How to Choose the right photograph to work with

Choosing the right photograph can sometimes be difficult, as not all photographs will work well for this technique.  The objective is to have your finished piece easily identified as the subject you are trying to portray.  There are a few guidelines you should keep in mind, when deciding on the photograph to recreate.

First and foremost you should love the image you are looking at, as it will be in full view for many years to come, so try to choose an image that makes you smile or brings back pleasant memories.

Secondly, probably one of the most important steps is choosing a picture that is clear and in focus.  During the editing process you will lose some detail, by having a clear and in focus picture to start with, you will still be able to hold onto the finer details needed to bring your picture to life.

Lastly is to choose a photograph that is well lit.  The picture should not have too many shadows on the subject and you should clearly be able to see the subject, fully.  The picture will be edited, and sometimes you can adjust the lighting and shading of the photo to fit your needs, but if you start off with a well lit picture,  that is half the battle.

Following these three guidelines, you will be able to create a portrait that is very life like, which is the ultimate goal.  Remember a poor photograph, makes a poor portrait.

Till next time.