1. Hair cuts and colors should be scheduled at least a week prior so you have a chance to get used to them. Even if it’s just a trim, you want to avoid the “just cut” look or even worse, the “oops” moment.
2. If you pin, share your Pinterest with us! We tell you exactly how to pose but also welcome your ideas and will be sure to incorporate them in your shoot.
3. Drink lots of water, you should do this regardless of photos because it makes your skin look wayyy better!
4. Don’t pick at facial blemishes, leave ‘em (or you will make them worse!) and we’ll edit them out of your faves.
5. Spray on tans tend to look orange in photos so avoid these. If you want to put on a light layer, do it carefully and I recommend you use: Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse (found on Amazon). Be sure you test it out several weeks prior and take a few photos to see if you’re looking beautifully bronzed or Oompa Loompa orange. 🙂
6. Nails and toes – these should be freshly polished without chips. Many say neutral colors but we typically tell our seniors that any colors that are “you” are great ones to show off!
7. More is more – if you’re not sure with your outfits, shoot us photos ahead of time or bring extras for us to help you choose the day of. I usually recommend 2-3 outfits (perhaps one more dressy and one more casual, or one more fun then one your mom loves) and if your passion is basketball, maybe bring your ball and uniform. Basically, if there’s something prop wise that makes sense for your session, throw that in your bag! Oh and clean your instruments so they shine if you’ll be utilizing them at your session.
8. Clothing: keep it on hangers! The wrinkled look is not fun to attempt to edit in photos. Additionally, it’s easier for us to see your clothing options if you need assistance in choosing what to wear.
9. Do bring; q-tips for under your eye mascara in case of smudges (on that note, avoid too much eye makeup, specifically heavy eye liner and mascara as it tends to make your eyes look squinty), lotion for dry areas that are exposed, chapstick (if you have dry lips, for the week or two ahead of time, consistently apply to make this less noticeable), bobby pins and hair ties in case you decide to change up your look, hair spray, brush, mirror, a compact and/ or blot strips to get rid of shine. Honestly, you know what your go-to items are when you want to look your best, so whatever those are for you, make a list the day before and be sure to pack ‘em in your bag!
10. Accessorize – necklaces, hats, jackets, scarves, extra shoes etc. really showcase your personal style and make the session even more uniquely yours. Ziploc bags work great to bring different items so we can lay them out and decide what to use accessory wise.
11. The day before – have your clothing, props etc. ready to go for your session and properly plan to ensure you love the way you look. For example, I like my hair better if I shower at night. If you have certain preferences like this then make sure you’re mindful of those ahead of time.
12. Nude bras under light tops. Black under dark tops.
13. Have a best friend, boyfriend, mom, pup etc. that you’d like to tag along? That sounds grrreat! Just let us know ahead of time and keep us posted if you want photos with them so that way we can preplan a few of these as well. If you’re adding in your furry friend to some photos, bring a friend or family member to help, and share what kind of dog he/ she is as that’ll help us with posing. And P.S. – We loooove dogs; I mean, how can you not?! 🙂
14. We shoot many engagement sessions so our location options do feature engaged couples but you can most definitely envision your senior session at theses spots as well! https://www.sbphotoanddesign.com/engagement-snapshots/ *If you have a park or somewhere with great scenery that is sentimental to you then we can absolutely do a spot of your choosing if you prefer!
15. Avoid shine/ glitter makeup and lotion as you run the risk of it photographing weird.
16. More nuetral colors for lipstick often look better.
17. You’ll be moving around a lot and posing in so many different ways so just be sure you keep this in mind and avoid mini skirts/ outfits that really show cleavage.
18. Shave the day before to avoid redness/ bumps.
19. Avoid stripes (we’re talking “where’s Waldo” stripes, the large horizontal kind) and solid white. Textured white/ plaid is great. Additionally, other solid colors are perfect. Patterns that are too busy distract from you so avoid these.
20. Wear what you’re comfortable in! If it’s your favorite outfit then it’s probably a great choice for your senior photos.
21. Some seniors actually take photos ahead of time to know they love their hair/ makeup/ smile/ outfits/ posing and that can only help you!
*Posing tips: Remember to keep your shoulders back and your chin slightly up. This helps you to maintain a flattering jawline. It feels silly, but I promise looks much better when you do this. Try your best to keep your body slightly turned, this will help you look slimmer than if you were standing straight on facing the camera. Tilt your shoulders toward the photographer, slightly dropped down and keep your hips at an angle. Keep your chin out and your arm gently pressed up against you (the more you push it against you, the less flattering it will be!)
Lastly, if you’ve checked out our senior session photos then you know that we’ve got this so just relax and enjoy your session with us! 🙂
