Senior photos can be extremely stressful! Choosing what to wear, where to take them, who's going to take them, and when you want them taken are all factors that add to the hassle of senior photos. After getting mine done this August, I have come up with a few tips and ideas to help you make your photo shoot experience as stress free as possible!
1. Create a color story. Choosing what colors you primarily want to wear will help you not only pick your outfits, but it will also help you decide on a location and season. Warm bright colors such as yellow, orange, and even white are best for spring and summer. Local parks and nature centers are perfect locations for warm weather shoots. Greenery, blooming flowers, and unique areas like rivers and lakes are all at your disposal when creating props and backgrounds to utilize in your photos.
Warm darker colors like red, burnt orange, brown and cooler tones such as deep green, purple, and black are perfect for fall. Similar to spring and summer the outdoors are a great location for fall photos, especially when the leaves start to change color and the weather beings to cool down. Shooting in the fall also means you can break out your favorite sweater, jeans, and boot combo!
If nature isn't really what you had in mind, don't fret, industrial or city photos are just as beautiful! Choose your favorite down town area or a spot with architecture you fancy to create photos with that city vibe you've been looking for. Regarding your color story, make sure to check out the location you've chosen before taking your photos to get a feel for the outfits you want to wear.
2. Make up. Whether you have your make up done professionally or you do it yourself, I've found that it always helps to take photos in natural light before you head to your shoot. After taking your selfie or having someone take your photo check to see if you need to add some color to your lips, if your mascara is just just how you like it, if you've added enough color to your face, and all that jazz.
One of my biggest tips is to pack a little make up bag to bring on your shoot!! We all know the dreaded forehead shine that can appear when taking photos. In order to avoid that bring either oil blotting sheets or translucent power to dab on your T-zone (forehead, nose, chin). Make sure to also throw in some Q-tips to clean up that mascara that always loves to run on the lower lash line. Lastly, with all that smiling you'll be doing pack some chap stick or gloss to freshen up and hydrate your lips!
3. Be you! If a certain pose feels unnatural don't be afraid to switch it up or ask your photographer for some ideas. Photographers want you to have the best experience and best photos you can, so don't hesitate to ask for advice on backgrounds, poses, etc. Bringing props like an instrument, a baseball bat, a favorite book or anything special to you will help personalize your photos (and maybe even make you feel more comfortable). Being in front of a camera can be intimidating and at times uncomfortable, but I promise you as you get into your shoot it will start to feel more natural! Just remember to loosen up, smile genuinely, and be open to new things.
There are so may options as to who can take your senior photos. Whether it be a professional photographer, a semi-professional photographer (an individual with a nice camera and photography skills), or even an a friend or family member with a mobile device that takes high quality photos; it all depends on how much you want to spend, and how you want your photos to turn out.
Here are some senior photos taken by professional photographers...
1 & 3 taken by Marci Curtis http://www.marcicurtis.com/seniors.html
Instagram @Marcicurtisphotography
2 taken by Molly Grunewald http://www.mollygrunewald.com/
Instagram @Mollygrune
Semi professional photographer
All taken by Kaila Tu https://kailatuphotography.weebly.com/
Instagram @Kailatuphotography
Mobile device (iPhone portrait mode)