Portrait Tips
- Avoid busy/loud clothing. We're talking wild checks, stripes, and very busy patterns; especially if worn together!
- Avoid clothing extremes. Generally, turtle necks and V-necks are good, as long as they don't over-power the subject's face. Bottom line, you should dress to feel comfortable.
- Schedule the photography session when you're in your prime
(some people are morning people, others aren't.)
- Have personal care items on premises, such as brush, comb, hairspray, make-up, lipstick, mirror, hair clips, etc.
- The star of the portrait photography session should bring at least one additional change of clothes
(and shoes, if appropriate). Two or three are even better.
- Have fashion accessories, such as scarves, jewelry, hats, flowers, etc.
- Plan to be at the location at least 15 minutes early so you can put your hair in place, adjust your clothes, and RELAX. If you are feeling nervous or stressed, it will come across in the portraits.
- The color of your clothes:
- Avoid bright reds and orange (they battle the subject's face for attention)
- Darker colors are generally better than light colors
- Colors like white, yellow, and pink tend to over-power the face and make the subject took too pale
- In general, the best colors are medium shades of blue, green, burgundy, and rust
- If taking a group portrait, everyone should wear complimentary colors. The outfits don't have to be exact matches to look good; however, you don't want everyone in light blue and one person in bright red.
- Most photographers will take your portrait with and without you smiling. If you wear braces and don't like them, ask your photographer how much they charge to have them digitally removed. If you don't like your smile, get in front of a mirror and practice it. Once you like a smile, close your eyes and smile, and then open your eyes to see if it looks the way you want. Get used to how it feels to smile the way you think you look best. Don't be afraid to whiten your teeth if you think you need to.
- Girls, don't use too much make-up trying to hide blemishes.
It will be easier for the photographer to retouch your prints if you keep a more natural look.
