There are a few things that you can do to ensure you have the best possible senior portrait session with a ton of beautiful images. Here are five tips to ensure you get great senior pictures!
- Read the material and emails your photographer sends and complete your consultation/prep session.
- Listen to your photographer-you are paying for that advice, be it written in the materials they send or at your consult, so use it! Your photographer has lots of experience with what works and what doesn’t. So, if they say to avoid or bring a certain type of clothing or nail color, do it!
- Loosen up and don’t take yourself too seriously. Being the center of attention for an hour or more with a camera in your face can be intimidating for some, especially if others are watching. I totally get it. The absolute best thing you can do to have fun in your session is breathe, relax, try to be carefree, and sometimes be downright silly! This will create the most natural images.
- Practice posing in a mirror-when it comes to posing for photos some of us are naturals and some of need more guidance. That’s normal! Your photographer will explain how they shoot, what they expect from you, and detail each movement of each pose. With your permission, they may even physically touch you to move an arm or leg, brush off hair, or fix a necklace. Often, they will demonstrate the pose for you. Practicing posing and facial expressions in a full length mirror is extremely helpful! Pro tip-lean toward the camera/mirror, not away from it.
- Get professional makeup. I can’t stress this enough. Even girls who have great skin or seem very skillful in applying makeup don’t necessarily know how to apply makeup for photoshoots. If you get pro makeup for proms or weddings you should absolutely do it for senior pictures. Getting pro makeup gives you a polished look with even skin tone. Make sure and get a natural look and save the glam for prom or styled shoots.
It’s said that your senior pictures are the last professional pictures you will have until your wedding day. Now, of course this isn’t true for everyone, but it does put the importance of this time in your life into perspective. Senior year can be extremely busy, but setting some time aside to complete the prep for your senior portrait session will definitely be worth it! You chose your photographer because of their images, skills, offerings, etc. So remember, listen to and trust your photographer!
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