Local Photographer Gives Summer Photo Advice

Do you cringe when you hear the clicks of the camera?  Do your friends “untag” pictures you took of them after you upload them to Facebook?   

Summer is finally here which means it's camera season again!

We sat down with Caitlin Wood at her Thames Street studio, Photography by Caitlin, to gather some secrets on how to make a "good impression." Learn how to look your best at this season's proms, weddings, graduations and parties with these insider tips from a pro. 

How to flatter your body in pictures...

• Sit up straight, no body type will photograph well with poor posture.
• Lean forward slightly - the slight angle is slimming to the body
• Push your chin up or out. Caitlin says the most common complaint people have is a bulky appearance to their chin.  The slight stretch of the chin will create a smooth chin line and accentuates the jaw line.

What to wear at an event...

• If it’s an outside event, Caitlin recommends an updo, or your hair will be in your face for all the pictures.   
• Solid white and black clothes tend to photograph well 
• Make sure you wear something that suits your body, not too tight and not too loose
• If you want to make a statement, Caitlin says a red can be a stunning contrast outdoors

Behind the lens? How to take pictures like a pro....

• Always shoot at a slight angle. A straight-on shot broadens the shoulders, which will make the subject appear bulky
• Pictures shot from above are typically more flattering
• If people are camera shy, Caitlin’s trick is to joke with the subject.  You can get great candid shots of people laughing

Caitlin Wood has been in the photography business for five years and opened her studio in downtown Newport, Photography by Caitlin, last December.  She specializes in weddings, babies, familes and senior portraits, but has covered a wide range of subjects from animals, landscapes to boating.  Caitlin studied photography at Colby Sawyer College in New Hampshire.