Because senior pictures are such an important part of your Senior year, you might be putting pressure on yourself to have the perfect photoshoot or get the perfect shot. Do you want to know the secret to getting that perfect picture? Be yourself. Achieving perfect images just means capturing the most authentic version of you! However, there are a few tips to keep in mind that will add to the perfection of your photos. Check out these 8 ways to help you plan and execute a perfect senior portrait session!
1. Choose outfits that make you FEEL beautiful
As a general rule, for a one-hour photoshoot we recommend 2-3 different outfits. When picking out those outfits, stick with what catches your eye and makes you feel the most confident. One tip to picking outfits is to use the type of clothing to accentuate the features you feel the most confident about. For example, if you love your collar bone, wear an off-the-shoulder shirt or dress. Another tip is to not obsess over the outfits. If you find yourself obsessing over each outfit, you will find it even more difficult to pick out the outfits you want to wear.
2. Your makeup and hairstyle should match YOUR style
You may be wondering how you are going to get that perfect makeup or hair that will hold it’s shape for your shoot. If you are anything like me, doing makeup can be extremely overwhelming. I always wonder if I've put on enough or maybe I've put on too much. It's always a question in the back of my mind! Luckily, you won't have to worry about that.
3. While having your hair and makeup professionally done is a bonus, it is important that you pick out how you want to wear your hair and the type of makeup look you want. We recommend that your makeup is natural, just a little heavier than what you would normally wear. You likely want to feel all dolled up, but we also want to make sure we capture your natural beauty as well. Using makeup to add to your beauty is what we hope to do! This same idea applies to hairstyles. Pick something that you know you love and have tried before! We suggest soft curls for most of our clients.
4. Nails, waxing, shaving, and tanning
Because your hands are visible in almost every shot we take, having a fresh manicure is a good idea. Plus, it's an excellent way to pamper yourself before your big photoshoot. The trendy thing to do right now is to have bright colors. While that might be very fashionable now, will it be in 20 years? Our hope is that your images are timeless and that you look back and still love those photos. Because of this, we recommend that you pick a soft, neutral color! Often, being tan makes you feel more confident, right? I think so! But, you also want to be mindful of some things as well. One, you don’t want to be sunburned for your shoot! You want that tan to be natural and your skin not to have a red tint to it. We recommend staying out of direct sunlight for at least a couple days prior, or lathering up on more sunscreen if you must be out!! It's much harder to retouch red, sunburned skin than you'd think. Having your eyebrows or lip waxed can give you a fresh look. I know for me it helps me feel more confident! If you want to have your eyebrows/lip waxed it is important that you, do it about a week in advance. Your skin needs time to heal from the wax and waiting a week ensures that the redness or breakouts have time to heal.
5. Practice your poses and smile in the mirror
I know, I know, this sounds silly. But those poses don’t come easy to everyone! Practicing some basic poses can help build your confidence about being in front of the camera. It can be helpful to play with your hand placement, work on your smize (smile with your eyes), and see how different angles change your look. Doing this all in advance will help your senior portrait session be smooth sailing!
6. Personalize your photoshoot
It can be very helpful to look at other senior pictures to help you gain a better idea of the outfits you want to wear, the location you want, the hair you want. However, it is also important for you to create your own vision and make this experience your own. You might be wondering how can I personalize a photoshoot? Well, there are lots of options. If you play an instrument or sport, bring something violin or soccer ball. You could wear jewelry that is meaningful such as a pearl necklace that was your grandmothers. You could pick a new location that has good memories tied to it. There are lots of ways to make this experience special to you. It is important that we capture the most authentic you, so having a personalized session that fits your likes/dislikes is extremely important!
7. Bring someone with you
Being in front of the camera can be intimidating. You might feel self conscious or worried about the final photos. Those worries, we hear you and we understand how you're feeling. We have also been there ourselves! It can be helpful to have a parent/sibling/friend (even your dog!) with you. Having someone you trust at the shoot with you can help you feel more relaxed and they might even be able to get your genuine laugh or smile out of you. So our tip is this, bring someone you are confident around and knows who you truly are. Who would you bring with you?
8. Enjoy this experience
Senior pictures are to be a reward and an exciting experience. That is all we want for you. We want you to know your strength, beauty, accomplishments, and remember who exactly you were at this monumental time. The biggest tip we have is to enjoy the experience. It is our job to nail the shot, your only job is to just enjoy it. On the day of your session, take the day off, maybe do some of your favorite things. When it comes to your hair and makeup, give your input of what you like and then sit back, relax, and enjoy the pampering. Remembering that you are enough and that the tips the photographer gives will only add to who you are.
These 8 tips can add so much to your senior photo session. If you are able to incorporate these tips, we know how perfect of a senior portrait experience you will have. If you'd like to see more examples of my work, please click below.
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