In my last ColorInsight blog, I shared several handy photography tips that could help you take the best pictures of your color consulting clients. I hope you’ve had the chance to try them out! Today, I’ll take these tips a step further to show you how to create a beautiful group photograph that makes everyone look their best.
The secret? It’s all in choosing one unifying color theme!
Typically, when it comes to composing a group portrait, the photographer will ask the group to wear one color—blue, tan, teal, or whatever they prefer.
Then everyone wears what they have in that color—but what if you don’t look good in that color? Are you destined to be one that looks the worst in the photo? Absolutely not.
A better solution might be to choose a “color quality” instead of a single color to have a unifying color theme.
My favorite color qualities are:
• Shaded – a pure color with black added to make it darker and more low-key.
• Tinted– a pure color with white added to make it lighter and brighter.
• Toned – a pure color with mixed with gray to soften the color
a pure color with mixed with its complement on the color wheel to soften the color but not gray it.
a pure color with mixed with brown to warm the color and make it rich.
Color qualities allows everyone to wear different colors—yet still look part of the group—because they unify the colors by sharing unique color traits.
A Real-Life Example of Color Designing a Photograph
Lisa Gaines, an expert color consultant in Hayward, CA, picked the color quality — shaded — instead of a single color for her family photograph. So, everyone could wear a color that they loved, as long as it was “shaded” with the color black added.
As you can see above, this color decision gave the family picture a unifying theme and the freedom for each person to wear a favorite color. The result? They all look beautiful together, wearing low key versions of their best colors using a color quality that bring them together visually as a family.
This approach to group photography enables each individual to stand out in their best color, while their clothes serve as a cohesive backdrop, allowing all of their personalities to shine.
Vanity Fair’s Approach to Color Designing a Photograph
One of the best examples of color designing a photograph are magazines like Vanity Fair, which has the world’s top photographers such as Annie Leibovitz craft their iconic images.
For example, in the magazine’s Hollywood cover issue for 2017, the unifying color quality of the dresses is toned. Each dress color was softened with black or its complement and then different amounts of white was added to the color. The stars wore colors ranging from the palest blush shades to medium pinks and deeper reds.
Notice when the tonal shade (color quality) of the dress matches the tonal shade of the woman’s skin color—it makes her look even more amazing. When the match is perfect these star’s personality and face shine in the spotlight.
Annie Leibovitz also crafted this photograph and harmonized it by using a softer grayed lighting thoughout which soften the whole tone of the photograph. (Many of us are not going to be taking group photos in such strange light, but if you do, it is definely ART!)
Also, take a look at the poses of each of these women. Based on what you learned in the last blog, how many flattering “S” and “C” posing styles do you see here? Pretty much all of them!
Now take a look at the how the face and jaw is positioned for each star. They are all slightly pushing their head forward and jutting their jaws up and outward just a little. The result here is that their profiles are well-defined and their facial contours look more sleek!
In Summary
The more you know about color, the more fun you can have taking pictures of your clients, family and friends.
You can visually communicate that a group is unified—by not only choosing a color, but by choosing a quality of color.
When you are in doubt ask a color expert to help. Professional photographers are highly skilled, but sometimes it just takes a color consultant’s expertise to bring it all together.
Learn the Benefits of Making Color Work for You!
If you’re interested in how to make color work for you — or want to learn how you can become a color and image professional — I invite you to take one of my ColorInsight classes today. My color sessions start with the same beginner class ColorKINETICS™ because no matter how seasoned you are starting at the beginning is essential. Everyone learns from this class. Then ColorQUICK™ for personal colors, ColorEssentials™ to put your color portfolio together and on and on. Whether you want to become a certified color consultant or just damn good at color choices, I can help!
Contact me, Mary Lou Manlove and have a blast with color.