Need help on picture...

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

Ok, so for Christmas this year me and my brothers are going to a professional photograper back home to get portraits done for my Mom. Its going to be huge--16 x 20. What I need help with, is what should we all wear? I want it to be semi-casual, not too dressy. My brothers are 14 and 18, and they are NOT dressy up kinda people! I was thinking about just jeans and white t-shirts but thats TOO casual. isnt it?....any ideas?
The studio has amazing backdrops that I want to use to make them really fun, so I don't know what we should really wear

Any help would be VERY much appreciated!!!

arlyn · Sep 27, 2005

Jeans and X-mas/Wintery sweaters?

Before you say anything, I hate sweaters myself, but for a portrait for my mother, I'd wear one

sammie5 · Sep 27, 2005

The idea of dressing casually is great - the portrait should reflect your personality. But plain white t-shirts just won't photograph well. You should choose a colour that complements your own colouring, and can be used with a backdrop. Just think, the photographer has to adjust the settings for light reflected from the subject, and if your t-shirts are all white, that makes a tricky problem.

For the best portrait I ever had taken, I wore a plain oatmeal coloured linen top, with buttons down the front, and it looked great.

Why not choose simple coloured t's instead of plain white. Or polo shirts, or a plain cotton button down shirt.

I think that wearing jeans is fine. It's not a matter of style, as much as a colour that looks best for everyone.

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

I was thinking about khaki's and maybe black shirts too, cuz that wouldn't be so bad....but then I dont want us all to be so matchy matchy-you know?
Then I thought well maybe we can have the boys wear the same color and I can wear something different? I just want it to reflect who we are, but if I did that, we would all end up in sweatshirts! haha!

purr · Sep 27, 2005

If you want it to be fun, you could go with a theme. Like if the backdrop is snowy mountains, you could all dress in winter clothing. That way it could be whatever they want as long as it fits the theme. If it's something like...a forest, you could wear hiking-type clothes, or hunting stuff if they're into that. If you can find a background that reflects all of your hobbies (like if you all enjoy snowmobiling, camping, fishing, etc.) then it would be great!

Alternatively, you could decide on a color together, and wear different shades that reflect your personality, like if it's blue, you could wear baby blue or navy. You could have shirts made that say something like "I love my mom" or something.

Good luck!

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

I'm getting so stressed out over these pictures!! HA...you guys have given me so many great ideas I just don't know what to go with!

I was going to go with a black and white photo cuz I just LOVE them, but I know my mom likes color better....oh how stressful the Christmas season is!

And for the amount of money I'm paying for these, they BETTER be good!!!

sammie5 · Sep 27, 2005

I would suggest that you go with plain. If you pick a "cute" theme, that would be fun, but if you want the photos to last for years, and not just look cute for now, I'd recommend a more neutral theme. If you had a portrait done every year, then I can see having fun with the themes. But you want this to last for years, don't you?

Don't stress out, why not just tell the boys that they should be clean, well groomed, and nicely dressed, and leave it up to them! And you can wear something casual as well.

My sister and brother and I had a photo done years ago. I wore a bright red blouse with a black skirt. My sister wore a very pretty dress, in earth tones, that had a big flouncy tie at the neckline. My brother wore Dockers with a casual cotton shirt. The photo looked great, and my Dad still has it on his wall. It just captured what we looked like, and wore, at the time.

And just to confuse you even more: some of the most stunning family portraits I have ever seen have been against a pure white background. With the family wearing their everyday clothes - so kids in cords and knit shirts.

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

I think I'm gonna end up bringing about 3 different changes of clothes for us! I talked to the guy today who will be taking our pic and told him that I want something fun, nothing real stiff and formal, he said that he will have about 4 poses for us and about 300 pics to choose from in the end, oh goodness!!

Oh...and if I just told my brothers to show up, dressed nice, they would show up in jeans without holes in them, and a hooded sweatshirt!!

What do you guys think about black and white photos? Do you prefer black and whites, or color?

sunnicat · Sep 27, 2005

Personally, I like the ambience of black and white. I use it often to photograph my kids and always love the results. For a portrait as a gift, if you know your mom prefers color, you might need to consider that, though. Good luck! I hope we get to see some proofs after you're finished!

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

Originally Posted by sunnicat

Personally, I like the ambience of black and white. I use it often to photograph my kids and always love the results. For a portrait as a gift, if you know your mom prefers color, you might need to consider that, though. Good luck! I hope we get to see some proofs after you're finished!

I will probly end up with all of the proofs on a post here for you all to help me choose, haha, all 300 of them!

I think I'm gonna have him take some up close black and whites, I think they are so wonderful...just the way that black and whites turn out....especially if the background is all black and all you can see is faces....the way people's eyes stand out in black and whites amaze me!

I'm so indecisive!!!

sunnicat · Sep 27, 2005

I'd be just as indecisive, so I understand! Heck, I prefer being the one behind the camera here. I have some adorable pics of my kids in black & white. Especially the roll where my youngest decided to play in the dirt while wearing sunblock. You should see his eyes in that one...they are the only thing not totally covered in filth!

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

Awww, how adorable, I bet it's a great picture!
I'm glad that you understand about being indesicive! Its horrible!!!!
Just when I think I know what I'm going with, I change my mind!! I hate that this is a surprise for my mom, cuz I could really use her opinion!

I just know she'll love anything, but I want it to be so perfect

Somehow I just know I'll end up going with the very first idea I had when I first thought of how we should do these pics.....haha....isn't that always the case?

sammie5 · Sep 27, 2005

I would always recommend going with black and white. Colour photos fade and shift over the years. Black and white last for many many years longer.

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

I'm a big black & white fan too....and like I said b4, hopefully I can have the photographer take some black and whites too so then maybe I can decide which ones I like better! I'm so excited to get these done!!!!

I can't wait to post them on there either

arlyn · Sep 27, 2005

I prefer the sepia tones over b&w, I guess I like that 'antiqued' feel.

babyharley · Sep 27, 2005

Oh I looooove those ones too!
They give them a different kind of look!
There are just too many choices!!!

babyharley · Nov 10, 2005

Well me and my brothers got the pictures taken on Saturday (5th) and they are just WONDERFUL!!! We ended up just doing black long sleeved shirts, so black and whites-some of them have a cool background but the majority are all black backgrounds. He showed them to us on his computer when we were done with them and I had tears in my eyes I was so happy with the way they turned out!!

I am just so proud of my brothers for cooperating with me thru all of the pictures and everything. He did about 8 poses with about 6 diff. shots in each pose. This photographer is so amazing-he is very very established in our town, so they are gonna be a little spendy but its so worth it!

Today (I HOPE, I PRAY) should be the day I can see them on the internet (on their site) and then by next week I should get the proofs in the mail so I can start picking thru them! I can't wait to post them on here when I get the website info from the lady - she said she's gonna call me when she gets my session number for the site

I just had to share my happiness with you all, Sar said that I should start a poll when I get the pictures on the site so you can all help me out-telling me which ones are the best!

menagerie mama · Nov 10, 2005

Hey! I am doing the same thing! My parents are big into the cabin decor in their house, so we are going to do one with us in jeans and flannel shirts and a fall leaf motif in the background for the big framed one, and then probably individual ones too. I think you should wear something that makes your best features stand out. I'll probably wear blue, since I have blue/green eyes and it will make them look even more blue. I hope they turn out nice! Yours too!

menagerie mama · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by babyharley

Well me and my brothers got the pictures taken on Saturday (5th) and they are just WONDERFUL!!! We ended up just doing black long sleeved shirts, so black and whites-some of them have a cool background but the majority are all black backgrounds. He showed them to us on his computer when we were done with them and I had tears in my eyes I was so happy with the way they turned out!!

I am just so proud of my brothers for cooperating with me thru all of the pictures and everything. He did about 8 poses with about 6 diff. shots in each pose. This photographer is so amazing-he is very very established in our town, so they are gonna be a little spendy but its so worth it!

Today (I HOPE, I PRAY) should be the day I can see them on the internet (on their site) and then by next week I should get the proofs in the mail so I can start picking thru them! I can't wait to post them on here when I get the website info from the lady - she said she's gonna call me when she gets my session number for the site

I just had to share my happiness with you all, Sar said that I should start a poll when I get the pictures on the site so you can all help me out-telling me which ones are the best!

Uh, sorry, I posted my advice before I read that you already had them done!

Yes, please post them so we can vote!

babyharley · Nov 10, 2005

Originally Posted by menagerie mama

Uh, sorry, I posted my advice before I read that you already had them done!

Yes, please post them so we can vote!

Thats okay

I will post them ASAP...I am sooooo anxious!!

Need help on picture...

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