Your studio portrait will have a "look" or "mood" based on the clothing you choose, and the background and lighting that we use.

A formal portrait has the look of a fine, traditional painting. It needn't be "stuffy", but should have certain aspects of good design and color balance. Generally, men wear coat & tie, and women wear formal gown, or stylish suit or dress. The most important element in choosing your outfit is color. When photographing a group, it is especially important to consider this in relation to the rest of the members of the group. Clothing and background colors are usually medium to dark in tone, allowing the face to be seen easily. Clothes with bold patterns, prints, or strong colors can dominate the portrait, drawing the eye to the clothing instead of the person being photographed. Choose solid colors in subdued tones. With a group, choose a color scheme (maybe cool tones in blues, burgundies, and grays), and have each person select their outfit within the color scheme. In a painting or a photograph, the viewers eye is drawn to the area of contrast. If the group is wearing shades of navy, medium blue, and deep rose, with one person in light pink, the area of contrast is the light pink torso! Try to keep the area of contrast to the face - not the clothing. Keep the design of the outfits simple - the more classic in style, the less out-of-date the portrait will look in five years! Formal portrait clothing generally has long sleeves, to keep arms from competing with the face for that important area of contrast.

A casual portrait still follows the same design rules of color harmony and areas of contrast, but can be a little "looser" in the clothing style and posing. Jeans and white shirts, or softly patterned sundresses work well, as long as everyone in the group has the same overall "look". (You wouldn't want everyone in denim, while dad is in a suit, for example). A fun look for a large group with several different families represented is to color-coordinate each family within the group. For example, everyone wears medium-blue jeans, but mom & dad and kids still living at home wear blue Polo shirts, a daughter, her husband, and kids wear burgundy Polo shirts, and another son, his wife and kids wear hunter green Polo shirts. The colors all blend nicely, and each family is subtly identified. The key here is to choose the different colors with an eye toward harmony, and the ultimate portrait on display - you wouldn't want a family in red next to a group in purple, hanging in a room decorated with peach and green!

For outdoor portraits at the park or beach, it is especially important to wear solid colors because the background greenery or crashing waves will be busier than a more formal studio portrait. To insure that each person in the photograph is seen - (and not just what they're wearing), keep in mind that the background colors will generally be shades of green & brown at the park, and blue and sand at the beach. Pastels, blues, white, and beige are great choices at the beach, while deeper tones of green, burgundy, blue, and gray work better at the park. Denim looks great in both locations!

A traditional formal look (suit & tie, dressy dress) is generally not used in outdoor portraits, because of the more casual feeling of being outdoors. A "dressy casual" look, where individuals are nicely dressed, but look comfortable in the environment, is a more appropriate style. Sport coat or pullover sweater and slacks for men and boys, jacket and slacks, or flowing skirt/dress is best for ladies. Avoid slim-fitting skirts that "pull" when seated - you may be sitting on the ground! Remember that feet will probably show - wear appropriate shoes for your outfit. Jeans work best when everyone is in denim.

Small children should be dressed in keeping with the mood of the adults. Simple, solid colored outfits that have a "timeless" appeal in styling are best. Avoid fussy or scratchy outfits for little ones - they're challenging enough without making them uncomfortable!

To create a beautiful portrait, not just a snapshot, it's important to think of the overall look of the group. Be sure that everyone dresses in the same "season". For instance, don't choose tweed jackets and a lightweight cotton dress for the same portrait. Above all, communicate with the other members of the group. It usually helps to have one person with a good eye for color act as coordinator, especially with a large group that may not be living under the same roof! You might bring a "backup" outfit to the photo session, in case the color of your first choice clashes with the rest of the group.

An often asked question is "What color will make me look slimmer?" It's not so much the color, as the intensity of the color. Dark tones recede, while light colors project, so darker shades tend to slim, while light shades (especially in contrast with darker ones) broaden.

We want to create an outstanding portrait for you. With your help in pre-planning, we know you will enjoy the results for years to come!

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