on all children under 10/12. Edited March 15, 2012 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 You can search on google images for "extended family photos" and see what other families have done and what might work for you. Best wishes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mert Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 What we have done (but never for a group that large) is choose a few colors that go well together and have everyone wear what they would like to in those "approved" colors. I was just reading on a photog blog the other day that this is the current trend in photos as opposed to everyone in the same color top and bottom. The photographer was saying that the photos are nicer when there are different patterns and textures. 2squared, I really liked the idea of the black, grey, red that you guys are already thinking about. I'd add in some white and call it a day. :) Hope it comes together easily! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mert Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 OK, I have to change my opinion... I just googled family portraits as Twigs suggested and found a fab set of family pics in white, gray and shades of blue with everyone in jeans and flip flops. Now I want to get our family together for professional photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 A black and white photo like a PP suggested is a fantastic idea. Just tell everyone to dress in any solid color, and let them know the picture will be developed in black and white. No prints/stripes/polka dots, as it will be too distracting. But any solid color will just turn out as some shade of grey, black, or white. Therefore, you will all match! Or, like others have said, tell everyone to wear jeans or khakis, and then pick three or four colors that go good together and let everyone know they need to have a solid top in one of those colors. That lets everyone pick something they already own and/or flatters them, while not making everyone too matchy matchy. I'd go with maybe white/black/grey, or white/any shade of blue that's not 'loud' (but perhaps that's not specific enough). Something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 A black and white photo like a PP suggested is a fantastic idea. Just tell everyone to dress in any solid color, and let them know the picture will be developed in black and white. No prints/stripes/polka dots, as it will be too distracting. But any solid color will just turn out as some shade of grey, black, or white. Therefore, you will all match! Or, like others have said, tell everyone to wear jeans or khakis, and then pick three or four colors that go good together and let everyone know they need to have a solid top in one of those colors. That lets everyone pick something they already own and/or flatters them, while not making everyone too matchy matchy. I'd go with maybe white/black/grey, or white/any shade of blue that's not 'loud' (but perhaps that's not specific enough). Something like that. Great idea, let each choose a solid top and jeans on the bottom for a B&W pic. THEN.... you can use a photo editing program to add colored shirts in the range of colors you want and what looks best scattered through the group! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 My MIL has scheduled a crazy-large picture of our entire family, and now everyone is trying to decide what we should wear. The picture will include four generations with a total of 50-60 people. MIL & FIL have nine kids with family sizes ranging from 1 to 14+. The two ideas being thrown around are: (1) Each generation dress in one color. Color selections thus far are black, gray, green, and red. :tongue_smilie: (2) Each family unit dress in one color with MIL & FIL in their own color. A family unit would be up to three generations. I know there will be various combinations of pictures including: everyone, blood relatives, sibs & parents, grandparents & grandchildren, etc So, any suggestions for better clothing choices? The large size of the group is rather overwhelming. *shudder* Family pictures. *shudder* Really, though, they should be a wonderful thing to do - I think they are cool! We have just had issues with ours because we have some people who are hard to work with and don't want to do the picture if it isn't done their way. :tongue_smilie: But that's our personal problem, not yours. :lol: I like idea #2 the best. That's what we did this last time (though there are far fewer of us - total of 22 people) and it was nice. The one thing I wouldn't do is everyone in the same color. Even white. White shirts (or black shirts) and blue jeans look great on a smaller family (like, an individual family, whether it be mine of 5 or someone's of 8) but too many people and it starts to be blinding :lol: . Not that you said anything about that...just figured I'd warn against it anyway. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I was just reading on a photog blog the other day that this is the current trend in photos as opposed to everyone in the same color top and bottom. The photographer was saying that the photos are nicer when there are different patterns and textures. 2squared, I really liked the idea of the black, grey, red that you guys are already thinking about. I'd add in some white and call it a day. :) Hope it comes together easily! I like that idea! If we ever wade into the waters of an extended family photo again, that's what I want to do... (I always have all these wonderful ideas in my head for family photos, and they never. ever. pan out. :glare: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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