Being a Portrait Photographer in Rockwall, TX, and one who specializes in Composite Photography, the only limitation you have with your One-of-a-Kind Portrait is your own imagination.
That said, I’m frequently asked the question, “How many people can I add to my Family Portrait?”
Of course, the easy answer to that question is, “As many as you want”, but there are a few things you should consider when deciding to add aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces to your Amazing Portrait.
So, put down your checklist for a minute, because this article may change who you want in your Family Portrait.
Things to Think About
Honestly, the purpose of your Photillustrator Portrait is to make you happy and smile, so you can add as many people as your little heart desires.
I guarantee your Portrait will look Amazing!
Now, you may be wondering, “Why does any of this matter if my Portrait is going to look Amazing”, but these considerations may help your Family Portrait look even Amazing-er.
Battling Personalities
You, and everyone else in your Creative Family Portrait, have big, fun personalities that will each be highlighted in your Portrait, and each will be competing for viewing real estate.
Of course, it’s natural for some personalities to project a little bigger than others.
The more personalities you have in your portrait, the more difficult it will be to highlight everyone equally.
Also, remember your pets, who have individual personalities you’ll want to include.
Family Gathering (13 people, 2 dogs, & 3 ducks)
Big Portraits for Tiny People
Because your Photillustrator Family Portrait is created using Composite Photography, which allows you to do anything you want, you will likely be enticed to stuff as much as possible into your Portrait.
This may sound like fun, but remember, Tiny People make Bigger Portraits.
As you add more people and pets, to your Portrait, each character will shrink in size, making it more difficult to see each person when viewing your Portrait on your wall.
This means the more people you add to your One-of-a-Kind Family Portrait, the larger the canvas print will need to be so you can enjoy each of the personalities of your family.
Of course, there are other factors dictating the best size for your Family Portrait, including viewing distance and wall space.
Flying Through South Dakota (3 people & 1 dog)
A Characters vs. B Characters
I view each of the people in your Photillustrator Portrait as characters, and like in a movie, you will have what are called “A” Characters, “B” Characters, and even sometimes some “C” Characters.
What kind of Character role will you be taking?
From my experience, most families like to give their kids and dogs the role of “A” Character, while mom and dad tend to be more of a supporting, “B” Character, role.
If you’re a parent, you know you’re always playing the supporting role.
The more Characters you add to your Family Portrait, the more difficult it is to give your “A” Characters as much attention as they deserve, so they stand out in your Portrait.
Just make sure you delegate the role of each character within your family so each of the personalities shines.
Rick Fairless’ World (15 people & 3 dogs)
Resurrecting the Dead
Whether it’s a parent, child, or pet, including passed loved ones is a frequent request I receive, and oftentimes an emotionally sensitive subject.
You can absolutely include those loving family members who have passed.
There is, however, a right way to add those meaningful people and memories into your Family Portrait.
Rather than actually adding your parent, child, or pet to your Portrait, which can be a little creepy and will always remind you of your loss and their passing, I highly recommend adding one of their personal items instead.
Symbolizing your loved ones’ life with an item that’s close to you allows you to include them in a special way without the constant reminder of your loss.
Gone to the Dogs (1 passed dog & 1 passed cat)
That’s a Wrap
Like I said at the beginning of this article, this is your Family Portrait and my TOP PRIORITY is that it makes you happy and smile, so I will include as many people and pets as is necessary to make this happen.
In art, there are no absolutes, so we can literally do anything we want.
So, take these only as suggestions to help you determine how many people is the right amount of people to include in your Creative Family Portrait.
My Father passed away 30 years ago he never got to see his grandchildren and great grandchild he left my 3 sisters my brother and me i wanted to know how much you charge to make a portrait of us
That depends on what you want. My Signature portraits start at $4,850 with an average of around $6,200.