Clothing Options...

Proper clothing allows the face to dominate the portrait, with all other elements being secondary. Bare shoulders or tops with “spaghetti straps” often make the subject look heavier and take the eye away from the face… especially bright colors such as red, orange, or pink, will ruin a portrait because their intensity overwhelms the face. Stripes, plaids, checks, and bold prints also draw the eye away from the face and do not photograph well…. unless you’re trying to make a fashion statement… then it’s perfectly fine! Just keep in mind what your ultimate goal is
Proper clothing allows the face to dominate the portrait, with all other elements being secondary. Bare shoulders or tops with “spaghetti straps” often make the subject look heavier and take the eye away from the face… especially bright colors such as red, orange, or pink, will ruin a portrait because their intensity overwhelms the face. Stripes, plaids, checks, and bold prints also draw the eye away from the face and do not photograph well…. unless you’re trying to make a fashion statement… then it’s perfectly fine! Just keep in mind what your ultimate goal is for the session. It’s always good to include some “fun” shots but also include those “timeless” outfits for portraits you intend to display for many years!
Something else to think about in planning your session is your hair and makeup. Don’t try a new hairstyle just for your session, and have your hair cut around a week before your session is scheduled. Makeup can affect the way your portrait looks. While both fresh, natural makeup or “evening” makeup photograph well, stay away from glittery makeup or eyeshadow. This creates a problem with glare and can even show up as blemishes in your portraits.
You’ll also want to be careful about sunburn and tan lines… while these issues can be taken care of with retouching, it can get very costly.
And for the guys… a fresh shave is a MUST. If you have a beard or mustache, make sure it is trimmed to your lik the session. It’s always good to include some “fun” shots but also include those “timeless” outfits for portraits you intend to display for many years!
Something else to think about in planning your session is your hair and makeup. Don’t try a new hairstyle just for your session, and have your hair cut around a week before your session is scheduled. Makeup can affect the way your portrait looks. While both fresh, natural makeup or “evening” makeup photograph well, stay away from glittery makeup or eyeshadow. This creates a problem with glare and can even show up as blemishes in your portraits.
You’ll also want to be careful about sunburn and tan lines… while these issues can be taken care of with retouching, it can get very costly.
And for the guys… a fresh shave is a MUST. If you have a beard or mustache, make sure it is trimmed to your liking.