Your golden years are a time when you’ve most likely discovered your best set of friends, when you have a family of not just your own children but also grandchildren, and when people of all ages go to you for advice. All is well, and it shows in your face. Sometimes, it’s great to immortalize these feelings in pictures.
A lot can be learned from people just by looking at their photographs. As such, it’s important that you portray yourself in the way that you’d like to be remembered, so people can understand you more even through a photograph.
Are you ready to have your portrait taken?
Here are some tips to help you achieve great portraits in your golden years:
- Remember to communicate your desires to the photographer: Having good photographs take two (2) major steps – first is getting yourself a headshot photographer, and second is to communicate your intentions to them. Opt to hire professional photographers, such as those from JA Headshots, as they have the equipment and the skills to help you achieve the portrait that you and your loved ones can keep for the rest of your lives. Also, don’t forget to tell the photographer what your expectations are, so they can meet them for you.
- Do your hair: When you have a headshot taken, especially for a portrait, always remember that the hair is an integral part of your presentation. Hair, when messy, can make your portrait photo look unpleasant. This means you’ve got to make sure you’re well-groomed and you feel confident about your looks.
- Bring your ears and chin forward: If you want to emphasize to your facial features, do something called ‘turtling.’ Just like a turtle, bring your ears and chin forward. This accentuates your neck and your jaws properly, therefore giving you the contour you need to set your face apart from your body. This emphasizes various parts of your upper body as well.
- Lift the arms if the picture needs your upper body to be seen: If you’re having a portrait of yourself with your upper body seen, make sure your arms aren’t on the sides. This pose looks awkward and unnatural. Instead, raise your arms a bit to show space and emphasize the natural structure of your body; you can place your hands on your hips or cross your arms in front of your chest. This also helps accentuate parts of your body that you want to be seen.
- Turn your body to the side with your face maintaining contact with the camera: When you’re the subject of a portrait photo, don’t let your whole body face the camera. Tilt your body and turn your shoulders to the side so your chest width doesn’t occupy all of the frame. Turning slightly to the side also gives you a slimmer profile and your photo will look natural and effortless. This is also a good pose if you are the CEO or in a supervisory position.
- Look away from the camera: You can also have a photo of you looking away. You can include another object in the photo to focus on. This pose creates a dreamy and intriguing look that can be a good conversation starter for those looking at the photograph.
- Show your nose in the photo: When trying different poses and angles, especially when tilting your head, don’t let your nose “break” the outline of your face. This will make your nose look bigger than it is and can even distort your facial features.
Get the Best Photo in Your Golden Years
Your golden years are undoubtedly some of the best times of your life – you get to see the fruits of your labor, you get to impart wisdom to young people, hang out with friends, and you simply get to enjoy your life. One of the best ways you can immortalize these memories is by actually taking portraits of yourself, your friends, and your loved ones. Get stunning portraits by following the tips above.
Guest post by Joshua Albanese
Joshua Albanese is portrait photographer and owner of JA Headshots photography based in Chicago, Illinois. He is owner and master photographer for JA Headshots photography which specializes in corporate headshots and business portraits in Chicago’s West Loop Neighborhood. He is also the owner of Joshua Albanese Photography which is focused on actor headshots and creative headshots for musical artists alike. He created the Natural Shot Method and teaches his style of positive psychology for all headshot photographers. Headshots have grown into a “must have” with the importance of personal branding. It’s his belief that a professional headshot has become a modern-day business card for business professionals. Joshua and his Wife, Caitlin and their two cats live in Chicago, IL where he is focused on community development, and growing the youth into leaders. Joshua studied photography and acting at Indiana University Northwest and learned the art of the headshot from his acting background.
[All photos compliments of Joshua Albanese]