Many seniors stress before their senior portrait session. Here are some tips and tricks to put your mind at ease. I know this is a lot to read, but if you follow these tips, you will look like a rock star!
* Sleep - Try to get a lot of REST the night before your shoot. Don’t stress over it; trust me - we’re going to have a great time together! If you are getting early AM shots, I suggest applying cold compresses to your eye area for a few minutes before applying your makeup to reduce puffiness. Make sure you EAT before your session so you’re not miserably hungry. If you are bringing family or friends to your session, feed them, too! * Summer skin – AVOID SUNBURN! Not only is it bad for you, but it is bad for your appointment, because we will probably have to reschedule. Red or peeling skin is not a good accessory! Making sure your tan lines are covered by your attire is also suggested. * Acne - Don't worry about having a few blemishes! These will be removed during retouching. * Hair - Don't try a new hairstyle the morning of your session. Play around in the weeks beforehand to see what works and what doesn't. You might even want to have a professional do this for you. Go for a “timeless” hairstyle. Use a little extra hair spray, but not so much that your hair is stiff. Get a haircut at least a month in advance for girls or a week in advance for guys, so that the hair has time to grow a little and look more natural. Don’t do anything drastic that you might regret later! Especially a color change! If you maintain coloring on your hair, try to schedule a color appointment that will give you the right amount of washing before your photos. (Everyone who colors has that “sweet spot” they like better than the first day!) Remember, you still want to look like YOU in your photos. So if you’ve had long hair for quite some time, now might not be the time to get a short haircut if you’re not sure that you’ll love it. Guys – be clean shaven on the day of your session, unless scuff is your signature.
* Makeup - Wear what you usually wear, but slightly darker than normal. Please use care while applying eye makeup (eyeliner, mascara), as your eyes will be the focal point of many of your photos. * Nails - Your hands will be showing in many of your photos. Be sure that if your nails are painted, the polish is not chipped. Please choose a neutral color. Since most of you choose multiple wardrobe changes this will ensure that the nails will look nice with each outfit . Same applies to toenails if you are wearing open-toed shoes. We might do some bare-feet shots also, so make sure your feet look their best! GUYS – this goes for you, too!!! * Shaving - I know it may seem obvious, but don’t forget to shave your legs and underarms if they may be seen in photos. * Glasses - If you wear glasses, please see your optometrist about loaning you a pair without lenses, or have your lenses removed for your session. If this is not an option, I will do my best to avoid glass glare, but there may be an extra charge of $5 per image for glare removal when ordering your portraits. Glare will not be removed from proofs.
* Scars/Birthmarks/severe acne - Scars/birthmarks will be removed only at your request. Please tell me at the time of your session what your preference is. Severe acne may require extensive retouching. If extensive retouching is necessary, it will not be done on proofs, but will be done on the prints that you order, at your request. ACCESSORIES…. * I recommend accessories like jackets, scarves, hats, etc. that can be added/removed quickly for many different looks. We will generally leave all hat shots towards the end of the session to avoid hat hair once it is taken off. Props are always welcome. I discuss this further below.
CLOTHING / GIRLS….
* You'll want to wear what you normally wear, but "kicked up a notch". Add some funky jewelry, a hat, leggings, a scarf, a belt, or some other accessory. Just be sure that the accessory is not so loud that it distracts from you. Mix up your clothing from dressy to casual – Fun stuff you’d wear to hang out with friends (jeans!), and something sophisticated that will work well for sending a photo in with your college applications. Vary the style – for girls, perhaps a long-sleeved shirt, jeans and a cute top, and a nice sundress. The most important thing during your selection is to choose clothing you feel confident in! If you are distracted by pulling pants up or tugging at hems it will show in your photos.
CLOTHING / GUYS….
* For guys, maybe a plain tee and jeans, a button down shirt to put over this, unbuttoned, for an alternative look, and a nice button-down shirt or sweater gives four different looks that are interchangeable quickly. Be sure to run your choices by mom and dad, or you might end up with photos you love that they won’t order for you. Can’t decide what to wear? Bring lots of wardrobe choices, and between the two or three of us, we'll make sure you look your absolute best!
CLOTHING / ALL …. * Hats are great for a few shots, but please don’t wear one to your session and get “hat head.” * Be sure to bring along shoes to match each outfit. (Note, you do not need shoes for beach photos.) * Try your clothing on in advance to be sure it fits comfortably and is flattering. Bend over, sit down, etc. and make sure that you don’t have skin showing where it shouldn’t be in certain positions and that you’re able to do such movements. Make sure each piece of clothing is clean and wrinkle-free. * Regarding clothing colors; dark colors are generally slimming. If you are having photos taken outdoors, wear a solid color or something with a splash of color to it for a nice contrast in your photos. Bring a variety of colors – not 3 blue outfits. * Avoid horizontal stripes, loud patterns, , and shirts with writing or big logos on the front (unless that is part of your personality). Solid colors work best but if you want a pattern, make sure it is large, tiny stripes and designs will often look off through the camera lens. We want the clothes to accent you; not the other way around. If you intend to wear a “strappy” dress or light-colored clothing, be sure to wear or bring the appropriate undergarments that will not show in your photos. Bra strap removal will be done at an additional cost of $5 per image. This is easy to avoid in person, not so easy to remove in post processing. * Do not wear baggy clothing that may give the appearance that you are larger than you really are and avoid tight clothing that you are uncomfortable in, as you may not be able to do certain poses this way. A very short skirt can also really limit the variety of poses that you will be able to do. * Remember that during outdoor sessions I bring a changing tent upon request because bathrooms and other places to change are not always easily accessible. This changing tent will completely cover you, but will only fit one person. What to BRING.... * Props - I LOVE props and especially welcome the ones that are a part of who you are. They can add so much personality to a photo and give it more of a story. Ten or twenty years from now, you’ll enjoy looking back at these photos and remembering what you were like back then. Feel free to bring sports equipment (football, football helmet, ball & glove, batting helmet, bat, mitt, soccer ball, volleyball, hockey stick, pom poms, baton, etc.), sports uniforms, trophies/medals, musical instruments (Can’t bring drums? Bring the sticks!), tap or ballet shoes, sunglasses, iPod, books, motorcycle or snowmobile helmet, etc. If you are a volunteer firefighter, bring your uniform and helmet. Going into the Army or Marines? Bring along something to represent that major change in your life. Bring your CLASS RING if you have one! Bring your VARSITY JACKET if you have one!
* Vehicles are welcome at outdoor sessions (be sure they're clean, inside and out!). I can also take photos of you with your snowmobile, quad, dirt bike, etc. Pets can be included in outdoor shots as well. Please try to let me know in advance if you will be bringing props so that I can come up with some really creative ideas on how to showcase you with them! * People - Parents are strongly encouraged to be present during the entire session. (Mom and Dad – I do discourage barking orders or bickering during your child’s session… remember, this is supposed to be fun, and we want him/her to be happy and relaxed.) Seniors are welcome to bring a friend or two as well. * Your wardrobe changes, of course! Go through EVERYTHING one more time before leaving the house to make sure you’ve got it all. Make sure you bring shoes for every outfit! * Touch-up stuff – lip balm, lipstick, powder, hairspray, etc.
* I bring a wagon with me to my sessions and most of the items brought can be put in the wagon whenever they are not being used.
Posing/Expressions….
I know it sounds silly, but some find this comforting, practice DOES make perfect. Practice different expressions and poses in the mirror before your session. Here are a couple of things to try: Look in the mirror and form a smile with your mouth. Now try it again, this time thinking about whatever makes you happy, and try to let that smile reach your eyes. By this, I mean, do you see how when you naturally smile, the lines form around your eyes and they light up? THIS is what we’re aiming for – not a “deer in the headlights” look. Try some different expressions, such as the dreaded “serious face” or smiling with no teeth showing. See what you like and what you don’t.
This blog is written by Jessica Butterworth, a senior and family photographer at Behind the Shutter LLC in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
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