Portrait Planning

Often times, a client will tell me that they want "one of those big 16x20's to go over the sofa". Now, I understand exactly what they are saying, but I think as a professional photographer, it is important that I provide my clients with the best advice possible.

There are those that just don't like "big pictures". The truth is, I don't want want you to have "big pictures" on your wall either. I want you to have the "right size" images on your wall.

Planning for your portrait includes important considerations such as:

  • Where will the portrait hang?
  • Should it be horizontal or verticle?
  • What are the colors in the room where it will hang?
  • What are the best clothing choices for your portrait?

    A beautiful portrait is as important as any piece of fine furniture in your home decor. Taking the time to plan and prepare for your portrait will insure that you enjoy your portrait for years to come.

    Here are a few other important considerations.

    A. The image should fill the wall space.

    Beautiful portraits are important elements of your interior design. Depending on your wall space, you may select a single portrait as the focal point of the room. You may also select several smaller images to make a wall grouping or use as accent pieces. The main thing to consider is that the presentation needs to fill the space where it is shown.


    Hanging an image that is too small over a sofa
    or love seat will look out of place and will get
    lost if it is surrounded by a vacant space.
    A single photograph over the sofa should dominate
    the wall space and be balanced to the size of the sofa.

    B. It is not the size of the photograph...
    it's the size of the subject.

    While the dimensions of the image in this example are correct,
    the size of the subject in the photograph is not. The close up
    pose of the young boy is not a good choice for this particular size.

    Because the space calles for a larger deminsion, a better pose
    choice would be one that is not too close up.

    C. The image size is dependent on the
    usual viewing distance.

    An image over the mantle should dominate the space and fit
    with the verticle or horizontal orientation of the fireplace
    design. An image that is too small will not draw attention
    away from the fireplace and will be difficult to appreciate
    from across the room where you would view it while seated.

    An image that is properly sized will command the attention and
    will balance with the fireplace.

    Narrow wall space such as that between windows and doors create
    a great focal point to hang accent prints which fill the space.

    Stairways are a great place to hang wall groupings and accent sizes
    which feature images that have a timeline. An example would be your
    child's portrait at 3, 6, and 9 months leading up to the 1 year portrait.
    You may even consider individual images of family members.

    Steve Kozak Photography - Serving Dallas/Ft. Worth and Beyond! - 972.601.9070

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