Capturing Authentic Moments and Artistry
Portrait tips
-Dark Clothing Tends to Slenderize
Darker clothing helps to blend the bodies with the background, so that the faces are the most important part of the photograph. Dark colors definitely tend to slenderize the subject.
-The color of the clothing should always be toned down. Bright colors attract attention away from the face. Prints and any kind of pattern – no matter how small – become a distraction.
.- Light colored shirts rather than bright white look better with black pants
-White shirts and/or blouses under a dark jacket are perfect.
-A scarf loosely tied around the neck also helps to frame a face beautifully when a collarless blouse or sweater is worn.
Group Portraits- Multi Family -Very Important to great group photos
-Clothing for group portraits must be carefully selected to make your photo look great blend the bodies together.
First, decide whether the basic tone of the clothing will be warm-toned (browns, etc.) or cool-toned (blues/grays/blacks, etc.)
Proper Necklines for a Portrait
-The most flattering neckline for anyone is something that comes up close to the neck. A wide-open
neckline tends to thicken the neck in a photograph. On the other hand, a neckline that comes up to the base of the neck – a turtleneck or a v-neck top is the most flattering. It tends to slim down the person
and frames the face beautifully.
Finally, lay out all the clothing onto a bed. Shoes, socks, – everything should be included…shoes, too! Then, take a careful look at the collection. If your eye goes to any one item in particular, you can be certain that the same thing will happen in a photograph. That item should be changed.
-Clothing should not be too tight or too loose. Clothing below the waistline should be darker than above. Otherwise, even light jeans worn below a darker top could easily attract attention to the lower part of the body and away from the face.
Makeup
-Eye makeup should be blended – no sharp demarcation lines between colors. AVOID WHITE above or
below the eyes. It does not photograph well at all. Too much color above and below the eyes attracts attention to itself. It actually takes attention AWAY from the eyes, rather than attracting the viewer to the
eyes. Foundation makeup should be blended at the jawline, so that there is no demarcation between the face and the neck.
PROPS
• Bring them if you’d like!! Please let us know what your bringing.
-Casual Beach Portraits
For a beach portrait session it is sometimes a good idea to dress in light colored clothing, so that the bodies will blend with the light-colored sand. In this situation all white or pastel clothing works fine. All
white clothing is great. White shirts and jeans work well, too. White shirts with beige pants is even better. Staying all in light tones can be very effective in this type of environment. Still, remember to
dress everyone in the portrait similarly. You have to blend the bodies of everyone together, so that the faces stand out.
Tips for child’s Session:
Smiling naturally on command is difficult, if not impossible, and a child told to smile often produces a big toothy grimace (not the most attractive expression) or another silly face. Telling a child to smile, or
rehearsing how to smile in advance and then telling the child to do what they practiced at home rarely works well (it doesn’t work well with grownups either). Relaxed, natural expressions photograph the
best. If parents are relaxed and not pressuring the child, we can get those radiant smiles.
If your portrait goal is a single special wall portrait, to be displayed for many years, please call the studio with the clothing you you have chosen for the session. We’ll discuss how you’re planning to display the portrait and select the props and sets to be used in the session.
The quality of your portraits is greatly enhanced when the children are photographed in a relaxing, non stressful atmosphere. Children often pick up nervous energy from their parents; when you are worried about getting “good pictures” your child will worry with you and it will show in the finished images.
One hour is normally more then adequate for a well-planned standard session. I create between 20 and 35 images in a single standard session , which permits one child to be photographed in two different outfits, or two children to be photographed separately and together in one outfit. Three or more children being photographed separately and together will require a wee bit more time.