Marsha dropped by the studio the other day for a few commercial portraits and headshots. Although she got stuck in traffic on the way from Marina del Rey to Los Angeles, she appeared unphased when she walked through my door. I don’t know how she did it; I lose my mind when I get stuck in traffic. Here are just a few of the best photographs from our portrait session.

I’ve been Alex’s portrait photographer for almost five years so it was great to see her (and her mom) this morning. They arrived at my Los Angeles studio around 9:00 a.m. for a few headshots. Anyway, here are a few photographs from today’s portrait session.

I’ve photographed Anna before, but this is the first time she’s been to my studio near downtown Los Angeles. She’s always super to work with so it was kind of easy to come up a ton of great photographs. She’s currently working on her new LA web site so I hope she finds some of these headshots useful! Anna is perhaps best known for her performance as Bee Sting on “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?”

Shiny Thomas dropped by my Los Angeles studio on Monday for a corporate headshot. She needed an image for pediatric dentistry web site. Actually, now that I’ve typed that sentence, I don’t know if I can call a portrait featuring a stuffed monkey a true "corporate headshot." Taking full advantage of our time together, we also took a few other casual portraits. At one point, even her husband jumped in for a few snaps.

I want you to look your best during your portrait session. With that in mind, here are a few tips about getting ready. But remember, regardless of what you wear or how much you prepare, we’ll create great photos during the time we spend together! If you have any questions about your wardrobe choices, please call me. I’d be happy to talk in more detail about your plans!

Recommendations

• Assemble several wardrobe choices. You can change as many times as you’d like during our session so it’s best to bring lots of choices. Make sure your wardrobe is pressed. An insignificant wrinkle can sometimes detract from an otherwise great photo.
• Avoid selecting wardrobe items featuring strong patterns, busy prints, or logos. Clothes with those characteristics can sometimes draw attention from your face.
• In addition to your standard accessories, you may wish to bring along an accessory like a hat, a scarf, or even children’s toys. Choose items that help identify you.
• Avoid wearing multiple layers of clothing. If you do wear layers, that can sometimes add perceived weight in your photographs.
• Even for slender subjects, it’s often difficult to focus attention on your face if your bare arm is competing for attention in the photograph. So unless you’re very thin, avoid sleeveless shirts, sweaters, or blouses.
• Bras and bra straps often cause problems in photos so ensure that your undergarments aren’t visible through your clothing.
• Unless you’re going for the "rugged man" look, guys should shave no more than a few hours before the session. I’ll be taking several close up photographs where ANY facial hair will be evident.
• A manicure a few days before the portrait session is a good idea–even for gentlemen.
• Get a good night’s sleep and avoid alcohol. You’d be amazed how easily bags under your eyes can detract from your photos!
• If we’re somewhere other than my studio, plan on leaving cell phones, purses, bags, makeup, and other accessories in your car. If your keys are bulky, I’ll carry them for you. We don’t want bulky things in your pockets! Also, if we’re working in a public location or park, you probably won’t be able to change your wardrobe so pick your main outfit wisely. No sneakers (unless they are really cool)!
• Make sure your wardrobe is pressed. An insignificant wrinkle can sometimes detract from an otherwise great photo.

Couple, Family, or Group Portraits

If this is a couple, family, or group photo session, I have two suggestions in regards to color and your wardrobe. My first suggestion is to wear matching colors. For example, you can all wear blue jeans and white shirts, or khaki pants and black shirts, or the women might wear red sun dresses and the men might wear red shirts. Put simply, matching is easy, it works, and it makes for great photos. If you like this idea, make sure that the colors you’re wearing are exactly the same. For example, if you have a new red shirt and someone else in your group has a well-washed red shirt, even if the washed shirt is only slightly faded, that can be very apparent in your photos. Make sure the colors really match!

As an alternative, if you don’t want to match exactly, I recommend that you select clothing in the same color palette. For example, you can all wear earth tones (brown, tan, green) or pastel colors (pink, light yellow, light green). However, you’ll want to avoid highly contrasting colors. For example, if most of you are wearing dark red shirts, then someone will really stand out (in a negative way) if they wear a light pink shirt. That kind of contrast can prove jarring in photos.