Here is a list of things to consider when having a portrait done which you may not think about.

They cover anything from clothing and color selection to what to think about or be prepared for. These are just suggestions and things to think about -- nothing is a firm rule.

Think about what types of portraits you want.

Head and shoulder, 3/4 length, full length? In our studio, on location or both? Are you looking for traditional portraits, casual, romantic/boudoir, a mix?

Are there any particular items you want with you that express your life/interests such as musical instruments, pets, cars, sports items, family picture, Miss America tiara & sash?

What is your best feature? Would you (or a significant other) want a picture of your legs for example?

Beware of Red Marks on Your Skin

Items such as glasses, watches and other tight fitting jewelry or clothing can leave red marks on your skin which can take up to an hour to disappear. Please be sure you remove them at least an hour before showing up for your appointment.

Remember the clothing you'll change into and what may suddenly be seen. An off the shoulder or spaghetti strap outfit will expose your shoulders too while some pants may sit lower on your waist than others and show waist lines with certain tops.

Clothing Colors and Styles

There are special considerations for traditional portraits where we want to focus attention on the person's face. Other visible skin and skin-tone colors may detract from the face. These guidelines do not always hold true for other types of pictures such as boudoir where more skin and plunging necklines may be acceptable.

Simple clothing usually looks best. Do not wear anything with a loud pattern, excessive features, bold strips or plaids.

In general, traditional portraits are done against a dark background. Medium or rich tones of the following colors will work best: blue, brown, teal green, burgundy, purple.

Darker colors are slenderizing and therefore more flattering.

Lighter and bright colors overpower the face or drawn attention away such as: orange, red, white, yellow, pink, peach, tan and beige.

Light colors or an all white outfit may be appropriate against an all white background or pastel background.

Oversized turtle necks, lapels or overly plunging necklines do not photograph well.

Wear long sleeved shirt instead of short sleeve or sleeveless. The added skin draws attention away from your face. Children are the exception to this rule.

The same applies to legs. If going for a full length portrait, remember to wear a long skirt, pants or dark stockings.

For gals, if your feet show, it is recommended that you wear the highest heels you have for each outfit.  High heels change the shape of the legs in a very flattering way.

Clothing should have V necklines where possible. Rounded and scoop necklines can add weight and make you appear shorter and wider than you are.

For boudoir portraits, leg openings in panties and other items should a high cut style, French cut, to make your legs appear longer and more attractive. Also please bring pantyhose that is sheer to the waist with no dark areas or panels.

For couples, families or small groups, do not wear different or clashing colors. Try to stay with the same colors/tones, such as all wearing mid blues or dark suits.

Backless tops and outfits seem like a good idea, but in practice are difficult to work with. When a subject is turned even slightly, their front appears fully covered, but then there is a slight patch of skin showing from their back. This skin detracts from the appearance of the portrait and if there are many straps, it may make a subject appear to have bulges of skin between the straps. This does not apply to backless or low cut and strappy outfits if you want a picture specifically from the back, perhaps looking over your shoulder.

Black matt-black clothing is hard to photograph well. Some may, but it depends on the finish, bulk and backdrop used. Skin tight black outfits will show better than bulky black sweaters where all detail, including your arms and figure will be lost in the darkness. Please include a variety of colors in your wardrobe and do not bring only solid black outfits.

There are few color rules for non-traditional portraits. In these more casual, romantic or boudoir shots, where the attention does not have to be focused entirely on the face, just about anything can work, however, the guidelines for patterns, oversized turtle necks, backless outfits and groups considerations should still be observed.

Makeup and Hair

If you want this to be a portrait of you, not a portrait of someone else's interpretation of you, then do your makeup. See other people's portraits from Glamour Shots to understand why. It's not that having a professional do your hairstyle and makeup is wrong, but is the resulting look you?

Use a bit more foundation than normal, carefully blending it from your face down to your upper body. You do not want your face to be one color and your upper body another.

Your eye makeup should be as you would wear it to a formal occasion in the evening. In other words, using a bit more than you would during the day.

Eye shadow should be a lighter color rather than darker to bring your eyes forward.

Blush and lip color should be heavier than usual. Blush should be evenly blended and lip color should be a shade darker than usual avoiding light colors and especially anything that looks frosted.

Most importantly, use enough powder for a matte finish. You should have a solid foundation of powder. This matte finish is very important to avoid shiny reflections of the lights, called hotspots.

Hair should be fixed in a natural way.

Men should have their hair cut about one week before the portrait session.

Women should be photographed whenever they are happiest with their hair in relation to the time it is styled. This is not the time to experiment with a new hairstyle or extra makeup. Use makeup to cover blemishes if possible.

Nails

Hands will show in some of your photos.  For gals, it looks nice to have manicured and/or painted nails for your session.  Guys should make sure their nails are trimmed and neat.  Don’t forget your toes if you have sandals or choose to go barefoot.

These guidelines are for general portraits and boudoir shots. They do not necessarily apply to other types such as active wear or swim wear.

Glasses

If you wear glasses most of the time you'll want to wear them in your portraits. To eliminate distracting glare and reflections, call your optician and arrange to either borrow a pair of empty frames like yours or have the lenses removed from your own frames. Most opticians will gladly do this for free if you give them a few days notice. This is the most important way to improve your portraits if you wear glasses. If you choose to wear your glasses the way they are, keep in mind that removing any glass glare from your photographs is done at your expense. Glass glare removal on a portrait is difficult and results cannot be guaranteed.

Family

Your photo shoot will be as unique as your family, but one thing we want all our shoots to be is fun! Generally we begin the session with a few traditional posed shots with the group and individuals. Next, the fun begins… We will gently direct you and your children with games and “active posing,” so that we can begin capturing those spontaneous expressions and natural interactions. You will be surprised to find how relaxed and fun your session will be, and as long as everyone is having fun we will keep shooting.       

Since your photo shoot is not likely to be the portrait torture sessions you may recall from past studio experiences, please be sure to keep the mood before and during the session light and fun. The morning of your photo shoot is not the time for harsh scolding or threats to smile at the camera “or else.”

If you’re running five minutes late, or if your little one’s cowlick just will not stay smoothed, or if the baby won’t stop crying… take a deep breath and relax. We do not need perfection in order to get perfect photos! If you’re stressed out, you will only distress your family and ruin the joy and spontaneity we are trying to capture. So please, the morning of your shoot and on the way to the location, act silly, joke around, and above all, be happy and excited about your photo shoot.

Best time to schedule a session

For outdoor portraits, very early morning (starting no later than 9:00 a.m.) and late afternoon/early evening (up to an hour before sunset) provide the most flattering light. Midday sun is harsh and produces hard shadows.

For indoor natural light portraits, early morning to mid-afternoon is best.

Finally, let’s choose a time of day when the youngsters in the family are at their peak and will be well rested and fed beforehand.

Location

The setting for your portraits can be anywhere you choose: your home, back yard, a favorite park, lake, or even a historic site (where permitted). Our private studio is always available, though children are generally more at ease in an environment with which they are familiar. Keep in mind that if we schedule an outdoor shoot we will need to choose an inside location as a bad-weather back-up plan.

We shoot using both natural and studio lighting. Our preference is to use natural light (e.g., window light), but our studio lighting and backdrops are completely portable and will set up in almost any room in your home.

What to Wear

Your choice of clothing can make or break your portrait! Please take time before the day of your sitting to select clothing with the following guidelines in mind.

General Clothing Tips

For a classic look, simple, timeless clothing in solid, neutral colors photograph best. Denim or khakis with solid shirts work well for a casual look. Clothing with too busy of a pattern or logo is distracting and detracts from essence of the portraits, you and your family. On the other hand, for a modern more "fashion" look, feel free to bring along some trendier outfits with fun and fashionable colors. When in doubt, feel free to have on hand several outfits, and we will help you choose which will photograph the best.

Jewelry should be minimal. Avoid wearing watches. When photographing more than one person please consider their outfits as a whole, including hosiery and shoes, and keep colors uniform.

Families

For family portraits, choose colors in the same tonal range so that no single individual stands out. Even though you would never go out in public as a family wearing matching clothing, trust me… the look works for family portraits! Plan to wear either all dark solid colors if you prefer a more traditional look, or all solid lighter, neutral tones for a more casual look (for example, everyone in white tops and khakis).

Small simple blemishes are removed at no charge. More extensive retouching is available for an addition charge.