Retouched or not? You decide.

 During a shoot, I often show people their images - pointing out little things that can "help" them achieve the final image that they want.  I talk about body position, hair strands, showing teeth, or smiling with their eyes.    But the image, SOC - Straight out of the Camera - is generally a little different than what I'll show you after processing. 

Above photo: no retouching. 

Take a look:
The first image is SOC.  There is no retouching - this is how it was shot.  

This second image has undergone some retouching - but no photoshop. 

Simply, her face was made lighter and brighter, as were her eyes and her teeth.  The slight darkness under her eyes is gone, as is the small blemish near her eyebrow.  A slight silhouetting of the image enhanced it even further, bringing your eyes to her face.

Look 10 lbs slimmer in your next photo session without going on a diet!

     We've all heard that photos make you look ten pounds heavier than you actually are.  Hence when I modeled, I was at least ten pounds underweight.  However, sans the time to diet, and knowing that photoshop is an extra cost and may not be available, what does one do?  Dress to look lean.

    First, pay attention to your wardrobe choices.  A recent post on a photographers' site was about a client wanting a reshoot of her family portraits because she looked "fat".  We are our own worst critics, but, the reason the woman looked heavy was also due to her wardrobe selection which, I may add, was all about bringing the attention TO her.  Breaking it down:  She wore YELLOW pants. The biggest color swatch in the photo!  (The color theme: navy and yellow.)  A better choice would have been for her to wear jeans or navy pants.  (Her husband was wearing jeans.)  Her choice of top: an unflattering light denim shirt that was tugging too tight and which STOPPED AT HER AT HER BELLY. Light colored. To look slimmer, she needed to go with a darker color, not a light one.  And to draw even more attention to her, ahem, problem area, she had a darker colored shirt peeking out just below her belly, like a dissecting band.  Like candy corn, her color blocks went like this - top to bottom: light denim - dark blue stripe - yellow.   Oh, and the boots further cut her body as they were heavy, clunky, and ankle height.

    So, how does one look slimmer?  Create a long and lean silhouette. Choose a dark denim jean with a flattering cut  - straight leg - or a pair that can be easily tucked into boots.  Select a shoe that adds to the illusion: a bit of a heel - think: if you were two to three inches taller, this "weight distribution illusion" helps.  Go with a top that glides over your "problem area" (or areas), choosing a color that complements - yet blends well with the jeans.  If you choose to layer - think again about where the layers dissect you, and make sure your colors work well together.  Need a pop of color?  Choosing a scarf in the contrast color will bring the attention to your face, not your belly.  

    Days before your shoot, pull together the wardrobe you are considering.  Put it on.  Does it create the silhouette you want?  If not, nix the outfit. Nothing in your closet? Use it as an excuse to go shopping.  Your family photos will be shown around to relatives for years - and are an investment in capturing your family for posterity. An investment in your look may also be needed.

  Park City Photographers wants you to look great in all of your photos.  If you are a client and have wardrobe concerns prior to your photo shoot, let us know.  We're here to help.   

#photographer #utah #parkcity #wardrobe #port"photo"lio #dekoff #photo #photosession
#fashion #fashionforphotos 

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Photo Fashion Style - Park City Photographers Deb DeKoff

Always take into consideration colors that work well for YOU.  Red head?  These are some of my favorite tones together!  Also, going almost monochromatic with the tee and jeans will make you look leaner!

2 LooKs in 1o:
Look 1: Start again with the basics: jeans, tee, belt, and boot.
Look 2: Add jacket and scarf.

My Style - Park City Photographers Deb DeKoff by deb-dekoff featuring a pendant necklace