Why choosing the right image for your floral portrait matters:
There’s magic that happens when your favorite photo is laid in with flowers that hold meaning.
Whether it’s a simple, everyday moment that you captured on your camera roll, a vintage photo of your mama, or an image from your wedding - combining your photo with pressed flowers gives it that glow up that can’t be matched by an Aura frame.
In order to curate the best image for your portrait, whether you’re thinking of mailing in your image for a custom order,* or attending one of our floral portrait classes, we’ve put together a guide to help you pick the best image for your piece.
*Please note custom order floral portrait booking will re-open February 2026.
1. Choose a Size That Gives Your Portrait Room to Breathe
When working with a frame size of your choice, startingwith a photo that’s roughly the same size is totally fine, but here’s the secret:
✨ Your main subject should take up no more than one-third of the photo.
Why? Because we’ll be trimming away the excess to make space for the flowers to bloom around your figure.
If your subject fills the entire frame, the blooms won’t have room to play, soften, or surround the image in that airy, botanical way we love.
A quick trick:
-
Measure the opening of your frame.
-
Place your printed photo on top of your selected size.
-
Note how much “breathing room” is left around your figure.
If your photo feels tight - like your subject is crowding the edges - just size down the image or choose another with more negative space.
2. Look for Gentle, Even Light
Light is everything. It shapes the mood of your portrait, the harmony between your image and the pressed flowers, and the overall softness of the piece.
The best light for our floral portraits is:
-
Diffused light (think: cloudy day, shade, soft window glow)
-
Golden light (early morning or late afternoon, warm and dreamy)
Try to avoid photos with:
-
Harsh shadows
-
Strong directional light
-
Dark or contrast-heavy areas on the face or background
Those shadowy lines can clash with the delicate feel of pressed florals and pull the eye away from your subject.
We do offer gentle light touch-ups for custom portraits, but starting with an image that’s already well-lit gives you the most beautiful result.
3. Let Us See Your Eyes (Most of the Time)
Eyes carry the spark, the story, and the aliveness of the figure. They’re the first thing we’re drawn to whenever we look at portrait art. That’s why we suggest choosing a photo without sunglasses.
Unless, of course the sunglasses are part of your iconic vibe.
4. Mind the Cropping: Keep Limbs and Angles Natural
Cropping can make or break a portrait—especially when flowers are added.
Here’s what to look for:
-
Make sure your Portrait or 3/4 figure* is comfortably inside the frame.
-
Avoid arms, hands, or legs being cut off at odd angles. They can look accidental or distracting once framed with florals.
-
If it’s a ¾ view, ensure that arms and hands aren’t sliced off in a way that feels abrupt or unnatural.
When in doubt, choose the version of the photo where your figure feels whole and grounded.
Clean, intentional lines help the florals flow around your portrait rather than fight against it.
*Portrait in this instance refers to chest, shoulders, and face. ¾ figure refers to above the thigh up to the face, in which case hands and arms are part of the image.
This image is an example of 3/4 figure.
5. Props Are Welcome—If They Add to the Story
Props can be beautiful in your portrait, just make sure they’re part of the mood, and not a distraction.
Some lovely prop moments:
-
A bride and groom cutting their wedding cake
-
A child holding an umbrella or a beloved plushie
If the object helps tell the story or evokes the memory you’re capturing, it belongs. If it feels random or visually chaotic, it might pull attention away from both the flowers and the subject.
Let the props be part of the scene and not the scene-stealer.
6. If You're Joining Our Floral Portrait Workshop: Bring Extras Copies
For workshop students, here’s a little insider wisdom:
-
Bring multiple copies of your photo—sometimes you end up preferring a different crop once the flowers come into play.=
-
If you’re using a vintage original, please don’t bring the only copy you have!
Have a high-quality reprint made so your heirloom stays safe.
Think of these extras as your backup plan for undo. When working with original art in this matter, taking a few steps backwards requires some planning ahead.
7. And Most of All… Choose a Photo That Feels Like You (or the person you love)
The best portraits start with images that carry a favorite moment, a memory, or that little spark of nostalgia mixed with joy.
And truly, that matters far more than how polished or “perfect” the picture looks. It’s the candid ones- the unposed smiles, the in-between moments, the ones that bring back all the feels. Those are the images that hold the real magic.
Choose the photo that makes your heart catch for a second. In the end, your portrait becomes a quiet keepsake of that memory, wrapped in blooms.
Questions? Send me an email at charina@orchidandpine.com. I'm happy to help you with your project.
With joy,
Charina