Today's blog post is a special one for me. Not only did I get to go back to my hometown in Defiance, Ohio to photograph a senior session, but the senior herself is my sister Isabelle! It seems crazy that she is a senior this year and will graduate in May. It seems like yesterday she was off to kindergarten and now she's off to graduate!
During senior sessions I always recommend preparing well ahead of time. Here are my top 5 ways to prepare for your senior session and why these are so important:
Pick 2-3 outfits that you love, but make sure you try them all on with the undergarments you will wear to make sure there's not a see-through situation or weird wrinkles where you don't want them. If you want to be sure you look amazing, take a photo and send it to your photographer and they'll give you their opinion! Nothing wrong with going the extra mile to love your photos even more when they're done.
Pick locations that mean something to you! For this particular senior session, Isabelle wanted to go to a specific park with these specific swings because she's spent a lot of time there. Going some place familiar will also help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera. I always recommend people checking out my blog and IG for location recommendations.
Props, props, props! I absolutely LOVE it when my clients bring props that mean something to them to a shoot. If you play an instrument, have a letterman jacket, twirl a baton, play a sport, or love to read books, bring them to take photos with.
Keep yourself looking natural. No spray tans, excessive makeup, or worry about getting rid of the braces or acne before your session. Spray tans can cast an orangey tone that can make you look really unnatural. Excessive makeup can make you look like someone else- especially if you don't wear that much makeup on a regular basis. Braces and acne are a part of being in high school, so embrace the look and know that eventually those will fade. Plus, I can mask out acne in post-production. *wink wink*
My last tip is to research what poses you like ahead of time! Make a Pinterest board of ideas, or send me photos you're really drawn to. That way we can plan ahead for posing and locations to get the exact feel you want for your photos. I love to be creative in the moment, but if you're a planner, feel free to plan!
I hope these tips help when you're thinking or planning ahead for your senior session! For more blog posts like this, click here!
-Meghan
