Large Family Photo- White Shirt and Jeans?

[eeknight]

My extended family (about 40 people) is having a family photo taken at our next family gathering. Someone has suggested that everybody wear a white shirt and blue jeans for the photograph. The picture will be taken outdoors in the garden.

To me, white shirt/jeans seems ok for an engagement/wedding photo of a couple, but a little strange for a large family photo.

I am curious as to what others on here think, and if anybody else has tried this before and how it turned out.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

If you can pull it off, it might actually be pretty good.

One problem I see, is that if they are in direct sunlight, the white shirts will be really bright. If only some of them are in direct light...it will be even worse.
I think the important aspect, is that you have them all wearing something similar...so that nobody stands out more than anybody else. They could all wear black pants and green shirts for example.

Getting that many people to wear the same thing, might be a lot harder than it seems. That's why I think it would be good, if you can pull it off.

 

[eeknight]

Yeah, I think the coordination is going to be a nightmare. They are sending out an email to let everybody know about it, but I'll bet that a few people will show up without white/blue jeans.

The thing I am most concerned about, though, is white in general. I have seen photos with more than two people in white and though it looked like some religious revival.

 

[Iron Flatline]

We did them all in black t-shirts, which worked perfectly. We were 25 people, but three are heavier than they'd like to be (well, frankly, one is obese.) White tends to make everyone look like marshmellows.

 

[Mike_E]

Look up "high key" and go find a white wall to stand in front of.