Quick Guide to Making a Grandmother’s Portrait
In my family, grandmothers are sacred.
One of them I never had the chance to meet. She died young therefore I grew up hearing stories about how angelic she was, about her traditions, beliefs, and unconditional love for her children, my mom.
My other grandmother lived to be 102. When I was in high school, I learned a new language just so I could speak with her. For me, she was the top of the mountain.
I begin with their importance because I believe it’s the reason why we should put more effort into making a portrait of them that stands beyond the everyday snapshot.
WARDROBE
Today grandmothers dress in a wide variety of ways from modern to classic. Therefore, I would pull from the personality of her particular style and turn it up.
For Modern: A crisp white button-down, A heavy textured over-sized sweater, A form-fitting piece.
For Classic: An elegant dress they feel beautiful in, A piece of textured fabric like silk or satin, Something with lace.
SETTING
Find a window in their home or yours, preferably an area with a textured wall, a special window sill, or unique wall trimming.
Less is more, therefore I like to find elements that are already part of the home instead of adorning the photo with vases, art, and plants. Remember, it’s about them, their beautiful features you love so much, and the expressions you can capture.
POSING
For the most light, position her facing the window (with your back to the window as you take the photo).
For a moody capture, have her stand to the side of the window, still with her face toward the light. You can ask her to move from one side of the window to the other if you want to try various angles.
EXPRESSION
Let conversation guide the moment, as she stands in each spot, ask her an open-ended question about someone she loves. For example, “Tell me about when I was born.” She will likely begin to remember the beauty of that moment and give a smile. Snap away while she speaks.
Ask her to take a deep breath, relax her shoulders, and give you a smile through her eyes. Snap, snap, snap.
With just a bit of time given to wardrobe, setting, and chatting, there’s a good chance that you end up with something on your smart phone’s photo album that is a bit “extra!” The biggest tip: Have it printed.
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