A great headshot should do more than capture your face; they should show who you are. Your clothing is a big part of the image you portray. People with lighter skin tones should avoid light colors like pale pink or yellow. Similarly, people with darker skin tones should avoid dark colors such as brown, navy or black. Portraits look better when there is contrast between skin and clothing.

After the Shoot

• Do you want any imperfections Photoshopped out? Some people like everything to be cleaned up in their headshots. (Freckles, moles, scars ect…) While actors and actresses need to be mindful that casting directors want to see any imperfections or distinguishing marks you may have. This shouldn’t be confused with blemishes or acne. This is something that should be discussed with your photographer.
• Everyone asks ‘Can you Photoshop this… or this… I have a double chin, can you get rid of that? Can you make my eyes bigger?’ Well, that depends. Sometimes we can, sometimes we can’t. Every image is different and Photoshop can be a beast when editing. We will try our best to make you look amazing. If you don’t want any alterations done, please let us know beforehand. 
• If you do want any major editing done, please keep in mind that it may cost extra.
• Do keep in mind that as photographers we spend more time editing than shooting. Please give us a realistic time frame to deliver your photos. If you want major editing to be done, expect that it may take a little longer for them to be finished.

Your clothing is a big part of the image. People with lighter skin tones should avoid light colors like pale pink or yellow. Similarly, people with darker skin tones should avoid dark colors such as brown, navy or black. Portraits look better when there is contrast between skin and clothing. Pay close action to your clothing to make sure there is no excessive wrinkling or pet hair etc...

Deciding what to wear in family photos can be just as challenging as finding the perfect photographer. These are photos you are going to hang on your walls and cherish for years to come. It can seem overwhelming when considering what to wear, but it doesn’t need to be. Use these tips to help you pick out the perfect wardrobe for you and your family.

Coordinating colors (not matching) are best. Long gone are the days of everyone wearing a white shirt and matching. Instead, pick a couple of colors and choose clothes that will fit in this color scheme. If you are wearing an all white shirt then it is very easy to washout parts of your shirt causing it to lose its detail. 

When shopping for clothes for your kids, consider stores that typically have color coordinating collections. You can then purchase clothes for all the children from one store. Say no to characters. Yes, your little one may love their Superhero  shirt but you may want to skip it for the family photo session. Just like patterns, characters on shirts can be pretty distracting. Look at your home décors go with the color scheme of your home.. Do you like bright colors? Neutrals? Since you will be hanging these photos in your house you want to make sure the colors of your clothing compliment your wall colors.

Keep your clothing simple and coordinating. It must be carefully selected to blend the bodies together. Avoid loud or busy patterns and large logos. Solid colors are best. First, decide whether the basic tone of the clothing will be warm-toned (browns, etc.) or cool-toned (blues/grays/blacks, etc.) Keeping a group in similar colors focuses the attention of the portrait to the faces and individuals that make up the portrait. Dissimilar colors in groups tend to be more distracting. White tops with khakis or jeans can look very nice and casual, but if anyone in your family is super pale, white can make pale skin look paler. Jeans are the timeless choice and they’re great for fun, casual pictures because they are flattering and don’t show wrinkles or panty lines. Lighter shirts on top give the pictures a more casual and bright look. Pastels are also usually appealing because they enhance natural skin tones. Black or other dark shirts on top give the portraits a more serious and thoughtful feel (not to mention that black is slimming). Everyone should have color-coordinated outfits (Not a uniform necessarily, but there should be a theme). For the children, choose outfits that fit well without a lot of “growing room”. Feel free to bring any props that you would like to use with you.

Prints and patterns are a definite NO. This includes logos. Avoid prints of any kind and patterns. No matter how small the print or the pattern, it will become a distraction. In the case of digital portraits, in particular, small patterns in clothing (even a small herring-bone or checkered pattern) can cause terrible distortions to appear in the portrait that are not originally there.

Don’t over accessorize! Overbearing or heavily noticeable accessories can be a major distraction. Simple and minimal works best.

Glasses. Eye glasses may or may not be worn. Non-reflective lenses, of course, are a big help. Better yet, sometimes it’s possible to obtain a matching set of frames without any lenses. This is particularly helpful, if your lenses sometimes distort the outline of your face.

Let’s start with the guys

It’s best if you schedule a hair cut 1 – 2 weeks in advance of your portrait session, this will give it a little time to grow out. We suggest shaving the morning of your session (be careful not to nick your skin)! While the “five – 0’clock shadow" is the look these days be sure this is the look you want to be remembered by. Ten, fifteen, twenty years from now this trend may be long gone.

The Girls

We suggest you wear your hair in the style you wear every day! This is how your family and friends see you every day. Quick changes to your hair style can be done during your session, however this does cut into the session time. We also suggest that you trim your hair a couple of weeks before your session so that your ends are fresh.

Clothing Tips

To achieve a diverse portfolio of images, bring a variety of clothing styles; casual, dressy, trendy, sporty, etc.  The selection of color will also play a large part in showing more variety in your images. Select colors that you like, as well as colors that look great on you! How do you know what is the best color for you? Stand in front of the mirror hold outfits of different colors in front of you, the colors that make your eyes, skin and smile stand out are perfect! If you feel good in your outfits, you will look amazing!

Some tips on what look best and what to avoid:

Solid colors work great especially for close-ups. The focus will be on you rather than your outfit. Select colors that enhance your skin tone. If you feel your upper arms are large and don’t want to focus on them, long sleeves tend to look better than short sleeves or sleeveless. Same with your legs, if you do not want to focus on your thighs, wear pants or capri pants rather than shorts. If you can see through your clothing be sure to bring the appropriate underclothing to wear beneath it.

Clothing should be pressed and on hangers, the camera will see the wrinkles! 

Feel free to bring any props that showcase your interests, hats, musical instruments, sports equipment etc.