GOOGTOON: clothing primer

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Thursday

How to Prepare for a Portrait - Sum & Substance: Part 4 of 4

SUM & SUBSTANCE

JEWELRY
• SIMPLE
• Simple earrings are preferred. Large dangling ones do not photograph well as they will never stay put...
• Necklaces look best when they are simple and not bulky. Avoid ones that will neither hang behind or atop your blouse. Also avoid necklaces that spin around easily. Know where you want it be and make sure it stays there. It is very disappointing to see your necklace half in/out with the backside your pendant sparkling. It is also time consuming to remedy in artwork.
• In general, most watches are fine. Keep big, bulky ones at home, unless you wish your watch to be a focal point in the portrait. If you have a “white spot” on your wrist, apply a dab of makeup to lessen the contrast (we could also opt to place it so it will not be seen by the camera or take care of it in post-production).

GLASSES
• Glasses not only catch light reflection but they also distort contour facial lines. Artwork to remove minor glass glare is included in the price of your portrait but major glass glare and restoring facial features is not. The fee varies depending on the extent of artwork required and will require a quote. Though we do provide this service at cost, it can become expensive, especially when considering it is something that can be avoided with a modicum of preparation.
• If you wear glasses, and wish to avoid glass glare/reflections and facial distortion, there are three dependable, clear-cut options:
     1. have your optician supply you with empty rims for the day
         of your appointment
     2. pop the lenses prior to your portrait (be sure to bring a
         secondary pair...)
     3. wear only non-glare lenses (doing so will lessen glare but
         do nothing to mitigate distortion of contour facial lines)
• Transition lenses can be especially troublesome and should be avoided.
• Contact lenses may be worn and generally pose no challenge.

Extraordinarily Beautiful Family - Family Portrait at Coto de Caza, CA

AVOID

• AVOID Perfectly MATCHING the Colors and Design of Clothing. Loosen up you perfectionists (Oh, that’s me!).

• AVOID busy PATTERNS.

• AVOID BEING “CREATIVE” with colors and patterns (wear only thematic colors).

• AVOID STIFF fabrics and materials that wrinkle easily. If your clothing requires heavy ironing, it’s probably the wrong piece to wear. If you’ve slept in it and it still looks fresh - bull’s-eye!

• AVOID TIGHT fitting clothing. Soft, flowing lines are aesthetically more pleasing. Loose fitting clothing (not baggy) also serve to create a more svelte appearance.

• AVOID WHITE & LIGHT if there are weight concerns. Be especially attentive to pants unless expanding your “foundation” by 10-20 pounds is your objective.

• AVOID LOOKING AROUND during the portrait session. Your children and shoes aren’t going anywhere unless you are. Besides, the top of your head is not usually very attractive. The best place to land your gaze is at the center of the lens.

• AVOID feeling the pressure to purchase expensive clothing to keep in line with the color theme. If you must purchase something, it does not need to be costly. The camera cannot perceive value. The reality of the most elaborately designed sets in Hollywood movies would not even impress Homer Simpson. QUALITY cannot be detected. The only element that matters is the harmony of the colors and the matching of the fabric’s characteristics.

• AVOID being late for your portrait session. Having to RUSH or feeling RUSHED is not a comfortable way to have your portrait created. Not to mention the sun is adverse to altering its schedule to meet yours. Late appointments are subject to an additional Session/Location fee.

DOs

• DO dress COMFORTABLY.

• DO bring along anything to your portrait you might need: grooming gear, water, medications, makeup, snack, our cell numbers, backups...

• DO keep within THEME COLORS ONLY.

• DO wear DARKER SHADES of theme colors if you desire to appear more svelte.

• DO come to the session with a POSITIVE, HAPPY HEART. Your cheerful attitude will be reflected for all to see for generations to come. The hard work is all behind you. Relax - enjoy yourself.

• DO keep your eyes on the camera through the entire session. You will be tempted to look around and check out how others are doing. RESIST! The temptation will be more difficult than you think. It will be like having an itch you can’t scratch. Be strong - you CAN do it!

• DO SPEAK UP if you are uncomfortable or have any concern. No question is too small. I will not be responsible for numb limbs.

• DO remember that if everyone is on the ball, the portrait session will only take about 20 minutes. That’s it. A very small price to pay for such a cherished reward.

• DO be ON TIME for your portrait session. You will want to take advantage of every minute set aside to create your portrait. You may even want to consider arriving a bit early, just to make sure all goes well.

• DO keep things SIMPLE.

Part 1 - Introduction
Part 2 - What To Wear Essentials

Part 3 - Foundation Up

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan

Mark Jordan Photography specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County. The portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where photography studio services are offered are in Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Coto de Caza, Cypress, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Northwood, Orange, Orange Park Acres, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Corona del Mar, Murrieta, Murrieta Hot Springs, Quail Valley, Riverside, Temecula, Winchester, Chino Hills, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Montclair, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Escondido, La Mesa, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, and San Diego Country Estates, Turtle Rock, Shady Canyon. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Beach Portrait

Orange County Senior Portrait

Orange County Children Portraits

Orange County Headshot

Belly Art Photography

Wordle™ Puzzles

Wednesday

How To Prepare For A Portrait - What to Wear Essentials: Part 2 of 4

What to Wear Essentials

KEY & COLOR

Before you begin making your clothing selections, the very first task at hand is to establish the KEY you will be working in. There are three basic KEYS: high, medium and low. These three KEYS simply refer to the mood or style of your portrait, the lightness or darkness of the clothing colors and the corresponding background. When clothing and background correspond we say they are IN KEY. With clothing and background IN KEY, your faces become the most dominant element and thereby giving us a greater opportunity of achieving a more meaningful and enduring emotional connection.

Generally speaking, we try to avoid mixing our Keys. For example, we want to stay away from wearing black or denim pants with white shirts. Since the human eye is always drawn to the greatest zone of contrast, the area where mixed keys intersect is where the portrait will have the greatest draw. Most often mixed keys result in the most dominant element being the waistline. Not exactly the makings for a beautiful portrait.

Having said that, there are exceptions. If keys must be mixed it is imperative to keep them within one step of each other. That is, High and Mid Keys can be cautiously mixed, as well as Low and Mid Keys. Rarely is it appropriate, however, to mix Low and High - the contrast is too great.

To discover your KEY, please read the descriptive phrases below and make note of which Key best expresses the style of portrait you have in mind. As you do, please keep in mind people invariably look and photograph best in Mid to Low Keys.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Key for Your Portrait

Lastly, be mindful of challenging colors: RED, ORANGE, YELLOW and WHITE. As to red, orange and yellow, because they are dominant colors in the spectrum, they tend to be the most intense element in any portrait. Whereas these colors are manageable within individual portraits, they are challenging to tame in family or group portraits. White, although appropriate for children and lighter backgrounds, is generally not a forgiving choice. White tends to add visual weight and its stark contrast is not flattering on most skin tones.

Also, please be aware that the lighting for High Key portraits tends not to be as three-dimensional as the other keys. This is because when working with the lighter, High Key colors, we lessen the intensity of the shadow so as not to allow the darker value of the shadow to distract or demand the viewer's attention. In lowering the ratio of contrast between light and shadow the dimensionality of the portrait is subsequently reduced. Thus, the consequence is a less dimensional, "flatter" looking portrait.

Family Portrait at Laguna Beach, CA

STYLE & FABRIC
• A Pattern or Design that is simple and plain tends to photograph best. They are not distracting and will not draw attention away from the face. Patterns may be selected just as long as the design is muted and unobtrusive. Remember, simplicity is the key.
• Observe the Fold of the fabric - it should be supple and rounded edged. Does the fabric form sharp creases or is it resilient with pliable curves? As you might have guessed, just as in our relationships, we prefer fabric with flexible, soft edges...
• Besides selecting soft fabric, it should also not easily wrinkle. To determine whether or not a piece of clothing will work, do the “rumple test.” Take the fabric in your hand and rumple it into a ball. If it bounces back without creasing, the fabric will do just fine.
• Clothing should have a loose fit. Unless your body is exceptionally toned, the tighter the clothing, the heavier the look, and the more challenging it can appear to be comfortable and actually be comfortable. Conversely, too baggy of clothing can also add weight.
• The Weight and Season of the fabric must also be planned. Heavy materials denote cool weather while light fabrics implies a feeling of warmer climes. Some materials appear to be worn in winter while others seem to be most appropriate for Spring.

HARMONY VS MATCHING

There is a vast misconception when it comes to making clothing selections for portraits. The confusion arises out of our desire to acquire the "perfect" portrait. First of all, let me dispel this notion: there is no such animal as the perfect portrait. There are, however, portraits of excellence. Before we move into this arena, however, we must first unravel the puzzle of Harmony vs Matching. The reality of it is actually not that difficult at all.

Simply put, in making our clothing selections our task is to discern which aspects of harmonizing and matching requires which approach. In a nut shell, your focus in coordinating your portrait clothing is to harmonize the colors and garment style while matching the characteristics of the fabrics. The following chart will help you better understand these characteristics:

Harmonizing VS Matching

As always, should you have any questions or would like to contact me, no concern is too small: markjordanphoto@cox.net

Part I - Introduction

Part 3 - Foundation Up

Part 4 - Sum and Substance

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portrait

Orange County Beach Portrait

Orange County Senior Portrait

Orange County Children Portraits

Orange County Headshot

Belly Art Photography

Wordle™ Puzzles

Tuesday

How To Prepare for A Portait - Introduction: Part 1 of 4

Introduction

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got the swing..."

Chances are you probably have not thought of “swing” in terms relating to photography, but in a very real sense it is just as vital to portraiture as it is to jazz. The “swing” we speak of here, however, is emotion.

As a portrait artist, my desire is to create portraits that radiate emotional impact. The ingredients in a portrait of emotional impact are basic yet essential. Three of the elements (composition, lighting and expression) are the most conspicuous. All must be complimentary, natural and genuine. And all three are factors I am responsible in visualizing and manipulating. The same is true for a fourth component as well: clothing. However, clothing is the one integral ingredient where you, the client, have the utmost control and final word.

Before creating your portrait, you will have to decide on the clothing you will wear. In making your selections it will be helpful to remember that clothing simply serves as a frame for the face. As in all fine artwork, our eyes are drawn to the focus of the painting while the frame functions as a support for the image. It’s the beauty of the artwork we admire, not the frame.

Family Portrait at Coto de Caza, CA

A portrait of emotional impact is best achieved when the viewer’s gaze is drawn to the eyes and faces in the portrait. This is why the clothing you choose must not only be complimentary, natural and genuine, but also subdued and unobtrusive. This is crucial to the success of your portrait. So, as you go about the task of selecting your clothing, please keep in mind that ultimately, first and foremost, it is you we want to behold, not your clothing.

The following CLOTHING SUGGESTIONS are provided to facilitate the design of your clothing. Unlike the "Ten Commandments" however, which establish absolutes, our Clothing Suggestions are just that; suggestions. You are under no obligation to conform to our recommendations. You may wear anything you think looks best. Use whatever information you feel is relevant and disregard whatever is not.

Included in our wide array of services is a complimentary Clothing Consultation (i.e. design session). Please feel free to drop by or email me an image of your clothing selections. The brief time it will take will give you peace of mind and will make for a relaxing and stress free portrait session. After reading this information should you have any questions, remember, no concern is too small.

As always, should you have any questions or would like to contact me, no concern is too small: markjordanphoto@cox.net. We look forward to seeing what you've assembled.

Part 2 - What To Wear Essentials

Part 3 - Foundation Up

Part 4 - Sum and Substance

Mark