SENIOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
Wardrobe – Avoid heavy prints or patterns, bright colors or light colors like white. Your face and eyes are what you want everyone to notice in your photos, so wear dark colored clothing that flatters your figure (think deep neck shirts, layers, colored shirts and jackets and the like. Try to keep the clothes “slimming,” as the camera does add weight. Make sure any undergarments such as bras and underwear are cut for your outfit and match color accordingly so they don’t distract from the images.
Hair and Makeup – Having your hair and makeup professional done is always best. If that can’t be arranged, we understand. Utilize the following tips whether you use a professional or do your makeup yourself: Keep makeup natural and clean. Use a good foundation to make your skin appear as clear and clean as possible. We do edit your images for skin imperfections, but it’s best to have as perfect a complexion as possible to start with. Girls, be careful to blend your foundation so you don’t have a visible neck line. Your eyes are the biggest part of your images, so be sure to make your eyes dramatic, they will be what everyone is looking at in your images. Be sure to bring makeup for touch-ups as well. Your hair is also very important. Since we shoot on location, the weather is often a concern; be sure to bring lots of pins and hairspray to keep fly-aways in check. Bring a mirror if possible. Also, don’t neglect your nails. They will be seen in the images, so they should look as great as the rest of you does!
Outfit changes – We like to have you do two different looks for your session, and depending on how quickly you can change outfits, you may be able to do more. What’s most important though, is not how many outfits you can change into during the session, but how many great images you get in whatever outfits you may have. Our focus is on several quality images, not several outfits. Outfit changes take time, so keep that in mind when planning your looks. Two great looks is more than enough for any session.
Props – Absolutely. Props that relate to who you are, your favorite hobbies or sports, etc. are a great way to really show you for you. Be sure to bring outfits that go with these props, as it would look pretty silly if you were into fishing but you were wearing a miniskirt and heels while holding a fishing rod. Keep it real so the images are believable. If you’re on the baseball team, bring a bat, glove, ball and a sporty outfit.
Everything Else – Always be early. Early is good, as it gives you time to talk with us for a few minutes before you session, and allows you time to do any last minute prep before we get started. We don’t punch a clock, but once your session time starts, we definitely won’t keep adding on to the back end if you’re running 10, 15 or 20 minutes behind. If you are scheduled from 4PM-5PM, we are going to be wrapping up around 5PM regardless of when we started. Also, by running late you are limiting the number of locations and wardrobe changes we can fit into your session. Plus, it’s just polite to be on time.
TIPS FOR WEDDINGS, MATERNITY AND OTHER SESSIONS COMING SOON!