Things to Know
A lot of what makes a beautiful senior portrait revolves around style. My style of photography, the senior’s sense of style, and of course, the parent’s sense of style. It is really important that my style fit well with the client’s and matches their expectation. By this I mean when the senior and the parent envision their finished portraits, is it cohesive with my finished product? That is a critical question for both me, as a professional and my clients, to be able to answer with a resounding YES! Below is an article which describes my style, why I photograph clients the way I do and provides tidbits of photography related information. Take a moment and read it through.
Make no mistake, my work is unique! I have a style of my own, and it is somewhat uncoventional. My clients are usually looking for something fresh, stylish and more contemporary than what many traditional photographers offer. That being said, there are some things you may notice when looking at my work that is different from what you might be accustomed.
Tight Crops -This means super close close-ups where often the face fills most of the frame of the image. These images are about the eyes, and often the top of the head is not included in the image. I meant to do that!
Not-So-Smiley – So many of us have been brought up to believe that a smile is a requirement to make a great photo. So not true! I love a pensive look as much as a big grin. I meant to do that!
Left of Center. The most boring position for a subject in a photograph is smack dab in the middle! I know, I know. Not what you always thought, right? Trust me! There is a little something in design called the Rule of Thirds that we photographers often employ to enhance visual interest. The rule states that an image can be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines (like a tic-tac-toe board). The four points formed by the intersections of these lines can be used to align features in the photograph. Aligning a photograph with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the photo than simply centering the feature would. Huh? Trust me, the subject does not need to be right in the center of an image for it to be a good portrait! I meant to do that!
The Light in the Eyes. – The hallmark of good portrait photography is good lighting, and the hallmark of good lighting is something called a catchlight, a reflection of light in the eyes. I love big catchlights! I purposely position my lights for the best and largest catchlights, especially for close-ups. Flip through any parenting or glamour magazine and look at the eyes. What do you see? Big bright catchlights! A lack of catchlights leaves the eyes looking flat, dull and lifeless. I meant to do that!