A professional photograph

Bonjour! Do you know what to look for in a good photograph? What is good lighting and posing? What are the different styles of photography? There are as many methods for achieving a excellent image as there are photographers. I prefer to keep it simple and easy. Why? I like to make it as easy as possible for you. Holding a pose and smiling can be hard! In this blog post I am going to cover the first question. What to look for in a good portrait.


The background should be simple. There should be no horizon lines or items sticking out of the subjects head.

There should be "catch lights" in the eye at the 11am or 1pm position

A head and shoulders image should have a "vignette" (fading out) only on the part of the image where the body exits the photo. Why? By adding a vignette it draws the eye back into the photo. A vignette all the way does not serve the purpose of a vignette.

Is the subject very bright and the background dark? Too much flash. It can be done on purpose for the effect but for the most part this is called a "flash effect" and it's not flattering.

Flat, Split, and Rembrandt light. I have example on the "Why Choose Us" page. The next time you watch a TV show or a Hollywood movie check out the lighting on the actors faces. It's usually Rembrandt. Why? Because it's the most flattering lighting pattern and it adds dimension. It brings the image to life from just a flat piece of paper to a three dimensional image.

The best time of day to photograph a portrait session in any part of the world is sunrise and sunset. No exceptions. If a photographer wants to take you out at any other time be careful. It can be done but it takes great skill and a great location to pull it off.

In the next blog post I will cover the different styles of photography. Merci! Tricia