Tips for Taking Authentic Senior Pictures

You are starting to feel overwhelmed as the date of your senior pictures shoot gets closer. You can’t decide on what outfits, what props, what styles you want to portray in your photos. Well let us help you out! We have done plenty of these shoots and we have a few tips for you we think might help you make up your mind. So, take a deep breath, and prepare yourself for planning the best photography session of your LIFE!

Tip # 1 – Stay Natural with Your Look

Now is not that time to try out that new daring haircut you have been contemplating. Those bangs look amazing in the modeling magazine but if you have never worn them before, then rocking them out for your photoshoot might be a bad idea. Remember these photos are designed to show the REAL YOU. Not the you of the future, not the you that you have been dreaming of being, and not the you that you pretend to be for your friends or family. It might be way more comfortable for you to pretend to be someone else but trust me in ten years when you are looking at these photos, you will regret not being true to yourself. Not to sound bias, but this part is actually a lot easier for boys than girls. One thing that I will ask girls is to apply your make up as natural as possible. As photographers we can fix your blemishes really easy. But I can not fix too much caked on make up or eye liner running. Please keep that in mind when deciding how you want your look to be. If you are a future makeup artist and applying perfect vogue make up is your thing, then by all means please do what makes you happy. If you are like me and barely wear makeup, or go without most days, then over applying makeup for your photo shoot is not the way to go.

Tip #2 – Just Say No….to Props

Umbrellas, fedoras, balloons, luggage, the list can go on and on.  But, how many of these things do you ever actually use in your day to day life? You want to be edgy, new, and fun, but sometimes adding all these props can really pull the focus of the pictures away from the main star. Now if your heart is really set on having your jersey or your golf clubs there, then please bring those along. We want props that enhance who you are not over shadow. Just make sure not to have so many props that they appear in every shot.  In this case, less is more, and ensure they are staying true to who you are.

Tip #3 – Poses Make the Photos

I won’t speak for every photographer out there but as for me and Landon, we love when a client comes in and isn’t afraid of the camera. The absolute hardest part of our job is getting people into poses. Now we fully understand you are not a professional model and this is not your day job. However, it makes the shoot go much smoother if you have a good idea of what you like and don’t like. You don’t have to look through hundreds of photos to figure out which stance is your favorite. What we suggest is get in front of a mirror and try a few things out. Sometimes what models do is actually super uncomfortable and doesn’t look good with a normal person’s body. You won’t know this unless you try though! Posing in front of a mirror is super helpful because it allows you to see what you look like in certain poses and you are doing it alone so no pressure if you look silly. Getting silly in front of a mirror really helps when you get in front of the camera. You are less shy and awkward and we are better able to capture more authentic shots from you. Also keep in mind that not every shot needs to be super posed either. Some of the most beautiful shots we have ever achieved were completely candid. We strive very hard to make the atmosphere during your shoot relaxing and fun so as to allow candid shot to form. We can play music or have conversations with you to help distract your mind from the scariness of having a camera in front of you. The best thing you can do is take a deep breath and relax.

Tip #4 – Fake Backgrounds are like Fake Tans

If you walked every day to school then taking a picture with a car maybe isn’t going to show the real you. If you lived on a farm, then taking pictures in a big city probably isn’t the way to go. Now if you walk to school but helped your dad rebuild an amazing car, then yes taking pictures with that car would show exactly who you are. If you grew up on a farm but your heart is in the city, then urban pictures would be a great display of who you are. The main point of this tip is to pick your locations and backgrounds just as carefully as you pick out your outfits. Think about the time of year you are having your photos done. Are you wearing a floral summer dress for fall pictures? The backgrounds really help enhance your pictures and bring out different colors. So please, please do not forget to pick your locations carefully. I am super willing to help anyone pick out the best, and most authentic locations for them. I have had gals in the past send me pictures of the outfits they plan to wear and I can help pick out locations to fit perfectly. This seems to be the most forgotten about step when setting up a photo shoot so I beg you please give it some thought and if you are at a loss let us know and we can give you tons of suggestions!

Tip #5 – Own It

This last tip might step on some toes here so I am very sorry. Seniors please take control of your photo shoot! Moms are great but they can be overbearing at times. We know your parents are probably paying for these photos so Landon and I will ensure that you have photos your parents will love. But we also want to make sure there are photos you will love too! Bring a suit for a few photos your mom will approve of, then have a bunch of outfits that make you comfortable and happy. Emotions are not something you can hide in a photo, so if you aren’t happy in what you are wearing or a pose you are in, everyone will see it in your photos. So, make sure absolutely every last detail is exactly how you want it so you are beaming in every photo! Landon and I are great at taking direction and you won’t hurt our feelings if you want to be a little bossy. We actually encourage it! We want you to give us direction and let us know if you are comfortable or not. Be open and honest. We will give you our professional opinion of course to make sure the photos turn out, but these will be completely You photos.

There you have it! Our top tips to help you plan the ultimate glam fab photo shoot. As always leave us a comment to let us know your feelings!