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The clothing you choose for your portrait session is a critical factor in creating a successful portrait. Your ultimate goal should be to choose clothing that does not attract attention to itself. After all, the most important part of the portrait is you, not your clothing.
Your clothing selection could mean the difference between a very successful portrait and just another picture. That's why I strongly encourage you to follow these recommendations.
Creating a Work of Art
The first step in planning your portrait session should be deciding where you will hang your finished portrait. This will help you determine the style and color of clothing that will coordinate best with the decor in that room.
Consistency is Key for Group Portraits
If you have decided to do a formal portrait, everyone who will be photographed should be wearing formal clothing. Likewise, if you decide to go informal, make sure everyone is dressed casually. Otherwise all attention will be drawn to the one person whose clothing is not consistent.
Color Coordinate Group Clothing
Clothing for group portraits must be carefully selected to blend the bodies together. This is best achieved by having everyone wear matching tops and bottoms. If this is not possible, everyone should at least wear the same color tones.
Keeping the Focus on You
The color of your clothing should coordinate with the type of background you select. This helps the bodies blend into the background and places the attention on the faces, which is the most important part of the portrait. For example, if you wish to have a "high-key" white background, then you should wear white or light colored clothing. If you wish to have a dark background, then dark clothing is most appropriate. Keep in mind that dark colors tend to slenderize the subject, while light colors seem to add weight to the bodies.
In either case, the color of your clothing should always be toned down. Bold, bright colors attract attention away from the face. This is especially true for infants and small children. Choose solid colored clothing, as prints and any kind of pattern - no matter how small - can easily become a distraction.
Finally, clothing below the waistline should be darker than above. Otherwise, attention will be attracted to the lower part of the body and away from the face.
Copyright © 2009 Pring Photography
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