Your business portrait makes a strong impact on how people see you. When preparing for a photo shoot, we give consideration to the appearance of our hair, makeup, and clothes—often forgetting how color can affect the results.
Here are some quick tips to help you look your best:
Quick Portrait Don'ts
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Avoid the “driver’s license" effect when using a flash against a white wall. |
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Beware of the “floating head” effect when dark clothes are paired with a dark background. |
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Bright colors can draw emphasis away from the face. |
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Patterned shirts are distracting—particularly
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textured background. |
Quick Portrait Do's
Used effectively in business portrait photography, color will catch the attention of your audience and help you communicate your brand message.
The following photos are provided courtesy of
Daniel Payne Photgraphy.
Darker colors like those shown in this image communicate a more formal image. The overall dark background with a bright spot draws attention to the subject’s face. The subject’s dark suit with pin-stripes blends nicely with the black background. Blonde hair really pops in this portrait because of the high contrast with the background.
While a dark background conveys a more formal image, a light background can be an effective way to communicate a younger, more playful image. The subject’s white suit blends well with the white background, and her auburn hair provides a nice contrast.
Earth tone colors from a corporate logo provide a pleasant background for this outdoor portrait which helps to reinforce the corporate identity and brand. The subject’s grey outfit is unobtrusive which keeps the viewer’s attention on the subject and the corporate colors of the logo.
Purple is the favorite color of the subject of this photo. The purple background compliments her dark purple outfit and work to effectively convey her personality.
In the following black & white business portrait, the absence of color forces the viewer’s attention on the subject’s friendly expression as well as his open shirt collar which conveys that the subject is an approachable person.
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Red is an aggressive color and should be used carefully. Red works in this portrait by creating a patriotic red, white and blue look for this subject who is a financial advisor. His personality is outgoing, and the red color suits him well.
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