It can be difficult to choose the right color for a studio set, especially when photographing newborns because colors can appear differently on camera than they do in person. Having sets of colors for each skin tone is the best way to get it right every time. p

A decorative pillow or other piece of home décor, the colors in your baby’s nursery, paint samples from the hardware store, a piece of scrapbook paper, a favorite shirt pattern, or crib bedding are all great places to look for inspiration for fun color combinations. There are countless options.

A color scheme for your newborn photography session also makes it easier for the pictures to blend together when you arrange them for a collage, album, or announcement.

Dark Skin Tones

Dark skin generally looks fantastic in a variety of darker yellows, deep reds, deep eggplant purples, and orange hues. Khaki, gray, light blue, light pink, and gold are some neutrals and light colors that also look fantastic. Black, dark brown, navy blue, and light green are not attractive color choices.

When selecting colors, it’s crucial to consider color casting with dark babies. If the bright colors shine on the baby’s skin too much, editing will be challenging. Instead of choosing a bright pink shade, choose lighter colors like a soft baby pink. Dark babies appear stunning in vivid colors in person, but the cast on the skin might not be worth it in the long run.

Medium Skin Tone

With this skin tone, bold, primary colors are the way to go. On medium skin tones, such as olive skin, purple, mustard, cranberry reds, greens, and bright or navy blue look best. To prevent wash out, it is best to use shades that are slightly brighter or darker than middle tones. Decide on a vibrant plum setting rather than a lavender one. Bright hues look fantastic with medium tones.

Medium green or yellow should be avoided because they are too similar to the undertones and tones of this skin tone. As a general rule, with this skin tone, go bright and bold.

Light Skin Tone

People with light skin tones have the palest skin tones, typically with cool undertones but occasionally with warm tones as well. Lighter eye colors and blonde and light brown hair shades are more common in people with pale skin tones.

Blues, balsam greens, pinks, some purples, and burgundies work best with this skin tone. The pastel family of those hues will be the most secure choice, and anything that is regarded as a springtime hue will look stunning.

It is best to steer clear of black and even true white setups because they can bleach out a baby’s pale skin. Instead, choose a set that is off-white, cream, grey, or brown, choosing the best shade based on the tone of the baby’s skin.

If you’re still having trouble deciding, I suggest going with neutrals and one bright color or using words like ‘spring,’ ‘ocean,’ ‘summer,’ or ‘winter’ to give us a place to start when designing our sets. Always use neutral tones when in doubt. All skin types respond well to creams and tanning. If you need assistance picking the ideal colors for your photo session or are stuck, ask your photographer.