General Tips
Scheduling your Photo Session
Your Senior Portrait session will usually take a few hours with clothing and background changes. Plan to block out 2-4 hours for your photo session.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Get a good nights rest before your photo session. This will help keep you upbeat and smiling throughout your photo session and minimize problems such as dark circles under your eyes.
Eat a Light Meal
Eat a light meal before you arrive. It will generally take a couple of hours to complete your senior photo shoot, so it is a good idea to eat a light meal to avoid hunger and fatigue. However, make sure you keep it light.
Clothing Selection
Make sure you bring several extra clothing changes. We admit, your favorite shirt might be cool, but trust us, you’ll want a variety of photos to choose from. Bring clothes you are comfortable wearing, bring formal clothing and bring casual clothing. While we want you to be yourself, give us some creative options to help make you look your best.
Choosing the right clothing is easier than you might think. When selecting your outfits, keep in mind the number of clothing changes you'll have per session. And while there are no "rules" about what to wear, here are a few suggestions on what to bring for each different session choice.
Studio Some seniors dress up a little more for their Studio portraits. But more important than the "formalness" of your outfit is the style. Simple, solid colors work best for this session. These are the portraits that most likely will hang on your walls for a long time, and you don't want the outfit to overpower the image. Your Studio outfits might be a suit or sport coat or shirt & tie (for guys) or a dress or skirt (for girls), or they might be jeans and a t-shirt. Either style (or something in-between) is fine, but remember that the simpler the better
Outside Outdoor portraits should be casual, and so should your outfits. This is the session for jeans, khakis, shorts, tanks and tees. The best colors outdoors are blues and earth tones (olive, green, tan, brown, etc.). Whites and reds do not work well outdoors.
Choices that do not photograph well
Clothes with stripes, plaid, contrast (for example, areas of light and dark), bold patterns and designs will not allow the photograph to feature the individual, but draw the attention to the clothes. Also bring a variety of colors. Don't bring 5 blue outfits even if it is your favorite color. Bright colors like yellow, orange, and red are also distracting. Avoid clothing that has wording on it except for your own school logo. Vary the style, all one look (like tanks) gets boring. Vary the dress level, bring some dressy, some medium and some casual.
Group your outfits together on hangers
It is amazing how many people come in with clothes stuffed in a plastic bag and wonder why they are wrinkled! Make sure they are ironed. Although we have an iron for touch ups, we don't want to waste your time on ironing.
Clothing Styles
Clothing should neither be too tight nor too baggy. Make sure your clothing flatters you. If you think you have large arms, be careful of sleeveless styles, they can make your arms look fuller. Bring as many changes as you wish and we will help you choose. In general, dark colors slim and light colors add weight. Cool colors (blues, greens, purples) and neutrals (black, gray, and white) add emphasis to the face and make it appear warmer and more pleasing in your portraits.
Props
Find a few items that express your personality or maybe items that just look really cool. A good prop can be anything – Sports equipment (soccer ball, football, hockey stick, bat & ball, etc.), sports uniforms, trophies, medals, music instruments (from school tuba to rock guitar), activities (dance leotard and shoes, swimming, hobbies, whatever.) Don't forget your class ring, your favorite old hat, a car, letter jacket and even your pals! That’s right, you best friends can make great props, so bring them along if you want to be remembered forever with your friends. These are your senior portraits – bring anything that helps make them a reflection of you. We can accommodate a pet in an outdoor setting, but not in the studio. If you have any questions or an idea you think might be too crazy, just ask! Bring props that help define who you are. You have the best ideas on how to help create your memories... that is personal and meaningful... to you. Bring anything that says "who you are." Feel free to discuss any ideas you have with us.
Glasses
If you wear glasses all or even most of the time, you’ll want to wear them in your portraits too. The absolute best is to be photographed in empty frames because there is no possibility of glare or distortion from the glass. Check with your optician about either borrowing a pair of empty frames or having the lenses temporarily removed from your glasses. Most opticians will gladly do this for free if you give them a few days notice. If neither of these options is possible, we’ll work around the glare and distortion that glasses can cause by being careful in your poses.
Nails for guys and girls
Your hands will definitely show in some shots. That doesn’t mean you have to get a manicure, just that you want your nails to look OK in your photos. No chipped nail polish, girls! Many casual shots are done barefoot, so don't forget about those toes! Avoid real bright colors. Natural or basic work best. We don't want to draw attention to your neon orange toe nails.
Suntan or Sunburn
When you are planning your outfits, be on the lookout for tan-lines that show. We can certainly retouch them, but that’s one of those extra time things that a little pre-planning can avoid. A healthy tan looks great, but please be careful in the sun the week before your photo session! If you are sunburned, particularly in the face, it’s probably better to reschedule.
Location Photography
We will travel to a few locations for some outdoor photos. There is a portable changing room available for quick changes at any location. There are many wonderful locations within a short drive of the studio or if you have suggestions, please share them.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes, you can. Please limit it to one or two others (parents or siblings are great!) Make sure they know that they are not there to distract you, but instead to assist in getting the best possible photographs.
Facility
You will have a dressing room and a restroom available to you with plenty of mirrors.