Thank you for choosing KenMar!
You chose KenMar Studio to create your family portrait for many great reasons. We appreciate the hard work you’re doing to get your family together and we will reward your efforts with a portrait you’ll enjoy for years to come.
Your choice of what to wear plays a huge part in making your family portrait look professional. It’s is as important as the expression on your face. The professionals at KenMar have these suggestions.
Choose A Color Scheme
A color scheme is created when the people in the portrait agree to limit the color range to within three colors.
A mix of too many colors and patterns can make the image distracting!
Some colors will tend to “advance” in a portrait and others may “recede.”
Colors that are brighter than skin tones sometimes compete with the faces for attention.
Deeper colors that harmonize, compliment, or blend with each other allow faces and expressions to be emphasized.
This family has done a wonderful job of creating a color scheme
Here’s another example of creating a good color scheme: White on white.
Another way of emphasizing faces would be to use all white or whites with pastel pinks, blues, greens, yellows with a lighter color background.
Remember: Limiting the number of colors used in the portrait will create a better-looking portrait.
Other successful color schemes:
Earth Tones: browns, dark beige, deep khakis, or forest greens.
Assorted shades or the same color: greens and blues work well with this.
Jewel Tones: burgundy, rose, dark cherry, mauve, purple, violet.
Pastels: pale blue, soft and delicate hues of yellow, green and pink
There are many other possible combinations. If you have some ideas or questions we’ll be happy to listen and offer suggestions.
Patterns, Prints and Sleeve Length
Not all portraits need to be formal, but mixing colors, patterns, sleeve lengths, and shorts can make the portrait look less professional.
Here’s the same family in solid colors. Notice the improvement!
Busy patterns and prints and bare skin also tend to distract from the faces and expressions of the people in your portrait and may make the portrait difficult to enjoy. Solid colors and long sleeves will be much less distracting than stripes, patterns, or sleeveless outfits.
This cuddly portrait would look much better without the bare arms!
Details
For men a two-week old hair cut and a close recent shave may be appreciated. Women may want to wear “evening” make up and bring your personal cosmetics for touch ups.
Notice how the relative brightness of the lady’s outfit draws attention to itself.
This couple has done a great job of co-ordinating the tones of their outfits
Glasses
For anyone who regularly wears glasses, problems may arise through light reflection, distortion or discoloration. Your optician can accommodate you by removing your lens to eliminate these distractions or will loan you a lens less frame for your portrait.
Using Portraits as Wall Decor
A portrait can be used as wall decor when it complements or blends with its surroundings.
Consider where your professional portrait will hang in your home.
Formal rooms may benefit from portraits in darker tones with suits or jackets for men and longer dresses for women.
If the room is light and casual with pastel accents, you might consider wearing white or light colors with a lighter background.
