Advice on Family Portrait on Ship

[handbellplayer]

We are taking our grown children and our granddaughter on our first family cruise on Monarch in June. I would like to have a family portrait taken on the ship. It will be my husband and me (mid-50's) , three sons (31, 29, and 26) and my 9 yo granddaughter. My question is, what should we wear? The guys are resisting bringing suits and thinking of just wearing a tie on formal night (DH noticed how few men were in suits on formal night of our last cruise and now thinks packing suits is a waste). We could have a casual portrait taken, but I don't know what we should wear. Any suggestions for dressing for a group portrait while on board? We live in three different cities, so coordination will be tricky.

[NorbertsNiece]

I think it all depends on how 'formal' you want the picture to be. I've seen some lovely family groups wearing white shirts / blouses and jeans..... then my brother had one done and they're all wearing shades of blue.... maybe others here can post pics of theirs......

[reallyitsmema]

I would try one of the family portraits they do on a plain white backgroud, lifestyle portraits I think is the name. If you are a "jeans" family, have everyone in jeans and a shirt that won't clash with anyone else. Or have everyone wear a different solid colored shirt. Those are casual but fun.

 

I would still make everyone get at least one formal picture done in whatever their "formal" is going to be. I make a deal with my son, we take a family picture each night and check them the next day. If we find one with all eyes open and no one looking really goofy, he doesn't have to take any more for the rest of the cruise.:D Works for us.

[Colorado Kat]

I like the more casual look of everyone wearing blue. Most blues go well with each other, as opposed to other colors.

 

For formal night, are the guys willing to pack a dress shirt and tie? (With dark pants?) That's formal enough for a portrait.

[printingchick]

Any idea how much these family portraits cost on Royal Caribbean? Or how you schedule them?

[Shak]

Regardless of what everyone wears it is a great idea because if you don't like the picture you don't have to buy it. I think the white background portraits look great too in fact a friend that is a professional photographer has a picture of his family hanging in his home with the white background shot while on a cruise. They were dressed as smart causal.

 

Shak

[MrsPete]

Several ideas from a photographer:

 

Do not tell everyone to "bring whatever they'd like". You'll get a mismatch, hodgepodge that won't be particularly pleasing to the eye. You're going to pay quite a bit for this picture, and you want it to be nice!

 

You said you're not quite sure whether you want it to be formal or casual. Choose based upon the picture you want, not the ease of preparation. It'd take just as much coordination to get everyone into matching or coordinating shorts as it would take to get them into matching or coordinating formal wear.

 

White shirts and khakis or jeans is a standard.

Pros: It's easy and inexpensive, and you won't look identical: someone'll wear khaki capris, while someone else wears long pants, someone'll wear a white dress shirt with the tail out, while someone else wears a white polo. It'll be just enough variation that you won't look like you're all in uniform. If you go this direction, I'd suggest that you all go barefoot too -- it just works.

Cons: It's very popular -- in my job, I see LOTS of people's family pictures, and I'd say that well over 50% of the family portraits I see are in white shirts and khakis. It's a great idea, but it's not new or unique.

 

Color-code the families.

From your post, I'm thinking it's JUST your sons -- no spouses -- so this might not be such a great idea for you, but I've seen it done well, and it might help other families. Get plain, solid-colored tees or polos, and assign each family a color. You'd be in the center, you and your husband wearing red polos. Son #1 would be to the left; he, his wife and kids all wearing yellow polos. Son #2 would be to the right; he, his wife and kids all wearing purple polos . . . you get the idea.

Pros: It looks great when you have a HUGE crowd, and the family dimension is clear to everyone.

Cons: One person has to do the buying for everyone so that the shirts'll match, and families may fuss over their color assignment.

 

Make it Black & White:

Let everyone wear whatever they'd like . . . and then have the photographer make the digital image either B&W or sepia tones (soft browns instead of blacks and grays).

Pros: No advance coordination necessary, very easy to do. It's literally the click of one button for the photographer. You can even buy the same photograph in color and in B&W. If your onboard photographer won't do it, bring your pix home (get that permission slip so you can scan it), scan it to make it digital, and then make it B&W yourself. If you're not tech-y, go to a good camera shop, and they'll do it for you in minutes.

Cons: You may or may want a B&W image. Also, dark-skinned people (non-Caucasians) are often not shown in a flattering light by B&W pictures.

 

Assign them all an outfit:

Do I understand that this is just you, your granddaughter, and four men? The men's suits are probably pretty close -- they're probably all dark suits, and the tie colors wouldn't be too hard to coordinate. You could tell them all to wear shades of blue or green. Then you just pick something for yourself and your granddaughter that'd coordinate. If you go this route, I wouldn't choose black for you ladies. There'll be enough dark in the men's suits. You two should choose something in a bright, stand-out color.

If it suits you, you could assign them a casual outfit too: You could tell the guys alll the bring khaki shorts and two bright-colored, solid polo shirts (tell them no white, no pastels -- most people look better in darker shades, and for this pix, your photographer is bound to put you against a solid white background). I assume that all guys own a number of polo shirts, and with two each, you can look at what they have and pick coordinating items. Again, I'd go barefoot for this pix.

Pros: They probably all own a dark suit, and it wouldn't be hard at all to coordinate two ladies. You could even rent matching tuxes for formal night and pix.

Cons: It would take effort.

[MrsPete]

Regardless of what everyone wears it is a great idea because if you don't like the picture you don't have to buy it.

While you're absolutely right, I'd be disappointed to plan for a picture, bring clothes, use my cruise time to take a picture . . . and then walk away with nothing. I'd probably buy it even if it was sub-standard. But I'd be mad about it.

[SamFritz]

DW and I have had a lot of luck with the Lifestyle Portraits. We've got three of them on display in our house.

 

We brought our two teenage boys this past summer and rented tuxes for all four guys. While we looked awesome, we didn't feel that any of the portraits did us justice and we didn't by them. We have our own photos of that night, taken with our own digital camera.

[April-in-NC]

One quick thought... If you are doing a white background I would avoid having everyone wearing light colors. :) Wear jeans and more vivid colors so your don't blend into the white background.

 

Our family had everyone in jeans and shades of red. :)

[Maryscooking]

We had good results with black tops and khaki bottoms on a white background. The black shirts/blouses made everyone's faces stand out in a good way.

 

Our formal pics on the ship with big family groups always seem to be so much harder to coordinate. And people are not necessarily as relaxed as when they are in comfortable casual clothes, so the expressions don't seem to be as good as in the casual pics (thats my theory anyway!)

 

And FYI for anyone who doesn't know, the lifestyle portraits on the ships cost the same as the other pics $20/8x10. And I do believe you can print out a photo release so that you can legally copy them at home. I've seen the link on this website before.

[Mickeefan]

We just had this done on the Mariner. We wore black & white (or some form there of) and they turned out really great! Keep in mind, on the white backgound that they request you remove your shoes so as not to mark up the background as it goes from behind you down onto the ground and you are actually standing on it.

 

On another note, I am also a handbell ringer! I've rung for over 30 years and I (obviously) love it!

[K&Rs Mom]

We did this last spring, in jeans & black T-shirts. My sister came up with the idea about 2 days before we left, so it had to be something everyone could find easily, and ages went from 2-60, so it had to be something everyon could wear. There were 18 of us, so we scheduled a time with the photographer a few hours in advance. She suggested a staircase, which worked out great to fit everyone in. She also scheduled us for the same time bingo was getting out in the theatre, so we had to try again the next day. :rolleyes: There was no charge for an appointment with the photographer, and she did a great job (especially considering we had little kids), but check the compass before you schedule!

[Swann5]

We just had two sets of lifestyle portraits done with the white background for our family of five. DH and DS#1, DS#2, wore tan dockers, DD and I wore white bottoms (skirt, capris). For one shot we wore matching red t-shirts with a white maple leaf (Yes, we're from Canada) and for the other we wore our CFL football team shirts, DH a white golf shirt with green emblem, DS's in almost matching green t's, DD a Black t with green emblem, and me with a green/white t. The first set with identical t's are more striking, but the football ones were fun too. We did a quick change and did the shoots one after the other. Bought 2 from each shoot and have gotten tons of compliments on them.

 

We also got lots of compliments as our pictures were being taken: Go Canada! (we met fellow Canadians this way), Go Riders! (we met fellow CFL football fans), and many people who said the poses looked great and wished they would have planned ahead and brought 'photo wardrobe' with them. :) One couple were so impressed they wanted to cruise with our kids next time! :eek:

 

So grab some matching t's or similar coloured tops from favourite sports, cities, olympics, anything that is bright and it will look great. Have fun too with some of their not so traditional poses! They make great souvinirs of special times with special loved ones. :D Enjoy!

[ace1zoe2]

On our last family cruise in June, it was my husband, 3 adult children & their spouses. We had one casual picture done on the white background where we all work khaki shorts & black shirts (anything from black t-shirts to black dress shirts with rolled up sleeves)... everyone coordinated but wore whatever they wanted & it turned out really cute. Another evening on formal night everyone had on jackets & dresses. We took just parents & the three adult kids, just the kids & their spouses & all kinds of different poses. We purchased a package on the first night that allowed us so many 8x10's which we picked out at the end of the cruise. There is a copyright release which you can print off the photo companies website after the cruise & have copies made at walmart, walgreens, etc. so that everyone can get copies for a cheaper price. My kids picked out pictures from their settings and I purchased them with our group package. This saved everyone alot of $ in the end.

[land lover]

I suggest renting tuxes...the Monarch is a beautiful ship for formal photographs so many locations make magnificent backgrounds.

 

I have some priceless photos of my 3 TUXED sons when we sailed on her 3 years ago.

[handbellplayer]

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful suggestions! Now if I can just get my adult boys not to make faces or put bunny ears behind their brothers' heads!

[bikn4fn]

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful suggestions! Now if I can just get my adult boys not to make faces or put bunny ears behind their brothers' heads!

 

Let them make faces or bunny ears to get it out of their system. Then have them behave. The photographers usually take 4 or 5 pictures. You don't have to pay for anything unless you buy. I think an 8x10 costs $20-25. We haven't bought on in a while. We were using the coupon from the C&A book, but they don't have those coupons any more. I take my own formal pictures at various locations around the ship.

[cruiserbryce]

a popular family portrait seems to be formal wear on the atrium staircase

[reallyitsmema]

Thanks to everyone for your wonderful suggestions! Now if I can just get my adult boys not to make faces or put bunny ears behind their brothers' heads!

Definitely let them take a picture like that too. You don't have to buy it but sometimes those are the best pictures. We were trying to take a picture of all my brothers and sisters at christmas a few years ago because it was the first time in 10 years we had all been in the same place at once. The best picture of the day was the one that my younger brothers (38 yr old twins) decided to act completely goofy.:D

[heffa72]

I like the pictures where the family is all dressed similar. I've seem some great ones where everyone is in a white t and jeans. It looks cute. We did that ourselves this winter for holiday photos at a studio. I'd be more than happy to share with you, but don't feel comfortable posting this to the world as its my kids too. (I know, I'm a bit paranoid.) If you email me I'll send you a copy so you can see how it looks when altogether.

 

heffa511@verizon.net

[amybeth4]

Any idea how much these family portraits cost on Royal Caribbean? Or how you schedule them?

 

You don't schedule them. Just walk up to any photographer (based on whose background you like best) and wait in line. The price for the picture is the same as every other picture the photogs take...which is really high!

[bling19572010]

Where do you go, or who to you call, to make reservations for a portrait for a family of 15?

[amybeth4]

Where do you go, or who to you call, to make reservations for a portrait for a family of 15?

 

Unless something's changed that someone will certainly correct me on, you just walk up to the photographer. They're set up before each of the dinner servings all over the ship. Just wait in line...

[reallyitsmema]

Where do you go, or who to you call, to make reservations for a portrait for a family of 15?

Just go to the photo gallery and ask to book a group picture. You can also make an appointment for the lifestyle pictures their too.