Portraits · Guide
Preparing for a portrait session
Think about what the photographs are for, and what feels like you. Clothes, setting and timing can follow from there.
When portraits matter
Couples come to us for portraits after a proposal, on an anniversary year that means something, ahead of a milestone birthday, or when a family wants to mark a stage before the children change again. We also see more founders and small-business owners booking editorial founder portraits — a calm, considered set of frames meant to live on a homepage or a press kit, not on a phone. The timing question has a short answer: when you can feel that this version of the people in the frame will not last forever. For couples rather than individuals, see our Toronto pre-wedding guide
Studio or natural light
Our Toronto studio is set up for controlled, even light — useful when you want a clean editorial register, a consistent backdrop across a family group, or a quiet space without weather or onlookers. Outdoor sessions across Toronto and the GTA lean into the city itself — soft window light along the lakefront, the muted greens of the Don Valley, the residential calm of Riverdale on a weekday morning. Neither is better; they hold different moods, and we will help you pick based on what the portraits are actually for.
What to wear and bring
A neutral palette (cream, slate, stone, soft black, deep navy) holds up in most Toronto light. Layered options matter more than a single statement piece — a jacket, a knit, a shirt change keeps the session from feeling like one long take. Bring one thing that means something to you: a ring you always wear, a pair of glasses, a book, a small piece of jewellery from your mother. For family sessions, dress the children for comfort first; tight collars and stiff fabrics show up on faces within fifteen minutes.
The Orchid portrait register
Calm, editorial, unforced. We are not trying to make you look like a different version of yourself — we are trying to find the version of you that is already there on a good day. Real expressions over performance. Considered light, considered space, an unhurried session that ends when the frame is right rather than when the clock runs. For more on the longer arc of portrait work we do, see the portraits service page
Sitting down for a portrait
The most useful thing you can do before a portrait session is decide who the portrait is really for — yourself, your family, your future, your work. When you know that, the rest falls into place quickly, and we can help with the rest.
When you’re ready
Check availability