Professional Portrait Artist Fi Holt’s Tips for a Top Photo / Photograph

If you already have a photograph for your portrait commission

You can e-mail the photograph you have in mind to me (Contact the artist) and I will assess (free of charge) whether it is suitable for me to work from to paint you a portrait.

If you don't have a photograph for your portrait commission

If you happen to live in the South East of England, and you are willing to cover my transport costs, then I am more than happy to come and take a photograph for you. This has the added benefit that I meet the subject and get some insight into their nature, which always helps me to create a good portrait.

If you don't, here are a few tips for taking the photograph for your portrait:

Avoid ‘cheesy’ smiles. A gentle natural smile is often quite nice and I have also painted some quite strong expressions before, but a forced smile rarely looks good. If it’s to be a casual portrait then you may get the photograph when the person is not aware (easier said than done I realise!)

Think about the lighting. Unnatural, indoor lighting generally creates warmer colours than outdoor lighting.

I’m not saying that’s better, just different. Strong lighting from either side or above can add a sense of drama to a portrait. Lighting from below may look quite sinister.

Traditionally portraits give some commentary about the person and the life they lead. Do you want to personalise your portrait by wearing certain clothing, including particular objects or being in a specific setting?

You don’t have to send me just one photograph. For example, try with and without the flash and send me two or three.

Don’t reduce the file size too much. I tend to paint straight from my pc screen, so it’s a good thing if your photo fills it. Make it of the order of 100Kb rather than 10Kb.