Family Photography – How Get Great Portrait

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There are two important elements for a successful family portrait. The first one is the clothes and second is the lighting. With the explosion of digital technology there have been many people hanging out a sign (or website) claiming to be a professional photographer. In truth, there are no regulations other then a business license for someone to open a photography business. However, you can save yourself a lot of heartache by looking for these two elements in their portfolios.

Clothing is very important. The first thing the eye should see in a portrait is the face and the eyes. In order to achieve this, the clothing should complement the background. If you are on a white beach then your clothing should be white. If you are in a park, the clothing should be greens and browns. Do you get the picture? If you wear something with lots of patterns and clashing colors then the viewer will only see the clothes not you.

Understanding lighting is critical. What you don’t want is funky shadows on the face. There are three major styles for light patterns: flat, split, and Rembrandt. Flat light means there are no highlights or shadows. Split means half of the face is shadow and half is light. A Rembrandt is the best light because it adds depth and dimension to the face. The pattern is light, shadow, light, shadow. You will see a triangle on the cheek.

If you keep these two very important elements in mind, you should not be disappointed.

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San Jose Photographer – Benipayo Photography

Contact: Michael at michael@benipayo.com, if you want a portrait session.

408-717-3670     415-763-7643

Author:  My company Summertime Beach Portraits specializes in only vacation family portraits http://www.destin-beach-portraits.com