What makes some portrait photography so timeless? Why can you look at a photo that was taken years, or even decades ago and not be able to pinpoint when it was taken. Sure, there could be some photographic styles that give it away, but there are ways of ensuring art portraits remain beautiful and timeless. So what are the things that age a photo and how are they avoided so that generations can look at a photo and appreciate it without chiding it for it’s “oldness”.
CLOTHING
One of the biggest indicators of a time is clothing. Choosing trendy clothing is a surefire way to date a photograph. For a timeless look, choose clothing without logos and something that’s either very simple or has been relevant for generations. Unfortunately, even the fit of a shirt can give it away, but wearing clothing that fits just right has always been acceptable.
HAIR AND MAKEUP
No need to experiment with some new hair and makeup style you’ve seen on YouTube. Just keep is simple, beautiful, and elegant. Big hair, no matter what era has always looked great on ladies. I’m not talking about getting a perm, I just mean having the look of healthy, voluminous hair.
LOCATION
After all this work don’t choose a place that will give it all away. A crowded area for example, where you can see cars, buildings, or other people aren’t going to keep your portrait timeless. Choose a place that is free from all these things. Buildings aren’t too bad though! That’s why we love shooting in nature. Other than the effects of global warming, nature will help you attain timeless art portrait photography!
THE ART
Don’t forget the art part now! What the heck does that even mean? There’s a lot of ways to do that, but we prefer to create art through simple composition. That means using simple lines and objects, using positive and negative space, abstract photography and editing methods, and using beautiful, well thought-out lighting in our photos.
Now that you know what timeless art portrait photography is and how to create it go on and snap away!
Jonathan How is the photographer behind Made by Ten and calls Milton his home. He specializes in creating beautiful, creative portraits of real women. He uses photography (and this blog) to help them build confidence and love for themselves and creates artistic images for their homes and offices. You can see him driving around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada from portrait to fashion shoot and back again.