Dress

ARRIVE EARLY
In order to be prepared to start shooting on time, please arrive 15 minutes early.

CLOTHING
While solid colors usually works best in photography, bring a variety of looks. Bring some solid colors as well as some fun patterns. We will do a variety of outfits during your photo shoot there are three (3) standard outfits we want to start with.

First – make sure to have something dressy that will stand the test of time and that would be what we call “the parents outfit(s), it is best to do one or two outfits that mom will like first and then put your imagination to work!

Your second outfit – this one should be an all dark outfit. These type look best for black and white portraits and allows us to do something special and artistic.

The third outfit – this one should really reflect YOU and your personality on an everyday basis. Most typically this is a casual outfit. Jeans are always a huge favorite, but should be the outfit that screams “This is ME! Be sure to coordinate all of your outfits very carefully, including shoes, hats, jewelry and other final touches for each outfit.

Long and three quarter length sleeves draw more attention to your face, rather than your arms. Try to avoid horizontal stripes – there tend to make you look wider than you actually are. All white short sleeves are also know to make you look heavier. Please bring a variety of color and remember large plaids or prints do fine. Also, vary the style, all one look (t-shirts) gets boring. Vary dress/skirt lengths, some dressy and some casual.

If you have any wardrobe questions be sure to give us a call well in advance of your session, we don’t want to be taking up YOUR session time deciding on outfits.

Our senior experience packages are unlimited changes which means the faster you change the more varied looks you will get. We suggest you bring double what you think we will do so we have more to pick from.

Make sure that all of your outfits are complete. If you are in a suit or evening gown, don’t forget your dress shoes. Group your outfits together on hangers. This will prevent wrinkling. Wrinkled clothing will really show up on camera.

HAIR AND MAKEUP
Avoid trying new styles prior to your portrait date. If you want to make your day even more special have your hair and makeup done by a salon/spa (if you don’t know of one let us know. Makeup shows up differently on camera. We can get you setup with a make-up artist for about $75. Bring all of your makeup with you for repairs as needed.

ACCENT ITEMS & PROPS
BRING THEM! Bring props that help define you. Sports equipment, sports uniforms, musical instruments, etc. Sunglasses, hats, scarves, pets, best friends and your car(s) are also some popular props. It’s better to have too many than not enough.

MUSIC
BRING YOUR FAVORITES! Music helps spice up the photo shoot. It helps create great moods for moving and just plain having fun and your taste will differ from mine and your fellow seniors. You can bring your own MP3 player or iPod or let me know what types of music that you like so that I can put some together.

SUNBURN/TANNING
Tan lines and peeling are not attractive in portraits. Avoid sunburn! Stay away from the sun and tanning beds for at a week before your session. Uneven tan lines or blotchy tan spots, though they don’t look bad in person really show up on the camera.

NAILS
Your nails WILL be in your portrait. Make sure they are cleaned up and if possible get a manicure prior to your session. French manicures work the best and tend to stand the test of time (and clothing changes better than most).

FRIENDS AND PARENTS
Friends or parents are welcome. They can be a help. However, if you can’t relax in front of the camera with mom and dad watching, it may be best to have them wait. You can have a couple of shots with a boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend or sibling at no extra charge.