From kindergarten up until high school graduation, picture day at school rolls around. You want to ensure that every picture the school photographer takes is worth a thousand words. One of the best ways to achieve this is by selecting the best colors that work well with school photographs. From basic black to bright hues, some colors can work better than others. If you’re unsure which colors work best for you, don’t worry. In this article, expert school photographers serving the New York and New Jersey area–ABC School Photography will help you understand everything about the best colors to wear for school pictures.
Great Color Combinations To Wear For Pictures
For full pictures, you need to get the color combinations right. While it’s about comfort, color choices are also psychological. When creating a color palette for your pictures, here are some of the most common permutations you’re likely to look great in:
- Denim, yellow, crimson
- Denim and tan
- Brown and maroon
- Denim, tan, and crimson
- Red, grey, and black
- Pink and white
- Tan and white
- Navy, tan, and cream
- Orange and teal
- Blue, green, and yellow
- Light blue, tan, and white
Classic Color Palettes for Portraits
When you’re about to get some school pictures taken, you want to select colors that make you look good and improve the overall awesomeness of the picture. For school portraits, you want to stay within the three main categories of clothing colors:
- Cool tones: They work best if your hair is the darkest of a given shade. Consider wearing royal blue, lavender, emerald green, and ruby if you have dark blond, near-black, or chestnut hair.
- Warm tones: If you have olive skin combined with dark blonde hair, consider choosing warm colors for your school pictures, such as gold, magenta, orange, and turquoise.
- Neutral tones: Neutral tones are more of trial and error. They are best suitable for people with hazel eyes, and colored hair. If you’re neutral-toned, wear light pink and other light colors that aren’t super vibrant or stark.
Clothing for Portraits
Students of all ages should be well-groomed in low-contrast colored shirts. You can never go wrong with a long-sleeved shirt in an earth tone such as rust, brown, blue, green, or burgundy that meshes well with the classic mottled gray of blue backdrops used by most school photographers. When choosing a rust or brown colored shirt, avoid shades that closely match the student’s skin tone. Clothing should contrast with the skin, making the student dominate the portrait.
Clothing Colors to Avoid
Avoid flesh-toned tops even if they’re your favorites. If you have fair skin, avoid shades of pastel yellow, peach, white, or beige. Dark-skinned students should similarly avoid dark brown, black, and navy blue colors. Olive-skinned students should avoid gold and green hues. Other colors to keep off include neon shades of any color and reflective fabrics like gold silk and shiny silver.
Let Us Make Your School Picture Days Memorable
Are you a parent or school looking for a school photographer in New York City or New Jersey to take the best pictures for your children or students? ABC School Photographers has 28 years of experience commemorating those special days for your children. We have multiple packages you can choose from to fit your budget and picture requirements. Feel free to contact us to learn more!