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Creating a Timeless Portrait

       Planning the best decorative investment 
you'll ever make . . . . . . an investment in yourself 
and your family's heritage.

Clothing for Individuals

The goal of any fine portrait is to direct the viewer's eye to the face(s) in the portrait. All other elements should be secondary.
For individuals, simple long-sleeved garments in medium to dark tones of brown, gray, burgundy, green or blue are pleasing choices when photographed against a medium or dark background.

Because darker clothing is slimming, it often is a good choice for portraits
in which a medium to dark background is used.

      Bold  stripes, plaids, checks, and prints are visually confusing and do not photograph well.
      Bright colors, such as pink, red and orange, will overwhelm the face and ruin a portrait.
      Light colors that approximate flesh tones will overpower the face and make the subject look unusually pale.

Clothing for Small Groups and Families

In a family group, proper clothing coordination is critical.
When decorating a home, a major concern is to coordinate the colors and tones of the walls, carpets, drapes, and furniture. Similar coordination is necessary when selecting clothing for a group portrait. Choose clothing in the same tonal ranges so that no single member of the family stands out because the clothing is too light or bright as compared to the rest of the group.

 

Proper clothing selection make the difference between a portrait that appears to be a group of seemingly unrelated individuals and one in which every member of the family "belongs" to the group

 

 

Skin Tone Considerations

Whether working with light or dark complexions, the objective always is for the face to dominate the portrait. Accordingly, skin highlights must be the lightest, brightest, or most intense areas of the portrait. So when a medium to dark background is used, all subjects photograph best in medium to dark tones, whatever the skin color.

Here again you can see how much
better the portrait looks if both
subjects wear clothing that is closer
to the same color tone. When the
subject wears a light color, your
eye tends to see that first which
makes for a confusing portrait.

 

Casual Outdoor Portraits

 

When photographing a family
in an outdoor setting, the clothing
can be much more casual.
It is still important to have the different
members of the family coordinate their
clothing so that they all look like they
"belong" to the group.

 

 

High Key Studio Portraits

When photographing against a light color
or white background, dressings the 
subjects in light pastel colors works well.
The faces are still the predominant 
feature of the portrait.

 


Tips on Preparing for your Portrait Session.

  • Turtle necks or V-Necks are flattering provided that neither is exaggerated in style. Avoid very wide or particularly deep V-neck garments or bulky cowlneck sweaters that completely hide the neck.

  • For close-up portraits, long sleeves are essential for teens and adults, as bare arms call attention to themselves and will overpower the face.

  • Women being photographed in full length (which includes being part of a group) should wear long skirts, pants, or dark stockings in order to keep the eye from being directed toward the legs and away from the face.

  • If feet are to show in the portrait, which will be necessary on larger groups, assure that shoes and stockings are in keeping with the visual intent of the portrait.

  • Men should be clean shaven or facial hair should be carefully groomed, with their hair cut about one week before the portrait session.

  • Women should be photographed whenever they are happiest with their hair in relation to the time it is styled. It is not the best time to try a new style.

 

Last updated:

Mike Nicholas Photography © 2007