Portrait shoot

Portrait session FAQ's

What clothing should I bring to the session?
The ideal is not to have the clothes dominate the picture so avoid big patterns with lots of colours. Keep it simple. Black, greys and pastel shades work well. Children look great if there is a limited range of colours and they match. Less is more!



That’s the general rule but often I find someone brings along a garment that breaks all the rules and this has resulted in a great picture.



The short answer is colour coordinate and if in doubt bring the clothes along. Try for three changes and go for casual clothes.


What if my children play up?
It happens so I tend to put the camera away and do something else like play. The best thing is not to talk about the session beforehand and please don’t use bribes! Just turn up and let me wander around with the children and get to know them. Sometimes just leaving them to play and relax means they are in the right frame of mind. Then I suggest that we take some pictures and the whole thing is no big deal.


Our house is tiny and the garden is a postage stamp?
Good. I’ve not been phased yet. You will be surprised at what can be achieved when space is limited. The alternative is to go to a park, a local walk or the beach. There are always great locations and backgrounds on the doorstep.


What about make up?
The simple rule is wear whatever make up you would normally. You don’t need to enhance your make up for the camera. One of the pleasures of having your portrait taken is to have a make up artist and stylist for the shoot. You may come away with a whole new look and have the opportunity of trying different make up styles on the shoot. The minimum is to bring some powder to reduce any unwanted shine.


How about make up for men?
Men don’t need make up generally but a strong beard shadow can be unflattering. I suggest that men shave just before the shoot rather than shaving twice. This reduces shaving blemishes.


Will the pictures be retouched?
Most people benefit from a little re-touching and I think this is part of the art of creating a great portrait. I always discuss retouching and make sure that we know how far to go. If the portrait requires a lot of retouching I charge an hourly rate. Perfection comes at a price!


When will we see the pictures?
After the shoot I edit the pictures and prepare a viewing. You will be able to see all the images (colour and black and white) projected onto a large screen. You arrive at the best pictures by a process of elimination. You can then choose to have these framed or presented in an album.


Do you offer framing and canvases?
How your portrait will be displayed is important. We need to think about the size, the frame style, canvas or block mount? We have a range of beautiful frames to suit all types of décor. Framed portrait examples can be seen at my studio or my exhibition at the David Lloyd Club at Brighton Marina.

Give me call to run through any other questions you may have.

Alan