Choosing a Photograph

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Photograph from which to Create Your Watercolor Portrait:

I would be happy to paint from any photograph that you choose. However, some photographs translate well into watercolor portraits while some are not as well suited to become paintings. Choosing the perfect photograph from which to paint may better ensure that you will be pleased with your finished portrait.

For this reason, I’ve listed some suggestions that may be of help to you while selecting your photograph. Please keep in mind that these are only suggestions and that I am open to working from any picture that is special to you.

Things to Look For:

Photographs that show emotion/candid expression.

Pictures that show an interaction between figures in the photo.

People interacting with their surroundings. Children at play.

SPARK! Pictures that elicit an emotional response from you when viewed.

Things to Avoid:

Studio Photographs. This is an art form in and of itself. The same crisp, deliberate lighting that makes studio photos so wonderful is often the same thing that falls flat when translated into a watercolor.

Pictures that are rigidly posed, especially ones that are of one or more people lined up, staring straight into the camera, with frozen “say cheese” smiles. Note: This applies more for older people. Cute shots of babies and young children are often the exception to the rule.

You may want to make sure that your subject isn’t wearing sunglasses and/or holding a beverage that may obscure portions of, and possibly detract from your final product.

Photographs that cut off body parts should be avoided if possible. This is a very common problem that we can work around if needed.

Out of focus photos.

The huge group shot. (Twenty tiny heads at a family reunion. May be better suited for a skillfully done photo enlargement rather than a painting.)

Tiny people. Big landscape. People with scenery/environment around them are great as long as the people are the focus of the picture, not the landscape.

Baggy clothing or an unflattering pose. Be happy with the way you or others appear in the photograph that you select because I can only copy what I see in that one still frame.

High-Contrast, Black and White Pictures Only:

These are photos that are translated into vivid black and white watercolor paintings. The process involved will only work well for photographs that have bright highlights and dark shadows. Typically, photos taken outdoors in direct sunlight and indoors without a flash and with a strong light source on one side of the subject work best. Indoor flash photos taken looking straight on at the subject will not have the degree of definition required for black and white.

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