We would like to give you some suggestions that will make your portrait a success and so you can enjoy the experience. We cannot over-emphasise the effect these factors will have on your final portraits and would be happy to discuss any questions you might have for your individual or family portrait needs.
Clothing
In general, we want to make our subjects dominant in the photograph, rather than their clothing. Apparel and props should be secondary so they contribute to the mood of the photograph instead of detracting from the subject.
Consider bringing props that reflect your personality or life-style such as musical instruments, hats, sports equipment or uniforms, etc. We can have lots of fun with accessories and make your portrait as unique and interesting as you are!
Generally speaking, clothing which is simple in design, even though it may seem boring will make your portrait more powerful and not look dated in a few years. Strong, exciting colours and patterns will tend to dominate and take attention away from the person in the clothes. Also, the strong primary colours, such as bright red, can be very dominant and detracting unless you have had your colours done and particularly suit them. It is best to use greyed down versions such as burgundy instead of red, or brown or rust instead of bright yellow. Cooler tones, like the colours in the blue family, can be particularly universal and attractive if you are in doubt about your best colours. This is because they tend to recede and give the skin tone a warmer glow in portraits. Blue jeans are always popular, and actually photograph quite well.
You should normally choose tones that are at least slightly darker than your skin tone, no matter what colour you choose. Lightest areas generally attract attention in a low-key portrait, so if your clothing is lighter than your skin, it will compete for attention and because it represents a larger area in the portrait than your face, it will become the dominant element.
If you are looking for a special effect like high key, where the tones in the portrait are all white or very light, all of your clothing and accessories should be white or very light so the emphasis will be on the skin tones.
To summarise, avoid busy patterns, stripes and plaids, wear subtle darker muted solid colours unless you want a special accent or effect. Dress according to the style of portrait you want - formal or casual, sophisticated elegance or character study, indoors or outdoors, etc. Long sleeved garments photograph best. Sweaters, turtlenecks, cardigans and jackets can be used very effectively. V-Necks can have a slimming effect and conversely, a wide-open neck can make the neck appear too wide in photography.
Small Children
Children can wear colours and styles that are stronger than adults can, successfully in portraits. Generally, children under one year of age should wear lighter pastel shades or white. Also, consider bringing toys or props that have a special meaning. It will give extra security to your child in a strange environment as well as personalize the portrait.
Groups
Plan clothing style, colour and tone very carefully. If a group dresses in the dark, cool blue tones and one person in that group dresses in a bright warm colour like yellow - the yellow garment will dominate and distract your attention when viewing the final portrait.
Try to keep your colours within the group in the same colour family, that is, either the warm earth tones or the cool tones as mentioned in the colour chart below. The colours need not be identical like uniforms; they should simply co-ordinate - not clash, to make your group portrait successful.
Don't mix style within the same group - all formal or all casual. Always dress for full lengths - no white socks please. A good way to see if clothing co-ordinates is to lay the articles on a bed, side by side. If one piece stands out, it will be evident to you with this direct comparison.
As well as colour family, try to keep the tonal range of light to dark similar. For example, a very dark brown and a light beige are in the same colour family but opposite in tonal range. Generally, the larger the group, the more difficult it may be to fully co-ordinate. It is very much worth the effort to buy or borrow an article of clothing in the right colour for your portrait if you don't have it in your wardrobe. Beautiful posing, lighting and artistic composition cannot correct incorrect clothing selection.
Outdoor or Home Environment Portraits
Choose casual styles and colours appropriate to the environment. Denims and leather styles are excellent outdoors. Pastels can suit a similar pastel environment in your home very beautifully. Simple sweaters, jackets and scarves photograph very well. Remember co-ordination for couples and groups.
Hair Style
Hair should look natural. Avoid hairstyles that would be extreme or out of style in your portrait in a short period of time.
Make-up
Above all, skin should have a natural, smooth, clear appearance after make-up has been applied. Avoid oil base make-up that will give your skin a shiny look. Enhancing the natural structure of the face by emphasising the cheekbones with highlight make-up and naturally blended darker tones will slenderize your features. Use a make-up touch-up stick to cover blemishes. Be careful not to overdo it. If you plan to use a coloured eyeliner or accent, apply it very lightly, as this type of make-up will luminese when photographed and look much brighter in you portrait. You can use a stronger make-up treatment for a black & white portrait than for colour. Careful high quality make-up can be a great asset in getting outstanding results in your portrait.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Mike Guilbault
