Planning your perfect
portrait
These are some of the questions we will help you answer in
your consultation. Give them some thought now and begin to
imagine your perfect portrait.
Who will be in your portrait?
When we photograph your family, we can concentrate on just
one family grouping or take as many different combinations
as you would like to order from. Please think about this and
plan ahead. We need to know how many groupings you want so
we can set aside enough time for your family and be prepared
to create the images you desire.
What style is right for you?
What style of portrait best suits your family – formal,
casual, dramatic, fun, intimate or traditional? Would you like
to create a “lifestyle” portrait that emphasizes
something your family enjoys together, such as boating, skiing,
or golfing?
What setting will be best for your style?
What setting will be best to set the tome and style you want
for your portrait? You may choose to be photographed in our
studio, in or near your home or in another location. Consider
where your portrait will be displayed in your home when choosing
the setting, but also consider places that have special meaning
to your family.
At different times of year, you’ll have some different
options for the look of your portrait. Spring flowers, bright
fall colors, summertime on your boat or the ski slopes in winter
are all beautiful to work with. You may also prefer the simplicity
and directness of a classic studio setting.
If you choose to have your portraits made on location, the
time of your appointment will often be decided by the location
of the sun and direction of the light. This is vitally important
to the success of your portrait and we will plan it with you.
Where will your portrait be displayed?
Don’t wait until after you session to consider where
your portraits will go in your home… This can be an
essential part of planning how your portrait should be made.
If you have a location in mind we can make sure to create a
portrait that will fit perfectly into your décor.
In which room would you most enjoy seeing your portrait?
What wall spaces are available and how big are they? This
helps determine the proper size portrait for the most enjoyment
and aesthetic appeal. Would a vertical or horizontal print
look best in the space? What is the color scheme of and decorating
style of the room? By answering these questions we can plan
the best style, setting, and clothing choices for your portrait.
Also, keep in mind that with larger sized prints we can photograph
you from farther away, including scenery and more background
in your portrait. Smaller sized prints will look better with
closer portraits and will not feature as much scenery.
What will you wear?
What you wear for your portrait really makes a big
difference! Please take care to plan the clothing very carefully.
It’s
worth the extra effort to have everyone look great together.
Your style and color choices should be chosen to match the
style (see above) of your portrait, to look good in the setting
in which you’ll be photographed and with the décor
of the room in which you will display your main portrait.
Simple is always better; please avoid patterns. Do choose
one to two colors that complement each other and keep all clothing
in similar tonal ranges i.e. light, medium or dark so that
no single clothing item dominates the portrait. Plain fabrics
with long sleeves will focus attention on your faces and family
dynamics. Also, long pants and skirts will help reduce the
distractions of bare skin.
Furthermore, please be sure everyone’s clothing fits
properly and that the feeling of the family members who may
be more sensitive to how they look are taken into consideration.
When you feel more comfortable, you’ll look better!
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