Useful information

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR PORTRAIT SESSION

The following section contains some guidelines which you might find helpful when preparing for your portrait session.

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HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

A straightforward head-and-shoulders session takes about 5-10 minutes per person; reportage-style shots, about 15-20 minutes. For a mixture of outdoor and indoor shots, or for special projects, extra time should be allowed. Once I have received your brief, I'll be able to advise you on the amount of time needed.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?












What you wear plays a very important part in producing an end result that you will be happy with, so please make sure you read through this section carefully.

If you arrive for your photoshoot not having prepared for it, then you will not look your best and neither will the organisation/business that you are representing!

Your choice of outfit will obviously be partly dictated by your company's dress code.

For a business portrait the best advice is to dress as though you were going for an interview. If you prefer a less formal look, it is much easier to go from formal to casual styling than vice versa.

If you wear glasses, but prefer not to be photographed in them, please ensure you put your contact lenses in well in advance of the session. Glasses can leave marks on the sides of the nose which take a long time to disappear.

As a general rule, it is best to avoid too many colours or conflicting patterns. The emphasis should be on the person's face rather than what they are wearing.

For MEN, a mid-toned suit that can be comfortably buttoned up works best. Shirt sleeves should be long enough for the cuffs to show slightly. Please check that you have removed any bulky items such as mobile phones and wallets from your pockets.

Shirts should not clash with jackets or ties, and
ties should be knotted so that the top button doesn't show.

For WOMEN, a jacket over a fairly plain top (either a shirt or t-shirt) with a simple neckline is ideal. A jacket helps to emphasise the face and gives structure to the shoulders and arms. Short sleeves or cardigans worn without a jacket are a definite no-no!

Please also make sure that you wear some makeup. Photographic lights tend to "wash out" the effect of make-up, so a little more than usual won't look overdone.

NOTE - large areas of light-coloured clothing have a broadening effect, while dark colours have a slimming effect.

HOW SHOULD I POSE?














For INFORMAL PORTRAITS, where the subject is pictured talking, the best advice is to ignore the photographer and concentrate on the person you are talking to.

For FORMAL PORTRAITS, it's important to maintain eye contact with the camera and avoid too rigid a pose. Sitting slightly sideways on is better than facing the camera directly.

CAN PICTURES BE RETOUCHED?

Most minor blemishes can be retouched; retouching will not be applied to each image, but only to those included in your final selection.

When you view your portrait on screen, it is worth bearing in mind that if it is for web use, it will be reproduced at a much smaller size.

Also, don't forget that the face you see in your portrait will not be exactly the same as the one that looks back at you in the mirror, since the mirror is reversing left and right.

It is similar to the experience of hearing a recording of your voice - to your own ears it doesn't sound like you speaking, and yet everyone else recogises it as you.

In the same way, our mirror image is the one that appears most natural to us.

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