High school senior pictures have been an American tradition since World War II.
These photographs are timeless and capture teenagers on the brink of adulthood, confident and poised, ready to take on new responsibilities and independence as they prepare to enter college, the military, or the workforce.
For most parents, these are the last portraits of their “child” and are considered very special keepsakes.
It is vitally important that you work with a professional to ensure that this memory lasts forever. Here are several tips to help you plan for your senior photo session.
Clothing
1. Plan your outfits
By plan, I don’t mean throw something together at the last minute. These photos are going to be around for a long time, so it’s important that you choose wisely. My senior photos are still hanging in my parents’ house, and I graduated almost 20 years ago!
Arrange to bring several complete outfits to your photo session. Most senior photo packages include at least 3-4 outfit changes, including: casual, formal, and outdoor. If you are into sports or hobbies, plan on bringing your own props such as basketballs, baseball gloves, etc. More on that later.
Plan other accessories as well: make-up changes, hair accents, footwear, and jewelry. You will likely have several full-body poses, so make sure that your look is complete and put together nicely. Check your clothes for stains or tears, and make sure they are clean and wrinkle-free for your special day.
2. Keep your clothing simple
Try to avoid t-shirts with written words on them. Hollister may be all the rage right now, but will they still be around in 10 years? School logos and letterman’s jackets are the one exception to this rule.
Also stay away from plaid, complex designs, and stripes…especially horizontal ones. You want your face to be the most prominent feature in your photographs, not the words on your shirt.
3. Accentuate your features with clothing
Most importantly, wear clothes that fit. Nothing is less appealing in a photo than clothes that fit like a garbage bag. This is especially true for larger seniors.
Do not wear sleeveless shirts or spaghetti strap tops. Short sleeves are okay, and long sleeves are always stylish.
Square and round face shapes look best with a square-necked top, while slender faces and pointed chins look most appealing with round-necked tops.
4. Color
Solid colored outfits look the best in photos. Try not to wear flesh tones neutral colors such as pink, beige, tan, or grey. These colors tend to dominate the photo and can make you look washed out.
Dark colors have a slimming effect and look the best for those close-up head shots. Be sure to include black, rust, wine, or blue in your formal outfit selections.
5. Accessories
Avoid the urge to include your boy/girlfriend’s class ring or other memorabilia in your senior photo. Sorry, but the odds are very high that you won’t be with the same person in a few years and you will regret having that ring in your photo.
Take it easy on the jewelry in general, this isn’t a bling-bling contest. Gaudy jewelry will draw unwanted attention, so keep things simple and light.
Grooming
6. Leave your hair alone
Senior portraits are not the time to experiment with a new hairstyle. People prefer to remember you by the way you typically look, so there’s no need to do something new or wild on picture day.
Try to have your hair cut at least a week in advance of your photos so that those pesky short ends aren’t sticking up all over the place. Your hair will need some time to adjust. Ladies should work with their stylist beforehand, so that there are no surprises at the last minute.
7. Shave!
Guys should be cleanly shaven or neatly trimmed. Rogue facial hair is extremely difficult to retouch, even for the most experienced photographers. You should know how your face reacts to shaving, so if you have sensitive skin, do not shave right before coming to the studio or you will have blotchy skin in your photos.
8. Easy on the makeup
Ladies, resist the urge to “glam it up” for your photos by wearing more makeup than necessary. Just apply your makeup as you normally would, and if you have questions, apply it lightly or not at all. Your photographer will be able to tell you if you need to apply more eyeshadow or blush, but the general rule is: less is more.
Bring facial powder. A bit of facial shine is perfectly acceptable for the day-to-day, but it can be emphasized in photographs due to the lighting. Have some on-hand in case you need to dab some on your forehead or nose.
9. Blemishes and braces
Don’t worry about them. The more you try to cover them up, the more obvious they will become. In this digital age of photography, most are adept at removing blemishes and braces on the computer. There’s no need to have the orthodontist remove braces for your senior photo, unless you are really self-conscious about it. Just a word of caution though, it’s very expensive.
10. Glasses
If you wear glasses, most optometrists will remove the lenses from your frames at little or no cost. This is the best option, as it removes the possibility of glare and reflections from the equation completely. You can purchase a set of identical frames without lenses, but it really isn’t necessary.
Make an appointment in advance, however. Don’t expect to be able to walk in at the eye doctor’s office on the day of your photo shoot to have your lenses removed.
11. Tans
Don’t overdo it, and don’t worry about getting a tan exclusively for your senior portraits. You run the risk of peeling or red skin, which is very difficult and costly to remove digitally. Avoid spray tans at all costs as they have an orange hue that is very obvious in photos.
12. Don’t forget about your hands and feet
Going barefoot is popular with a lot of senior photos, and your hands will also be in many of the poses you choose. Guys, make sure your nails are clean and trimmed. Girls, be sure to check for chips if your nails are painted.
Posing
13. Practice!
This is especially important for seniors who are notoriously unphotogenic…if that’s even a word. Get in front of a mirror and practice your smile! But take it further than that: practice other facial expressions too. Serious, relaxed, casual smiles, big cheesy grins, all of it.
Work on your body language as well. You want to appear upbeat in your portraits, and your photographer will put you in a variety of poses: hands on hips, seated, crouching, leaning against objects and so forth. Try out several poses at home and see what feels natural to you.
14. Props
Most, if not all photographers welcome the idea of personalization for your senior pictures. This includes sports items, hobbies, musical instruments, even pets. Be sure to ask first, but usually this is not a problem.
Consider other items as well: old trunks, a favorite chair or other small furniture, even a best friend or family member. Be sure to work with props beforehand, so you look natural in your photos.
Other important stuff
15. Bring someone along for the ride
You’re probably going to need a personal assistant on photo day. Mom, dad, sibling, or friend. Whoever it is, make sure it’s someone you’re comfortable working with and not someone who is going to stress you out all day long. Yes, moms…I’m talking to you.
This person should help you relax and take natural pictures. They will help you with outfit changes and help double check to make sure your hair and clothes are in place.
16. Choose wisely
I can’t stress this enough. There are a lot of amateurs out there who simply don’t take good photos. They’re all over Facebook and typically bill themselves as “natural light photographers” or something similar. These are people who bought a camera and think that makes them a photographer.
They are easy to spot, as their images are all heavily processed and trendy looking because they simply don’t know how to properly expose a good photo. Their photos feature off-kilter angles and cut off legs and feet.
A professional will work with you to achieve the look you want, and are not bound by their own “artistic style”. A professional also has the gear to make it happen.
17. Call in sick
Only show up for your appointment if you’re feeling your best. This is a one time deal, and you should feel up to it. If you’re feeling sick or suffered some kind of teenage relationship trauma the night before your photo session, please call in advance to reschedule your appointment.
The last thing you want is puffy eyes or a red nose in your senior portraits. Your photographer will understand.
As a photographer, my goal is to ensure that you look your absolute best on your special day. After all, this is kind of a big deal as most people won’t have an experience like this again until their wedding. Planning ahead is key and will make this busy day more manageable and fun.
Be sure to check out my services, which include packages for seniors. I do not charge extra just because they are senior portraits!
