2 Things You Should Never Do on Picture Day

It’s the moment you have been dreading. Your employer has informed you that a photographer is coming in to photograph the entire staff for the purpose of updating the website. There is even talk of a group photo for a company “Happy New Year” card. Good grief! Are they serious? You hate having your picture taken!

No worries. Here are two simple tips to help you look your best in any photo.

1. Don’t wear patterns or logos.

Patterns (such as stripes) and logos are distracting. The center of attention should be your face, so it is best to wear clothing in solid, subdued colors. Dark colors are especially flattering, because (as you may have heard) the camera tends to make you look heavier and dark colors slim you down.

2. Don’t show too much skin.

The eye naturally goes to areas of high contrast – the brightest brights and the darkest darks – first. If you show a lot of skin, people looking at your photo will focus on that instead of your face.

[Ed. Note: Mark “Ski” Struczewski is owner/operator of Photography by Ski in Houston, TX. For more easy-to-follow advice about how to take great photos and look good in those that others take, sign up for his weekly SnapShots e-zine and his monthly newsletter, It’s All About You! As a gift for subscribing, ETR readers will get a special report: “7 Things You Need to Know About Portrait Photography Before You Spend One Single Dime.”]

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