How to: Take Great Portrait Pictures

This post was originally about how to survive the horrible day that is School Picture Day since schools are opening again soon, but I realized that pretty much every portrait photos need a little help!

You know what I’m talking about – passport photos, driver’s license, school ID cards – don’t know about you but mine have all been horrible! Ask anyone to see their ID/card and they will all squeal, “no, it’s such a bad picture!”

Hopefully this post can help you prepare for that photo-taking day.

Clothes

• Whatever your size – choose something that is form fitting so that you can show off your shape! Big, oversized hoodies (guilty!), sweatshirts, t-shirts take up most of the photo and your head will look tiny compared to it!
   
• Choose a flattering neckline. Turtlenecks are a big no no, unless you would like your photo to look like a floating head!
   
• Keep it simple – patterns, wild prints and images may be distracting. A simple cut, like a V- or scooped neck shirt would be better. Same for the fashion style – try to keep the trends to a minimum.
   
• Colors. So, prints overpower the face; brights (red, yellow) call too much attention and neutrals and flesh tones (beige, white, cream) wash you out and take away the attention from your face. Now what? Colors that look best on film are medium to dark tones like as rust, burgundy, green, brown or blue.

Hair

• Oh, boy. Whatever you do, don’t decide to experiment that day because your creative juices are flowing. Don’t get a haircut the day before or decide to straighten your beautiful signature curls! Be yourself!

Make Up

• Again, this is not the time to experiment with blue eyeshadow or try out a new brow shape. Keep your makeup simple. A flawless canvas, soft blushing cheeks and eyeshadow, long fluttering eyelashes, groomed brows and a nice, nude lip should be perfect. My series Make Up 101 might help with your makeup application that day.
   
• Pack oil blotting sheets for that day. You could be waiting around while others are getting their photo done and end up with a shiny face! The T-zone – forehead, nose and chin – tend to get the shine first, so blot, baby, blot!

The Photo

• Whatever you do, do not say “cheese”. When you do smile, make it genuine – think of something that makes you happy, like a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. Yum … I’m drooling smiling already. If you’re a fan of America’s Next Top Model, ‘smile with your eyes’. ;)
   
• -The best is to ask the photographer to count to three. Close your eyes, and when you hear three, open and just give a smile. I used to sit there with a smile on my face for 5 minutes while the guy sets it up, which just ends up looking fake and extremely creepy.

Pose

• As in, don’t. No fancy angles allowed here ladies, at least not where I’m from – they demand a full frontal shot and that’s why I think they are all horrible. Try tilting your chin down slightly, and, if you can turn your head a little to the side. Of course, if you can, try to figure out your best angle and have a side shot.
   
• Again, try to think of something that relaxes you so you don’t look so tense in the photo. To avoid looking surprised or stunned from the flash, focus your eyes a little bit over the camera or the photographer’s shoulder.

In conclusion, keep it simple, look like yourself, and relax! Any more tips to add here? And can you guess which celebrities are in these high school pictures? :-P

Images: WENN