Having a great portrait session

Creating a timeless portrait isn’t as easy as snapping a shutter and pressing print. To get a quality portrait your family can be proud of years down the road it takes hard work!  It’s our goal to produce an image of you that makes you look your best.  Use the information below to help.
 

Clothing:
Couples and small groups really should wear simple and similar color tones.  Try to avoid distracting patterns and loud colors, this can take away from the focus of the picture. Patterns also date clothing much quicker in terms of fashion changes.  When taking family pictures, similar tones will lead to the mind seeing everyone as a group. When everyone wears different clothing with contrasting patterns it makes the picture feel more chaotic. When taking pictures of several generations of your family, one option is to have each individual family wear their own color. Sometimes the grandparents will wear white for example while each family picks a color such as red, blue, green, etc.  Avoid gym shoes or other “clunky” big shoes like boots. Simple and discreet are always best.

Not only is the color of your clothing important, but the fit of them as well. Try to wear clothes that flatter your figure. Don’t have anything that’s too tight or doesn’t fit properly. Try and avoid deeply cut V-neck shirts or bulky sweaters. Don’t wear a shirt with any visible stains or tattered edges. For single person portrait sessions, make sure you have at least one long sleeved shirt. This will make sure the attention is again drawn to the face and not the skin on the upper arms.

Black and White Portrait Clothing:

• Darker colors work best for more dramatic black and white portraits. Darker colors blend seamlessly into the background placing greater emphasis on the subject matter and relationship between subjects.
• It is highly recommended that simple, long-sleeved black or navy shirts be used. Turtlenecks are preferred over oxford shirts since turtlenecks hide the neck, which is slimming. Also be sure to wear black or dark pants as well. Dark denim can add a more casual feel.

Grooming:
Some facial imperfections can be touched up with Photoshop, but in general it’s best to be as nicely groomed as possible.
 

MEN:
Should be clean shaven roughly an hour before the shoot. Make sure to shave with the grain of your hair to avoid red bumps or pimples. Make sure to have clean hands and nails at the time of the shoot. If you work in an environment where your fingers are stained, consider using a soap with grit to remove it. It’s best to have a haircut roughly one week before the shoot.

WOMEN:
Keep your makeup light. Often times make-up can look caked on because of certain lighting environments. You may want to consider using a matte color for you lips.Sometimes wearing a gloss lipstick directs the attention to your lips and not your face. Choose a lip shade the matches the overall style you are going for. Condition your hair the night before your shoot. This helps prevent any unsightful fly-a-ways.

Seeing your personality:
One goal of portraiture is to show the personality of the person or group. If you’re into a sport or club, bring along something to show that in your portrait. Examples could be an instrument you play, a high school jacket of your sports team, or a model plane because it’s your favorite hobby. The possibilities are as endless as the people we take pictures of.