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Perfect Portraits
Tips to make it happen...
Creating a perfect portrait takes a little planning. Fine portraiture captures facial expressions and mood, while clothing, accessories and props are secondary and shouldn't create any distractions. Careful selection of these will avoid dating your portraits.

General Fashion Tips - Women - Men - Children's Portraits - Family Portraits - Outdoors - Senior Pictures

General Fashion Tips...

• Avoid busy patterns and bright colors.
• Light colors are best with light backgrounds and fair complexions.
• Darker colors look better with deep backgrounds and dark hair or complexions.
• Shoes and socks should be in harmony with your outfit. No shoes and socks are great, too!
• If you wear glasses, have the lenses taken out for the pictures.
• Turtle necks make double chins more prominent, so you may want to avoid them. Instead wear a shirt with a v-neck, or a collarless shirt that exposes the neck.
• Avoid sleeveless shirts. Wear clothes that fit properly; not too large or too small. Nothing is worse than a shirt too large and falling off the shoulders or a shirt too tight pulling across the tummy.
• When you follow these tips and coordinate your dress from head to toe, you are well on your way to a perfect portrait!

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Women...
Wear natural makeup but go for more of an evening look. If your makeup is too light, you may look a bit washed out, however, don't overdo it! Use a little extra mascara to make eyes stand out and a soft colored lip gloss for a bit of color.

Use your usual style for your portraits; don't try new hair styles or hair colors for your portrait session.

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Men...
Make sure you are freshly shaved. The "five o'clock shadow" is one of the hardest things to retouch. Shave right before your portrait appointment or bring your cordless shaver to the studio.

Avoid a fresh haircut. If you need a haircut, have it done 2 weeks before your appointment.

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Children portraiture...
Solid colored, outfits in a medium to dark tone are the best choice for showing off your child's facial features and expressions. White or pastel outfits photograph well when captured on a background of similar tone. Be sure to select props that match clothing color and style. While the colorful clothing is nice for a secondary outfit, it may not be suitable for a "timeless" quality portrait.

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Family portraiture...
With multiple subjects in the portrait, it is especially important to dress in the same color and style to capture your relationship. For a traditional family portrait, we recommend long sleeved, solid colored outfits in medium to dark tones. Keep in mind that your eye will be drawn to the lightest color in the portrait, so you may wish to maintain a color harmony to avoid any unnecessary distractions. The best clothing is casual, comfortable and somewhat ordinary. Or you may want to select something a little more fun. You could show your team spirit and wear your favorite high school/college/pro team jerseys. Or, maybe your family shares a common interest and would like to capture it. Perhaps you may want to dress for comfort with khakis and denim. This is not the time to wear trendy clothing, tight short skirts, short, sleeveless shirts, tank tops or chunky shoes. One final thought - Keep it simple. The outfits you choose are important, however, the fact that you are taking the time to capture your family together in a portrait is much more important.

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Outdoor portraiture...
As a background, the outdoors is very busy. It is important to choose only one or two theme colors, with everyone wearing shades of those colors. Wear colors that you see in nature. While blues are excellent all year, colors such as white, cream, khaki and red are great against lush green foliage. Burgundy, brown, tan, gold and orange are nice late in the season.

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Senior portraiture...
You have a closet full of clothes, but can't find anything to wear? Here is a list of my favorite tips to help you decide what to wear.

• We have found that sweaters, suits and dresses work best for your traditional outfit. These should be solid color or very subtle prints in medium to dark tones.
• Make sure it fits. Proper fitting, tailored clothing really does photograph the best.
• Choose your clothing in a variety of colors and styles. Let Mom choose a couple of outfits, so everyone is happy.
• Earth tones are best for outdoor portraits.
• Traditional styles will stand the test of time and keep your portrait looking fresh for years to come.
• Some poses will show your shoes so don't forget to bring shoes & socks for each outfit that you plan to wear.
• Busy patterns and loud colors can be very distracting in your portraits. Avoid large & bold patterns that might tend to draw attention away from your face.
• Your face should be the focal point. Long sleeve solids or very subtle prints are usually most flattering. Dress from head to toe.
• If you wear glasses please have the lenses removed to avoid glare and distortions.
• Avoid sunburns.
• Apply make-up as if you were going to prom. Bring make-up along for touch-ups.
• Hands will show so make sure nails are neatly done.
• For guys a fresh shave is a must.
• Avoid a brand new hairstyle. Guys should NOT have a fresh haircut. If you need a trim, have it done about a week before.
• If you cannot decide which outfits to wear, feel free to bring extra along.

Props can help to show your personality and record the types of activities you are involved in. Be sure to bring some of your own props to your portrait session. Here are some ideas:

• Musical Instrument
• Leather Jacket
• Uniform
• Hats
• Sports Equipment
• Stuffed Animals
• Sunglasses
• Vehicle
• Pets (check with the studio ahead of time)

Here are some final tips:

• Simplicity is the key to a successful portrait.
• Long sleeve dresses and shirts are recommended.
• Coordinate your outfit from head to toe.
• Darker clothes minimize body size.
• Keep the tonal range of clothing in the same group, don't mix lights & darks in the same outfit.
• To assure a successful portrait, it is best to bring along several additional clothing choices and let the photographer help you choose.
• Don't forget to bring your jewelry, especially your class ring.
• Get a good night's rest, relax and be ready for a great portrait session!

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*Some tips were gathered from Senior Photographers International website.*


A Lasting Image Photography ~ Staci Sull, photographer
Olpe, KS ~ (620) 475-3953 ~ staci@alastingimagephoto.com