5 more Wardrobe Tips from a Professional Portrait Photographer

Friday, June 10, 2011 Posted in Class 2012, High School Seniors, How To, Makeup Tips, Must Read, Wardrobe Tips, What to Wear


I know you’ve heard me talk about Wardrobe “no nos” before but I really want to make sure my clients look their very best in their portraits. These tips and suggestions apply to everyone in front of a camera. Models, Children, High School Seniors,  Executives, etc.

It doesn’t matter how great our Photographer is if you don’t wear wardrobe that is flattering to your body type.  Yes, the better the Photographer the more likely they will be able to make adjustments for poor (uninformed) clothing selections. Beautiful lighting, smart lens selections and a twist and turn of the client’s pose can do wonders. However a few simple tips can make an average portrait into a masterpiece.

dark wardrobe is slimming

Wardrobe Tip #1 – Dark Colors will make you look slimmer. Light colors are to be worn with caution. Light colors appear to make whatever they cover to look many sizes larger. I recommend light colors (white, yellow, etc) in just those special times you want a part of your body to look bigger than it actually is.  I could explain the psychology of this along with how the camera records objects in just 2 dimensions but that isn’t necessary today.  Simply do not wear light colors without a specific purpose.

make sure that stripe tops work in your favor

Wardrobe Tip #2 – Patterns and Stripes are just as dangerous as light colors and should be selected with care. Horizontal stripes appear to make that part of your body “wider”. For this very reason you will often see women’s tops made from horizontal stripes to make them “curvier”. Horizontal Stripes on the average person is usually not flattering. Vertical Stripes are the exact opposite and very often a nice choice for a sporty look in portraits. Patterns and Florals look really nice on the hanger in the local department stores.  Photographically a pattern( including floral print) attracts a lot of attention and thus fights for attention in a portrait. Patterns create the optical illusion of at least 2 extra clothing sizes. Really dark patterns are not bad if chosen wisely. However nothing beats a solid dark color for flattery.

dresses - skirts and tops look best when the waist line is at your natural waist

Wardrobe Tip #3 - For the women… try to avoid clothing that has the classic Empire waist line. I know these are super popular and just about every teen has a dozen selections with this style. The Empire waist line is the clothing style with a very high waist line up the torso just under the bust. One again these look cool on the mannequins at the local Mall but every week I hear the same dreaded comment – “that dress makes me look big”.  As a Photographer (and a pretty good Wardrobe Stylist) I make adjustments to these high waisted tops/dresses with a handful of clothspins. However nothing beats a blouse – dress – skirt with the waist line at your natural waist.

Wardrobe Tip #4 - Say NO to clunky shoes.  In other words wear shoes that are slim, delicate, and darkish in color. I know that shoes styles are personal and for some these styles define ones personality. I love incorporating the right pair of shoes into a portrait. This can be a blast and make for a great and very exciting portrait. Just make sure you don’t wear a shoe that simply takes over your foot adding what appears to be several un-necessary pounds of fabric and leather. Even an ankle strap high heel is going to make your legs appear a couple inches shorter than a non ankle strap heel. Anything that disrupts the continuous line of your leg shortens the leg’s length and shape.

long sleeves bring all the attention to your face

Wardrobe Tip #5 – If given a choice I find that long sleeves are the most flattering. This is definitely true for men and usually the best for women. The long sleeve brings more attention to the models face. With short sleeves there are often issues with underarms, skin blemishes, bra straps, etc. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t wear short sleeves in some of your portraits.  Short sleeves can look awesome depending on the model.

Let me close by saying that it is best to bring lots of wardrobe selections to any photo session. Let your Photographer offer suggestions. You really can’t bring too many choices.

Feel free to send me comments and any questions you may have about wardrobe. I’m happy to offer my experience in these matters.

Live – Love – Laugh

Don Sparks

www.studiosparks.com

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High School Senior Photographer Favorites #1

Monday, April 25, 2011 Posted in Class 2011, High School Seniors, Modeling, Portfolio


The Seniors that we worked with in Class 2011 have been super photogenic. We have so many favorite photos. For the next couple weeks we are going to share some of our Photographer’s favorites.

Enjoy !!!

 

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Morgan - Class 2011
Emily - Class 2011

by Don

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Seniors Class 2012 – Don’t be fooled into boring Senior Portraits – You DO Have a Better Choice!!!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Posted in Class 2011, Class 2012, High School Seniors, Must Read


Don’t be fooled into boring Senior Portraits

It happens every year right about now. Up-in-coming Seniors get a “post card” from their School’s Yearbook Photo Studio that says something like “You are scheduled for your Senior Pictures on this Date at this time – be there OR your picture won’t be in the Yearbook”.  This little Post Card is pretty clear – YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE.

I’m here to tell you just the opposite …

Yes you do have a choice and THE CHOICE IS YOURS. I’m sure every student (and Parent) knows that all schools generate tons of income by getting their students (and parents) to either buy stuff or to go out an sell stuff.   I can understand a need for schools to supplement their budgets but I go insane when a School “makes” me buy something.

Your Senior Senior Year is a grand achievement. Senior Portraits should be a celebration expressing ones unique personality. This is not the time to stand in a line to simply get the same old boring pictures that every other senior is getting. Mom and Dad’s snapshots are OK but there is nothing like a collection of really cool & creative Senior Portraits captured by a talented Professional Photographer. Professional Senior Portraits that are all about You – Your Dreams – Your Personality – Your Life – Your Year!

If your school “makes” you get that one posed picture in the “drape” or the break-away Tux for the yearbook then just do it. But know that you do have a choice of where to go for the fun and creative portraits that truly tell YOUR Story. In every city there are a number of Professional Photographers that are masters at creativity.  Unlike that boring yearbook photographer, they excel at capturing a Senior’s unique personality.

At my studio we spend hours

with each senior clicking hundreds of photographs.  Portraits that are full of fun, full length, action shots, extreme close-ups, artsy black & white, personality studies, and even some funny faces. No two photo sessions are the same. We have literally hundreds of backgrounds and props. There are no boring lines to stand in and we guarantee you will be thrilled with your portraits. Our sessions are fashion inspired and much more like doing a photo session for a fashion magazine.

You see…. High School Seniors do have a choice of who and where they get their Senior Pictures.  Don’t let our school bully you into thinking you have to use their yearbook photographer. With a quick search on Google you’ll discover a bunch of talented Photographers who will capture you looking your very best.

Live – Love – Laugh

Don Sparks – senior Photographer – www.studiosparks.com

Feel free to email of call me with any questions. I’m happy to help.

 

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Models Wanted Class 2012 !!!

Friday, March 18, 2011 Posted in Class 2012, High School Seniors, Special Offers


It’s Your Turn To Be A SuperModel for a Day !

What is the Senior Model Program?

This is the time of year we search for our Senior Models for the next class of Seniors.  I’m sure your first question is – “What is a Senior Model”?

Briefly…The Studio Sparks Model Program is our favorite way to connect with outstanding Students and to offer them a collection of very cool and creative Senior Portraits.  We launched our Senior Model Program as a way of finding teens who would enjoy modeling for awesome portraits and to show the world how fun and creative Senior Pictures should be.

We know students are tired of those boring photos being done by the School’s Yearbook Studio.  We felt it was time to show Seniors that there are alternatives to those boring school Photographers. Why would any Senior want to have the exact same portraits as their classmates??? Seniors DO have a choice but don’t know it.

We need a bunch of Class 2012 Seniors  to “experience” something new in Senior Pictures!

This is how it works -

You get up to 3 FREE Photo Sessions (valued at over $600), FREE Facebook Profile Photos, FREE Model Cards to pass out to your friends, huge discounts on any additional Prints, cash in your pocket for referring anyone to Studio Sparks, and lots more.

All we want from you is for you to tell all your friends how cool it was to be photographed at Studio Sparks and to show off your photos to friends and family.

How Does Studio Sparks Choose their Senior Models?

We want our Senior Models to be outgoing and excited about their Photo Sessions. Becoming one of our Senor Models is a very special opportunity that we offer to just a few students from each High School.  We need a promise from our Senior Models that they will talk us up to their friends and to rave about the “experience” of a Photo Session at Studio Sparks.

The “Shoot”

Your Photo Session is like shooting for a fashion magazine. We’ll photograph you in 5-8 wardrobe changes. The entire session takes 3-4 hours.  We’ll be clicking several hundred photos. Don’t worry about posing and facial expressions – our Photographer will direct you.  The session goes by like a flash and you will have killer photos when we’re done!  It is a win win for all of us.

If this sounds like something you’d like to do – Contact Us

Please make sure to contact us before the end of April. We try to complete our Senior Model Sessions well before School recesses for summer in order to give our Senior Models the chance to share their cool portraits with classmates.

 

Contact Us Here or Call 770.354.5047

Make sure to check out our website and this Blog for loads of Photo Galleries, Wardrobe Tips, Special Offers and the 411 on Studio Sparks

 

Contact us soon… our Senior Model spots fill up every year rather quickly.  This offer is first come first served.

 

All My Best to You,

Don Sparks – Senior Photographer/Sparks Studios – Atlanta


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New and Improved Krista of Pope High Video High School Senior Photography with Creativity !!!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 Posted in Class 2011, High School Seniors, Portfolio


Hey everyone… I got some very cool new video software last week and wanted to show off some favorite photos sessions. How about this new and improved High School Senior Portrait session with Krista of Pope High School? More to come in the next few days !!! Created and Produced at Studio Sparks Atlanta. The music comes from my licensed collection. Wow …

 

Enjoy !!!

 

Live – Love – Laugh

Don S.

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