clothing to make them look their best. Here are some common problems that
should be avoided.
Poor Fit.Clothing that is too tight affects the subject’s ability to pose com-
fortably. It can also cause indentations in the skin and reveal bulges. Conversely,
clothing that is loose-fitting will add weight to the person in the portrait—and
you do not want excessive fabric to make a trim subject’s arms look large or
their waist look thick. (On a similar note, shoulder pads, such as in blazers and
suit coats can also be problematic and make your average subject look like a
linebacker.)
Wrong Undergarments.Many women forget to bring in the proper un-
dergarments. They bring light-colored tops, for example, but only have a black
bra—or they bring in a strapless top and they don’t have a strapless bra. In this
case, they either have to have the straps showing or not wear a bra, which for
most women isn’t a good idea.
Unkempt Clothing.Some men (okay, most men) tend to be more sloppy
than women, which means that the clothing they bring in often looks like it
has been stored in a big ball at the bottom of their closet for the last three
months. Many also show up with clothing that used to fit ten years ago when
it was actually in fashion. A headshot of a businessman in a rumpled suit or a
shirt with missing buttons is not going to inspire much confidence, so this is
something to mention to clients before their session.Clothing that is
too tight affects
the subject’s ability
to pose comfortably.
Strapless tops require strapless bras to
look their best.