Ellen's "after" portraits, Daniel Taylor Photography

Ellen loved her "after" portraits we photographed at Soho Square in Homewood, Ala. Daniel Taylor Photography

That’s exactly what happened last month when we got an e-mail from Ellen Morgan, the event director and wedding goddess of Rosewood Hall at Soho Square in Homewood, Ala. Ellen also handles events and catering for the legendary Michael’s restaurant nearby, in the cool Aloft Hotel. She couldn’t put her finger on what bothered her about photos from a recent session that a friend had done for her. Ellen thought the two best were the smaller ones you see below our big “after photo.”

Ellen's "before" portraits.

Ellen's "before" portraits.

Technically, the photos are fine, but Ellen didn’t feel she looked her best. I have no idea if Ellen went through this thought process, but women often blame themselves for needing to improve something to look better in photographs–shop for something new, get a different haircut, change their make-up, lose weight, gain weight. Lighting, angles, styling and attention to detail can make the world of difference in your portrait, engagement or wedding photos and capture the very best of you. Scroll down for our tips to love your photographs.

Ellen at Soho Square in Homewood, Ala. Daniel Taylor Photography

Daniel Taylor Photography

Daniel Taylor Photography

Daniel Taylor Photography

Here’s what we did with Ellen, who absolutely loves her new portraits. BTW, these photos have virtually no Photoshopping, primarily just standard correction we do on every photo.

1. I carefully chose her wardrobe to include structured jackets, fitted tops with scooped or open necklines, flattering colors and interesting details that the camera loves. I even checked her Facebook photos for ideas on what worked best. Want to suck the life out of yourself and add the appearance of phantom pounds? Put on something pale and unstructured.

2. I untucked Ellen’s hair. This woman has gorgeous hair and an incredible haircut, but because she’s a busy professional, she’s in the habit of tucking it behind her ears for work. When we untucked it for photos, voila! The work of art her hairdresser created to frame her beautiful face was in full glory.

3. We went on shine control duty. Ellen has gorgeous skin, but the camera picks up shine even the naked eye doesn’t see. Ellen didn’t have professional make-up done. I simply powdered or blotted her about every 5 minutes during our session. Yes, a photographer can Photoshop out shine, but many don’t take the time or don’t notice it. Shine will ruin the best of photographs and make the subject look like she just ran to have her photo taken after a spinning class.

4. We photographed Ellen from her eye level or slightly higher. Ellen has legs that go on for miles, and many photos taken by friends are at her chin level, which isn’t the most flattering angle for most people. This is a trick I learned when I was a TV news reporter and it has been my personal secret weapon ever since. We always bring a small step-ladder, but we also sat Ellen down on a bench to achieve the same results in some photos.

5. We always pose at an angle. Facing the camera with square shoulders, directly addressing the camera makes you look bigger than you actually are. This is one of many reasons celebrity police mugshots aren’t flattering.

6. We used professional lights. We used a flash behind a white photo umbrella to bathe Ellen in a soft, flattering light. Daniel also added a warm gel for extra natural glow. I can’t explain it, you need a professional photographer for this one. But it’s another reason that bringing in a pro can give you results you’ll love and be the envy of your friends.

This is one of my favorite moments from our Spring 2009 wedding season. This is Ashley O'Hara Spencer when she first saw her groom, Stephen, at their Birmingham Botanical Gardens wedding. Daniel Taylor Photography

]]> http://www.danieltaylorphotoblog.com/dtp-named-one-of-top-5-wedding-photographers-in-bham/feed/ 0