Ventura Portrait Photographer

What Not To Wear To a Family Portrait Session!

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments when I originally posted this series. Due to popular demand, I'm reposting them. Be sure to get your free list of what you *should* wear to a portrait shoot…just contact me (click here).

As a family and children's portrait photographer, I regularly have to coach my clients on what to wear for their portrait session…and what NOT to wear. It's part of of the service I provide, and it's vitally important for a great portrait! What you wear in a great portrait is not the same thing you wear in real life - well not always - and most people appreciate some guidance.

So I thought I'd share with you some things NOT to wear for a portrait. I know there are a lot of inexperienced photographers out there who don't know what to recommend to their clients, and they just show up hoping that everything works out ok. Since I've got the experience, I'd like to share it! Even if you're not my client. :)

#1: Black or White Clothing.

I know, that might come as a shock. Since the 90's, families dressed in white shirts and blue jeans have been a staple of portrait photography. So what's the problem? It's simple: the eye is drawn to the brightest part of a photograph. But for a portrait, the goal is to have the viewer looking at people's faces, not their clothes. So how is a face supposed to compete with a white shirt? White shirts really only work if your photographer is shooting a 'high key' portrait (make sure he/she knows what that is). But if it's outdoors, then you don't get the blue skies and great scenery. Best to wear something less bright, and let the faces of your family do the 'talking' instead.

There's also a technical issue with white (and black). Because these colors are extreme, an unskilled photographer may accidentally expose the image incorrectly. This results in no detail in the white or black clothing, and looks very odd in the final portrait.

Black clothing doesn't generally work well outdoors, because it's very formal and somber. It does have its place in a studio environment however, especially when shooting a 'low key' portrait. But in the usual outdoor locations (beach, park etc), black just stands out too much.

And really, it's about the people in the photograph, not the clothing. Clothing should be secondary.

Check back here on craigslist for more tips of what NOT to wear to a portrait session. I'll keep posting them until I can't think of any more.

And if you'd like some tips on what you SHOULD wear, contact me (click here) and I'd be happy to send you a list. It's free, no obligation, and no pressure to ever talk to me again! I just want to make sure that you get a nice print for your walls, that you'll be proud to display for years. Even if it's made by another photographer!

- Matt Haines

#2: Glasses

"Glasses?!? But…I can't see without my glasses!" you're thinking. But eyeglasses reflect a lot of light. Light from the camera flash, even light from the sky. All this reflected light makes it harder to see your eyes, and you look washed out. So for the best portrait, you need to solve this problem.

Celebrities buy special no-glare glasses if they're in front of the camera a lot. But what's a non-celebrity to do?

First, ask yourself if you can go without your glasses. Perhaps you really can't see well enough to avoid squinting without them, or perhaps it's part of your "look". But if you can take them off for the portraits, that's the easiest thing to do.

If you must wear glasses, see if you can easily remove the lenses from the frames. Or if not, perhaps you have an old pair you can sacrifice by removing the lenses. Maybe even go to a thrift store and find a pair that are similar, and remove the lenses. In a portrait, a lens-less pair of glasses looks like the real thing.

Finally, there are ways that your photographer can light you so that the glare is minimized, but it's not perfect. Make sure your photographer has a plan in place if you wear glasses.

Check back for more tips of what NOT to wear to a portrait session. I'll keep posting them until I run out.

- Matt Haines

#3 "Don't Wear Shiny Stuff"

This breaks down into at least three categories:

- Large, Shiny Jewelry

Large, shiny jewelry catches the light in pleasing ways in real life, which is one ofits purposes. "Bling", in other words! That gleam of light is fleeting when you're moving. But in a portrait, a chance glimmer of light aimed right into the lens can be pretty bright. And permanent.

Sure, your photographer will take lots of pictures. But what if the best shot of the day turns out to have a giant bright spot in it? And if your photographer is not skilled at retouching, that bright flare of light will be in your portrait forever. Best not to risk it in the first place.

Subtle pieces of jewelry are fine, as are non-reflective pieces of jewelry. And since the portrait is all about the people in it—not the jewelry—"small" is better.

- Shiny Noses and Foreheads

Ladies, you probably don't need to be told about this. Although in the middle of a portrait session, it's best to pause for a makeup touch-up session, just in case.

But guys, what are you supposed to do? At the very least, bring a cloth handkerchief and wipe your face occasionally (napkins and paper towel might leave lint on your face). If you know ahead of time that you'll need more serious measures, try bringing some acne cream and applying it to your nose and forehead beforehand. This will dry out your skin and get rid of the shine. Just a little is all that's necessary, and test beforehand to see if the tinted or regular variety looks best.

Check back for more tips of what NOT to wear to a portrait session. I'll keep posting them until I run out.

- Matt Haines

#4 "Don't Wear Distracting Clothing"

That seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? A portrait is all about the people in it, the faces, the character…you wouldn't wear a clown suit to a family portrait session (unless you come from a family of clowns). So what's to talk about?

Unfortunately, clothing can sabotage you in any number of more subtle ways. Here are some less-obvious things not to wear.

- Words on Clothing

It's hard to buy a T-shirt these days without some sort of writing on it. The same holds true for dressier clothing, as clothing companies try to brand every square inch of what they sell. But when you look at a photograph, your eye is drawn immediately to the written word. This urge draws the eye so strongly, that it competes with the faces in the photograph.

You might also want to consider how you'll view this portrait five or ten years from now. Even if words on shirts are still popular in the future, it's doubtful that the exact style or word will be popular then. You run the risk of making a very dated photograph, very quickly.

- Trendy Clothing

Which leads me to the next part: trendy clothing. This is not to say you need to look like a slob, or that you need to dress conservatively. But you should avoid clothing that is outlandish and/or the flavor of the month. When we all think of clothing from the 60s, 70s or 80s, we tend to remember the really extreme examples. (And shudder at the thought of actually wearing them again.) Dress in a sophisticated and timeless manner, and you can't go wrong.

- Bold Patterns or Stripes

Just like text, a bold pattern on a piece of clothing draws the eye immediately. Which is fine if you want to have people say "wow, nice shirt!" But not so cool if you want people to look at you instead. When was the last time you wore a bold pattern, and someone said to you "wow that shirt really highlights your features"? They never get past the shirt. But subtle patterns are just fine.

- Matt Haines