Any tips for artists’ portraits/photos?

yes … photos are important. i had one up when i started my blog, then i took it down because i had a blog stalker for about a year. taking the photo down didn’t mean that this mean-spirited person wouldn’t know what i looked like. it just made others who followed the blog want more of me … like that picture i had removed. so, the picture is back now. i blog almost daily. i have disabled comments, so that people have to respond to my email directly, and life (and art) are good. light! Cherryl Floyd-Miller http://cherrylfloyd-miller.blogspot.com

Casual, informal portraits feel better than the posed portrait studio type. They end up looking more like high school yearbook pictures. Use available light, either indoors or out. Outside overcast days produce a more even, flattering light than overhead direct sun which makes eye sockets look like black holes. Avoid direct flash on camera. It’s the most unflattering light of all. Caveat: A good professional photographer can do all the things I don’t recommend, because he/she will know how to comensate.

A photographer friend told me that the secret to relaxing in front of a camera is alcohol 😉 But seriously, I had a ton of photos taken with my husband behind the camera, it took a while but taking lots increased the odds of getting one I liked. My Blog photograph has copped a bit of comment, good and bad, I chose a cheeky photo which people either love or hate. I think it works with my style of artwork, but I guess it isn’t for everyone – do you think an unusual photograph can adversely affect your career as well?

I’m not a photographer, but my husband is and I’ve learned a lot of good tips. Keep your chin down and look up at the photographer. That positioning hides your neck and will make your eyes look bigger and helps prevent that closed, squinting wrinkle. (If possible, have the photographer positioned a step above you, which results in an attractive angle.)Pay attention to your surroundings. We like props. I’m a writer, so we positioned me at a desk with a pretty print, my journal and a pen in the shot. (www.thewordywoman.com)We did a press kit photo of my husband signing prints at the same desk (it’s an antique rolltop), which was picked up by several local papers and magazines and is now on his website as well (http://www.visualimpressionsart.com/content.html?page=2). The tips above about natural light and taking lots of images (no big deal with a digital camera) are good advice. Dress appropriately. Artists are creative; no one expects to see you in a business suit, but you want to look cool, not crazy. No need to smile, either, unless you want to. If you can be engaged in an activity, it will make you less self-conscious about the camera. One last tip: go to other artists’sites for ideas–you’ll get a much clearer idea of what you want and what you don’t. Good luck!