It’s graduation time and you and your family will want to remember your great accomplishment with a beautiful High School Senior portrait. Everyone wants to look great in the High School Yearbook, but there’s much more to it than that. A High School Senior Portrait session should include much more than just the formal yearbook picture. You should be photographed in a number of different outfits that reflect your sense of style and who you are. As you begin your quest for an awesome Senior Portrait session, follow these tips to get great results!
First: be yourself! Don’t try to look like someone you’re not. Your friends and family love you already, so try to be relaxed and comfortable. If you choose the right photographer and follow the advice in this article–you’ll have fun and look fabulous!
Clothing: your clothing can range from dressy to super casual. Take care that your clothing fits you comfortably and is as wrinkle free as possible. Shoes can be heels and boots or tennies and flip flops. Bare feet are cute too. Avoid shirts with writing on them or big brand logos. Color is great, but skip the really busy patterns- they can distract the viewer from the main attraction-YOU! Sleeves are always recommended for the yearbook picture, but sleeves aren’t required for the rest of your session. Guys- I suggest at least a tie for the yearbook shot, and a suit is even better. Guys and girls: if you’re self-conscious about your weight, sleeves can help hide heavy arms. Darker colors can be slimming too. If you’re still concerned about looking slim as possible, try on a variety of outfits and get the opinions of loved ones and friends. Consider how trendy your outfit might be. I thought I looked pretty cool in my leisure suit years ago–now I just laugh! If I had worn a more classic look, the pictures wouldn’t look so dated (and comical).
Make-Up: go for an everyday look- there’s no need to apply more than usual. Good photographers use great lighting to flatter your look. If you have a complexion problem- don’t stress out! Professional photographers will retouch your final images and you’ll look great. It’s SO common for one pesky zit to pop up the night before your session, so don’t worry.
Hair: wear your hair like you often do: maybe down for some and up for another outfit. Even curl it for one outfit if you sometimes do. DON’T run out and get a perm! Senior Portraits should look like you- not your alter-ego.
Props: This is a personal choice. I like props when they belong to the person being photographed. If you’re a hockey player–bring in your uniform and equipment. Musicians–bring in some music and an instrument. Your portrait session should reflect your personality and interests. I don’t love props when they’re fake looking studio props like Greek Pillars–do you really want to have a picture standing next to a plastic pillar or Southwest theme set? Not so much.
Friends and Pets: We love photographing Seniors with their favorite friends or animals (or both). Just be sure to have someone available to take your pets or friends home after they’re photographed with you. Having them hang around for the whole session can be a distraction.
Choose the right photographer. Do you feel a rapport with him or her? Will they work with you to provide a truly unique portrait experience? Are they creative artists or just picture-takers shooting pose #37?
Last, and very importantly: choose the right photography studio! We believe the best High School Senior Portraits are a collaboration between the photographer and the subject. We offer High School Seniors water and soft drinks during the session, we’ll play whatever music you bring to the session, and we have a good time! It’s a relaxed and creative session without lines of other students waiting to be photographed. We offer a brilliant studio session and we travel to great locations for fantastic outdoor portraits too.
Senior Portraits can be intimidating, but follow these tips and you’ll get awesome images you and your family will be proud of! If you still have questions–even if you’re not coming to our studio–give us a call or email- we love Seniors!