Congratulations! You made the decision to love your senior pictures and may be wondering what you need to do next. If you haven’t already downloaded our free “Senior Pictures with Style” guide, download your free copy today since it is a quick guide on how to look good for senior pictures.
So, how do you prepare for senior pictures? Don’t worry! If you’re well prepared, you’ll be able to handle any situation. Based on our experience photographing 100’s of Seniors for their senior pictures, there are the essential things to do and bring with you.
But, before you do anything, find an inexpensive airline carry-on size suitcase with wheels and telescoping handle. Better yet, use a garment bag with hangers. Something with lots of pockets and internal storage areas is best. This will ensure your clothes look their best! You won’t regret it!! NEVER stuff your clothes into a bag. Remember, EVERY WRINKLE will show in your pictures!
Now, on to the list on how to prepare for your senior portrait session to get the best photos …
Preparing for Senior Pictures
Hair and Makeup
The best advice is to pack as if you were going out of town for the weekend and you didn’t know where you were going or whom you were going to meet. The key is, BE PREPARED. Even if you are using one of the hair stylists or makeup artists from our Creative Team, chances are, they won’t be with you on-site during your session. So, be sure you bring at least the following:
Everyone:
- Mirror (ALWAYS have a mirror with you!)
- Hair brushes, combs and picks
- Nail clippers, emery boards and tweezers
Girls, you have a few extra items to bring:
- Standard makeup kit including several shades of powders, eyeshadows, blushes and lipsticks.
- Nail polish, nail polish remover and cotton balls
- Facial tissue and makeup removal wipes
- Hand and face moisturizer
- Hair clips and scrunchies (to hold your hair back if needed)
Wardrobe
You’ve hopefully already given a LOT of thought to the “looks” you want to capture. If not, browse through the latest copies of some of the more popular style and fashion magazines (Elle, Vanity Fair or Glamour for Girls and GQ for the guys) at the newsstand to get the ideas flowing.
You want your face to be the focal point, not the distracting clothes. Regardless of the actual clothing you select, solid colors are usually better than items with small patterns, stripes, etc. Also, depending on the location, “natural” colors are usually better than “artificial” colors. That is, if you can’t find the color in nature (e.g. bright fluorescent colors) it may be best to leave them at home. Finally, make sure you avoid anything with words printed on them. This means you should probably leave the concert t-shirt from your favorite band at home.
Are you still stumped? Take a few minutes to look through some of the pictures in our Style Guide to get more senior pictures clothing ideas:
Also, give careful consideration to clothing accessories that you want to use in your session. They are often key to a GREAT look! Create the drama you want with proper accessories and not “loud” clothes. For what it’s worth, it is often better to go for the over-stated look since small and subdued objects (i.e. small post earrings) will get lost in the photo and may end up being more of a distraction.
Finally, girls, if you are planning on wearing a dress for your session, consider wearing a pair of boyshorts that match your skin tone underneath it.
Creature Comforts for Your Session
- Comfortable shoes in case we have to do a lot of walking
- Water and other beverages to help stay well hydrated
- Snacks, energy bars and other goodies to munch on
These “creature comforts” go for everyone participating in the senior pictures session including: Mom, Dad, siblings, significant others, pets, etc. Pay careful attention to #1 – Comfortable Shoes. It is okay to have great looking, uncomfortable shoes for the pictures. However, if you choose to do that, at least bring some comfortable walking shoes since some locations are very large and we may be walking for a while as we move from photo spot to photo spot.
There you have it! Without getting into the specific details around different hair styles and wardrobe ideas, these are the things you should bring with you at a minimum.
Can you think of anything we missed? If so, share your thoughts by leaving a comment below! 🙂
Have you scheduled a session for senior pictures yet? If not, please call us at 313-883-9500 or use the contact form below and we will help ensure you LOVE your senior pictures!
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