Proper clothing for your individual or family portrait session with a professional photographer is enormously important. While the right clothing might not "make" the portraits, the wrong clothing can certainly "break" it.
Ultimately, clothing should not be distracting to the viewer, taking the attention away from the subject. Clothing should only be noticeable when it is an essential part of the image, such as a bridal gown, which shows the occasion of a wedding, or a costume or team sports uniform that reveals something about the personality or interests of its wearer.
Button-down shirts and polos work very well for boys, and for outdoor locations, dresses on women and girls is particularly nice.
As a professional photographer whom you have entrusted to create your family portrait heirloom, I do reserve the right to request a change of the subject's clothing if I feel that it simply will not work for the portraits. I may click off a few frames as a test, but if it's just not working it is truly in your best interest when I ask that you select another outfit for the session.
Stripes, checks, plaid, polka-dots, and patterns of any kind, are extremely distracting and should be avoided.
Keep in mind where you will be displaying your family and childrens portraits. You may want to select colors and clothing styles that co-ordinate with the decor of the room.
Dark colors are slimming and work well against a dark background to make the subject's face prominent. Bright colors draw attention away from the face. Red will always draw the most attention no matter where it is placed in the image. Dark colors will recede and light or bright colors will appear more prominent. When wearing colored clothing, select dark colors, not bright. Long sleeves are a must unless you go to the opposite extreme - sleeveless (like tanks and camisoles).
Shorts should be avoided and dark stockings should be worn with dresses and skirts. Shoes, of course, should also be dark. We want the most flesh tones to appear in the face; therefor arms and legs should be covered to avoid distraction in your portraits.
High-key photography, such as a portrait on the beach, or in a room with pale walls and furniture, would call for clothing that would blend in with such colors. Pastels, white dresses, or white on white, can be nice for high-key images. For the beach, faded blue jeans paired with white shirts, or beige/tan slacks with light blue shirts are a nice combination. Light colors can seem to add weight, so such a high-key style might be better suited to thinner subjects. The beach is a place where shorts can work well in the portrait, and where better to be barefoot?
Formal vs. Casual: Dark jackets with white shirts are formal whereas a denim shirt or a turtleneck sweater would be more casual.
Group Portraits: Co-ordinating outfits for a family portrait, are unifying and tie everyone together, supporting the relationship. Co-ordinating is pleasant and classy - matching can be corny and dated looking. Select either a warm OR cool color palette for all the subjects in the portrait. Warm tones such as colors in the brown family, also include colors with undertones of pinks, yellows, and reds. Cool tones include blacks, greys, or blues. All the people being included in the portrait should be dressed in one tone - either cool or warm. If not, the individual who deviates from the others will, by default, become the center of attention, looking quite out of place. For conformity, as well, the clothing should all be casual or or all dressy, but not some casual and some dressed up, even if the colors or tones are matching. Ideally, we like bodies to blend together so faces stand out.
Eye liner should be smudged to eliminate sharp lines. White shadow should be avoided on upper lids and brow bones as it doesn't photograph nicely. Shimmery foundations can come across as oily skin. Glitter of any type should absolutely be avoided. Be sure to blend your foundation well so that your neck and face match in color!
Accessories can add the finishing touch. Jewelry should be kept simple and minimal. This is a nice opportunity to wear a special family heirloom that might be worn in portraits from generation to generation. Hats can accentuate personality and are beautiful as props when not being worn. What's more feminine than a woman in the garden holding a hat, with a ribbon waving in the breeze?
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516 . 383 . 6370
Copyright on all photographs is retained by J Richards. Images may be used on her website and in her portfolio, literature, advertising, contests, etc. Her images also often appear in books, newspapers and magazines.
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* Serving NY in Nassau & Suffolk County Long Island, North-Eastern Queens (Bayside, Bay Terrace, Douglaston, Little Neck, Hollis Hills)
