senior portraits      session suggestions

 

What to wear? You have a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear? Here are a few ideas that will help you choose the BEST clothes to wear. Choose a VARIETY of outfits. It's a good idea to include both casual and more formal outfits in your senior portraits. You choose a couple and let Mom choose one or two, that way everyone is happy. For black and white photographs Black and White is very forgiving. White can sometime be a problem if worn outside in bright sunlight. Other than that go for it. Except, DON'T wear logos. Yuck. Who wants to advertise some store/movie/tennis shoes in your senior portraits. Stay clear of stripes! (large bold ones of 5+" are tolerable. Small thin ones will not photograph well. It's best to not use any stripes or solids with 1-2 stripes or lines. For color photographs Also use a variety of colors... for example, if you bring a black, gray and white outfits for a session and are planning on only color photos, you're contacts/proofs will be really drab and boring. These are all good choices, but include some items of color too! The logo and stripes suggestion applies here too. Focal Point in Portraits Your face should be the focal point of your portraits. I like to create close up and full body photos. A loud outfit can distract from the portrait. Unless, of course, you want to do it that way. Long sleeve solids or very subtle prints are usually the most flattering in portraits. Skin Problems? The most common problem we see is sunburn! and tan lines from the tanning salons! Everyone please keep out of the sun a week or two before your session. We often see uneven sunburn from ball caps, peeling skin on noses from recent burns, raccoon eyes from those who were burned while wearing sunglasses. Or strap lines on the shoulders of individuals who wear them outside. Sunburn, uneven tanning and tan lines can not be retouched. Your session will need to be rescheduled. Second biggest problem is clothes that are wrinkled or don't fit. Unless it's the wrinkled look you want. I suggest you don't bring your clothes rolled up in a ball in a backpack. They'll be a winkled mess and they will photograph that way. We also see over and over formal men's shirt collars and sleeves that do not fit. Often due to a bad fitting or borrowed suit items. It is imperative that your your shirt and tie are properly fitted and that your suit/sport coat is the proper size. Outdoor portraits? Be careful of bright greens as they often clash with the greens of the leaves and grass. Black, Khaki, pink, orange, navy, tan, gold, burgundy, dark yellow are good outdoors. We recommend staying away from white, light/pale yellow or other very light/pale colors outdoors. Traditional styles will stand the test of time and keep your portrait looking fresh for years to come. So try and use styles and looks that will remain in style. Otherwise you're portrait will look dated and out of fashion in a year or two. Classic solid sweaters and shirts will always be in style. Some poses will show your shoes so don't forget to bring shoes & socks for each outfit that you plan to wear. Barefoot and sandals! No problem for your casual clothes. And though white socks may be in , they don't photograph well. So bring darker ones too. (just in case they show!) Busy patterns and loud colors can be very distracting in your portraits. Avoid large & bold patterns that might tend to draw attention away from your face.   Props? Props can help to show your personality and record the types of activities you are involved in. Be sure to bring some of your own props to your portrait session. Here are some ideas: Musical Instruments Vehicle (car/truck/bike/cart) you must book a special session for this. They often require we go to a nearby park requires extra time and cost. Leather Jacket Uniform/ball/helmet/shoes/stick/bats, skies, fencing equipment, shot put, swim suit, tennis raquet and balls. Got the idea? Poms/megaphone, cheerleaders don't forget your lollies. Hats, helmets Sports Equipment Sunglasses Pets (check with the studio ahead of time, they are an extra change for additional time/film required. And there are restrictions, we require a handler/pet carrier to tend to your pet during the rest of your session and they can't wait in the studio (As many of our other seniors have allergies) or in a hot car! They can't be tied up outside. Our studio does not provide props. We believe in letting the individual shine, not the props. If you want to bring props, that's great. But they are yours, special and not made up in the studio. Yawn. Final Suggestions.................. Simplicity is the key to a successful portrait. That and all the little elements that come together to create the end result. Each thing you do right will make a major difference in the end product.         Glasses Glare? Lenses must be removed from your glasses. Your optometrist will do this for free if you can't do it yourself. Or... borrow a pair of empty frames from your optometrist that look similar to your own. They'll often do this for free or for a small 5.00 deposit that they refund when you return them. Due to our lighting and the way we concentrate our lighting to bring out your eyes we can not photograph you with lenses in your glasses if you plan to wear them. Contacts can be worn, but often your eyes will be less red and will have more sparkle if you can get by with your contact lenses out. Long sleeve dresses and shirts are MUCH better than short sleeves ESPECIALLY for your head and shoulder/traditional poses. A little Visene will "get the red out" if you have allergies! Outfit and Hair Suggestions............ Coordinate your outfit from head to toe. Darker clothes minimize body size. Keep the tonal range of clothing in the same group, don't mix lights & darks in the same outfit. You should wear your hair in your regular style. Having your clothes fit and ironed is very important! Get a good night's rest, relax and be ready for a great portrait session! To assure a successful portrait, it is best to bring along several additional clothing choices and let the photographer help you choose. Men should NOT have a fresh haircut, but should have a fresh shave! 5 o'clock shadow will show and can't be touched up! If you need a trim, have it done about a week before. Women, don't go get a new style or go to a new stylist that you've never used before.   Pre-Photo Session Consultation ? GIVE ME A CALL ! Please call me for and chat or make an appointment to discuss your session. Let's put our heads together and come up with some unique settings and poses. Let's not get stuck in the regular senior portrait doldrums. Let's get creative! It'll be more fun if we work on the session together! But we need to make sure there are poses that Mom and Dad will like as well.