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Portrait Planning - Clothing and
Color Guidelines


The following guidelines could help you plan
an ideal portrait of your own.

• Highlight Faces

When clothing and props blend or
harmonize with the scene, faces
draw more attention.

Matching background colors and tones to the background or setting will help separate people's faces from their surroundings.

Light clothing (white, cream, beige, taupe, pastels, faded denim, khaki, etc.) will go well with lighter or airy backgrounds, such as sandy beaches, fields of dry grasses or stucco walls.
Dark clothing (blacks, browns, deep greens, earth tones, denim, natural leather, etc.) will blend with richer, dark backgrounds, such as green grass, wooded areas, parks or brick buildings.

Color tones can also be important in portrait images. All colors, even whites, greys and blacks, exhibit tones that are biased to either the warm or cool spectrum of their shade. Warm-tone natural colors, highlighted by muted yellow, orange or red shades, will blend well with fall foliage or late afternoon sunlight.

Clothing, backgrounds and props with bright colors and bold
patterns will usually distract the portrait subject.

For a portrait that will remain timeless, avoid clothing with bold stripes, intricate patterns, prints or polka dots; choosing solid, muted colors whenever possible.
One out-of-balance element will compete for the viewer's attention.

The "center of attention" should most often be the faces of a portrait's subjects. Avoid contrasting elements in your portrait, such as white shoes or socks when photographing against darker backgrounds, or outdoors against green grass or dark trees. Conversely avoid dark clothing with light backgrounds.

Feature the face, the eyes usually tell the story!

To create a center of attention keep the portrait's focus on people's faces, by minimizing other competing elements such as bare shoulders or arms. Whenever possible choose long sleeves and covered knees to help lessen distractions from a person's face.