Fashion cropping for Senior Portraits and Headshots – Kathleen Hall Photography Palm Harbor Senior Photographer

Off with their heads!!

Occasionally I get asked about the top of a head in an image and why is it missing?  If you look at the current media, television, movies and magazines, the trend has gone toward cropping into the head in a portrait.  Think about this the next time you view a show.  It is so prevalent that I imagine you never even noticed it.  Not like what they did 20 years ago.  Think back on the portraits on your walls and school portraits.  OK, they look “normal”.  Or do they? Why has the trend gone toward this more “extreme” trend?  Yes, its different and contemporary, but more importantly it has a great deal more impact!  The “rule of thirds” applies in these portraits as well as most artistic works.  The strongest point of impact usually is placed at one of the four connecting points or at least on one of the lines.  Take a look at the images below and you will easily see what I mean. 

 

As your portrait professional, it is my job to give you the finest piece of art you can get and that applies to senior portraits, business headshots, family photos, wedding photography, etc.  Cropping is just one of the tools that I use.  I can’t really use this rule when photographing groups or even when I create a full length image; it just doesn’t work.  But it does work very well with individuals in a closeup or even a 3/4 length portrait.  Especially in seniors and in contemporary headshots or actor’s headshots.  The emphasis goes right to the eyes and the impact on the connection with the viewer is intesified.

I learned early on that you first need to learn the rules and then know when to break them, or apply them.  This can be said about any creative endeavor.  Whether it be a musician, an oil painter or a photographer, the really creative people that make an impact on our lives take and use the rules to create stunning pieces of art for you.

So when you see your head cut off, now you know why!!

Yeah, I did it on purpose!

#whygopro #kathleenhallphotography #headshots #businessportraits #seniorportraits

Let there be space…Palm Harbor Photographer

It’s really the space between the notes that makes the music you enjoy so much.  Without the spaces, all you would have is one continuous noisy note.  Dr. Wayne Dyer

I really enjoyed this quote and it got me to thinking about all aspects of art.  All images gain impact and composition from great use of space surrounding the subject.  Take a look at the family photo below, taken at Cobbs Landing in Palm Harbor, Fl and you can see how the use of space around the subjects give them a sense of privacy and establish the size and relative viewing distance for the the viewer.   If I had zoomed in on the boys and lost the space surrounding them, the image would have lost much of its impact.  I just loved this image taken of Ethan and Ben last week.  The color and the light in this area spoke volumes around the boys as they were doing an activity that was everyday and common for them.  The bond that has been  established by this memory of days spent fishing will be one that is never broken.  I love it when we can incorporate a favorite activity into our portrait session that adds meaning to the final image.     

What should I wear?…Palm Harbor Beach Photographer

I hear this question all the time.  I like to tell my photography clients to coordinate their outfits to each other and to their surroundings.  If you are having beach photos created, as in the portraits below, outfits should look similar.  This doesn’t mean you have to match exactly.  If the colors are similar, then the attention will go straight to the faces instead of the clothing.  You are, after all, having a portrait created of your family, not necessarily your clothing.  The clothes should represent who you are at this time with style and color choices and should be appropriate to the location.  A more urban look might be a little or a lot dressier.  A studio choice could be very dressy or very casual.  We want the family photographs to show your personality.  You might also consider where the finished photograph will be displayed.  If the room is very formal, will a very casual portrait look good their?  Will it look out of place?  Choose wisely to have the colors and style complement you, your family and your surroundings.  The DelDuca family did a great job with just a pop of color on mom to add interest.  And we got blessed with BEAUTIFUL skies that night!

I have pulled some color combinations out of the images to help you get an idea of some other colors that may have worked as well in these situations.  When you pick out your family’s clothes for their photographs, throw all the clothes on the bed together and see if anything looks out of place.  Trust your eye, you will know what you like!  If you are hesitant at all, please just give me a call and I can help guide you in your choices.  I have been doing this for over 20 years with many happy clients.  Let me help make your family photo an heirloom to treasure.  Check out my portfolio on my website to get more inspiration.

High School Senior…(Palm Harbor Senior Photographer)

beautiful high school senior photo One of my favorite images from yesterday with Cassidy.  She came in with her hair done up in a French braid and then let it down for all the rest of the outfits.  What a great surprise when she came out of the changing area and I saw this fabulous hair.  With her porcelain skin and this lace top, I knew this image would be spectacular.  I love to work with young women who are open to doing something different and unique.  The results speak for themselves.  I do hope you love this Cassidy, this is your sneak peek!

Expressive hands…

I just love what hands can say within a portrait.  If the hands are all by themselves, like the first image below, you can tell a full story of the 4 generations represented here of all these wonderful women and women to be…Grandma, Mom, daughters, granddaughter and great-grand daughter.  Then you have all seen the ring photographs of the bride and groom where it tells the story of their new life beginning together and what the rings symbolize.  There are other types of images, like the full image of a group where the family members are all touching each other in a very loving, relaxed way.  And the daddy holding his newborn son, the size of the dad’s hands so protective and just a peek of the newborn’s tiny hands   One of my new favorites is of this image below of a young girl.  The pose, the touch of makeup and the expression all speak of a budding teenager, but not quite.  The soft child like hands tell that this young woman has a little while to go before she truly enters the next stage of her life.  Some of my favorite images.

 

Baby portrait Hands of a 3 generation portrait Portrait of a family portrait of a teenager