Line 'em up

[Celeste McCall]

Hi all,

The best way to improve any portrait, unless you really want it to look exactly like the subject, is to line up everything.

Line up the eyebrows, the corners of the eyes, the flares of the nostrils, the corners of the lips, etc. Line up all vertical lines and all horizonal lines just like a fine building.

And make sure that you could take a rolling ruler and have all of them parallel as well. She will become a Venus. (But you will lose her personality and her likeness).

Some people do this with makeup before going on stage or before having photographs taken. This is a very good thing to do to your subject before photographing him/her. (If they want to look more beautiful or handsome that is, but some like to have an honest portrait).

[ReNae Stueve]

Celeste,

I'm simple minded, to be sure. I've read this over and over and I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Do you mean that we should make note of and reproduce how the features line up or relate to one another both vertically and horizontally?

[Celeste McCall]

Dear ReNae,

It is scientifically proven that babies will look longer at a face that is beautiful. Here is an example of what I'm trying to say. I'm not very good at explaining it though. :

Line up the eyebrows.

Line up the corners of the eyes. Both of the tear ducts should be lined up. And then the outercorner should line up with the other outer corner. I hope that this makes sense.).

Line up the bottom of the outside flares on either side of the nostrils.

Line up the corners of the mouth.

[Michele Rushworth]

Celeste, I think what you are trying to say is that faces that are more symmetrical are perceived as being more attractive. Is that what you're getting at? And yes, it's a fine balancing act between beauty and truth sometimes. Making a person's face more symmetrical does sometimes take away from the likeness.

[Celeste McCall]

Dear Michele,

That's it exactly. Thanks!

Also, here is the picture: This is Evenlyn Nesbit. She is almost perfect.

[Celeste McCall]

By the way, I love the way that the photograph shows all the detail near the face and then fades toward the bottom. Just a beautiful Sarony photograph. He was one of the all time best ever in my book.