HELLO GORGEOUS
I’m so excited about your upcoming senior session!
This guide contains a lot of information regarding outfit selection,
hair and makeup, and preparing for your session.
Please read it thoroughly, as most frequently asked questions are
answered right here in this guide!
Approximately a week before your session, I ask that you send phone pictures of your outfits via text or email. I will develop a plan for our time together, matching outfits to locations where I think they will photograph well! This guarantees your session experience will be custom to you!
Your session will begin at a predetermined location which I will communicate to you. Please try your absolute best to arrive on time! As a natural light photographer, your senior session is scheduled around the time the sun sets. Once the sun is set, we can no longer shoot.
OUTFIT TIPS
Choosing what you will wear for your photo shoot is a huge decision than can make or break your senior portrait session! I know that sounds dramatic....but, if you accidentally wear something that isn’t flattering on camera or something you don’t feel confident in, it can ruin the experience for you! So, here are some of the best ways to choose what to wear.
Stuck on what to wear? I’m here to help!
Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks to help guide your outfit choices!
When planning your outfits, make sure you have a VARIETY of looks! I tell all of my seniors to choose from these possible categories: dressy, casual, cozy, sports-related, preppy, or edgy. I recommend choosing 2-3 categories that resonate with you and find outfits accordingly. This provides a beautiful array of looks and your final gallery of images will have nice variety.
Above everything else, be true to your own
personal style!!
1. Mix it up
Dresses and skirts look stunning because they really flatter every female body and look great on camera! Long, full-length, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos. Cute, shorter cocktail-length dresses also photograph beautifully!
Pair your dresses with heels and your legs will look fabulous.
2. Say Yes to the Dress
picture perfect
Once your outfits are selected, it's time to focus on getting yourself picture perfect!
Hair
Makeup
nails
skin
Hair
nails
makeup
skin
I highly recommend all my senior clients invest in professional hair and makeup. Professional hair + makeup artists are TRAINED to do hair + makeup so that they photograph well. If it is in your budget, hiring a professional for you hair and makeup will make a drastic difference in the quality of your photos - they know how to get it all just right for the camera - and clients always love the final result.
1. PROFFESIONAL
HAIR & MAKEUP
Remember, we are typically shooting senior portraits in the heat and humidity of Iowa’s summer months. Your makeup + hair styling need significant staying power to withstand 3 hours of shooting and multiple clothing changes! If makeup is not applied correctly, you run the risk of it literally melting off your face as the shoot progresses. If you need a recommendation for hair and makeup, I have several go-to makeup artists I can recommend. You’ll LOVE them! Just let me know and I’ll send you their information!
2. heat & humidity
PETS
Our dog is huge part of our family, which is why I love when seniors choose to incorporate pets into their session.
Keep in mind that bringing a pet along means that we’ll need to choose a pet friendly location. For this reason, I recommend planning for your pet to be at either the first or final location of your session. Please plan a designated helper to bring them or take them home. We won’t use the pet in every single photo so it’s also nice to have a friend available to hold him or her in between shots.
If you’re going to bring a pet, I recommend exercising your pet before the session. It's also a good idea to bring a squeaky toy and lots of treats! Depending on your pet’s fur type, it might also be a good idea to groom them before the shoot.
flats or flip-flops for walking between
photo spots
touch-up makeup
brush and hairspray
bottled water - you'll need a lot!
snacks - looking gorgeous takes energy!