Advice for Portraits

Locations

Portrait sessions with On Location Portraiture can be scheduled at any time of the week, but certain times are suggested to take advantage of the lighting and particular aspects of a location. Sunset and sunrise lighting are best for most locations, but a few locations are actually better at mid-day. An example of this would be portraits photographed indoors at a private home, when at mid-day the sun’s light adds character to a room without dominating it by flooding into it from the east or west.

Some locations are better at sunrise, some at sunset, and Jim can provide direction based on your preferences. The early and late part of the day also provide some relief from the summer heat.

A ‘night shoot’ is also possible. Portable equipment is brought to add light to the session. Locations for night shoots are downtown urban areas like the West End in Dallas or Sundance Square in Ft. Worth.

Locations can be anywhere, assuming it’s not on private property without permission or is not on property that is restricted (an example of that would be railroads). Some locations, like hotel common areas, require express permission by that property or a fee. There are numerous parks and downtown areas that do not require prior permissions, and private homes always an option.

Jim can provide numerous suggestions for locations and is always happy to photograph at a new location based on a client suggestion. A main question would be to ask whether your preference is a home, business, park, urban, or rural setting. Jim also can provide photographic backdrops and professional lighting if that is preferred.

Clothing

Solids, instead of patterns, are suggested but not required. The reason for this is that solids do not distract attention from the people in a photograph. Additionally, solids will not ‘date’ a portrait as quickly as patterns. However, subtle patterns are not too distracting, and if you prefer a certain shirt or dress with a pattern, that outweighs other factors.

Certain colors also work better, especially when groups are photographed together. Neutral tones (black, grays, white, browns, tans) will not have any difficulty matching with others. Blues also match well, no matter the tone. Yellows, purples, and greens are also fine, excepting neon colors. Reds, pinks, and orange can have difficulty matching – however, they can often work well for holiday portraits. Another consideration for groups is that everyone matches in style – for instance, one person shouldn’t wear shorts when everyone else is dressed up or wear red when everyone else is in neutrals.

Shoes can show up in portraits, especially in groups.

Darker tones will draw more attention to the face, and away from the body. They are especially suggested for headshots.

Other considerations

Weather is a factor for outdoor locations. On Location Portraiture does not require a session deposit and will re-schedule a portrait session with advanced notice at no extra cost for any reason. If rain is a possibility, it’s recommended to wait until the day of a shoot to re-schedule. Weather in DFW can change on a dime, and the forecast isn’t always accurate. Family sessions, though, often require more notice for the clients, and that is accepted. An overcast day is perfectly fine for a location session, and at some locations it is even preferred. If the day of a shoot is very dark from clouds or raining for an outdoor location only, however, a re-schedule will be necessary.

Clothes changes are possible at some, but not all, locations. Please ask if that is a priority.

Please bring anything you’d like in the photos – pets, toys for children, musical instruments for high school senior portraits, etc. Anyone who wants to be there with you is also welcome. Portrait session prices at On Location Portraiture are a flat fee, and it does not cost extra for additional photos with pets, friends, or family.

With any questions, please feel free to ask by calling 214-887-9996 or emailing jim@onlocationportraiture.com. Thank you!