Tips for High School Senior Portraits ~

 

Clothing and Preparation Tips!

 

For Keith Trammel Creative Portraiture Seniors

 

 These tips are to make sure your senior portraits are the best they can be.

 

 

EVERYONE READ THESE:

 

ARRIVE EARLY

 

If you show up late or not ready, you will have less time in the camera room. Arriving 10 minutes early is generally a good idea.  Arrive too early and you 

may end up waiting a bit.

 

CLOTHING

 

Most importantly... bring what you LOVE.  If what you LOVE does not meet my "recommendations", that's not the end of the world.  These portraits are about YOU.

 

In general, AVOID STRIPES AND PLAID. Solids photograph much better! Also bring a variety of color, don't bring 5 blue outfits even if it is your favorite color. Avoid clothing that has wording on it except for your own school logo. Vary the style, all one look (like tanks) gets boring. Vary the dress level, 

bring some dressy, some medium and some casual. Remember, it is best to do one or two outfits that mom will like, then we can do the stuff YOU like.

 

Our new sessions let you do unlimited looks within your time period. This means if you change fast, you get more variety. Spend all day in the dressing room, 

you get less time in front of the camera. Most people can get 4-5 looks per hour. More if you are quick and work easy. We suggest you bring double what you 

think we will do so we have more to pick from.

 

Some shots are close up, others are full length. Plan outfits completely. It is hard to do a full length formal in your suit if all you brought was big old 

tennis shoes.

 

Also remember, as a general rule, light clothes look better on lighter backgrounds and darker clothes look better on darker backgrounds. So if you prefer dark, bring dark, if you prefer some of both, bring some of both.

 

Group your outfits together ON HANGERS. It is amazing how many people come in with clothes stuffed in a plastic bag and wonder why they are wrinkled! Make 

sure they are ironed. Although we have an iron for touch ups, we don't want to waste your time on ironing.

 

HAIR

 

Avoid changing your hairstyle or cutting your hair right before your session. Let it be natural. Quick easy hairstyle changes during your session are OK, but 

make it quick or you loose camera time. Artificially bleached hair is often not best, in 10 years you might say "What was I thinking??" Bring your hair care 

tools and products with you if need be. It IS ok to show up early in curlers if you need to.

 

Although Keith tries to help with hair, it is hard to know what your hair "is supposed to look like". So make sure you like the look or let the Keith know 

your preferences. Hair style is ultimately YOUR responsibility.

 

JEWELRY

 

Best tip here, keep it simple. We want the attention on you. Big, shiny jewelry can distract from the real subject, YOU. If you have different jewelry for 

different outfits, you might put each set of jewelry in a plastic baggie and hang it on the hanger with that outfit.

 

PROPS

 

BRING THEM!! Bring props that help define who you are. Some popular choices are: Sports equipment (soccer ball, football, hockey stick, hurdle, whatever), 

sports uniforms, music instruments (from school tuba to rock guitar), activities (dance leotard and shoes, swimming, hobbies, you name it!), vehicles 

(motorcycles can come in the studio, cars must go to the park, we suggest more than an hour session for car shots).

 

GLASSES 

 

Most glasses glare! Some prescriptions more than others. Your best bet is to check with your optometrist. Most will "loan" you an empty set of frames similar 

to yours for your photo session.

 

SUNBURN/TANNING

 

AVOID SUNBURN! Sunburn and peeling skin DO NOT photograph well!! Tan, yes, burn, no. If you are a winter or spring session and your tan has faded, you might 

consider tanning. But don't overdue it so you look too fake-and-bake.

 

COMPLEXION

 

We retouch blemishes, so don't worry about minor breakouts. Don't stress about your skin... we can fix it!!

 

PETS

 

Pets are OK as long as they are house broken. It is a good idea to have someone bring a pet, then leave with them after. Or bring a pet carrier to contain 

them while you are being photographed without them. Treats can be helpful to hold a dogs attention.

 

FRIENDS & PARENTS

 

Friends or parents are welcome. They can be a help. HOWEVER, if they distract you, it is best to have them wait in the gallery. You can have a couple of 

shots with a boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend or sibling at no extra charge.

 

WEATHER FOR OUTDOOR PORTRAITS

 

Let's face it, we are at the mercy of mother nature. If it rains, no fretting will do anything about it, we simply have to reschedule your OUTDOOR SEGMENT. 

We will go ahead and do your INDOOR SEGMENT. Don't worry about clouds, they actually HELP! But rain falling IS a problem.  If the weather is questionable, simply call the studio.

 

TATTOOS, SCARS and BRACES

 

Just let the photographer know if you want tattoos to show or not. It is that easy. Scars are not automatically retouched, but can be removed or softened at 

your request. Extensive work may have a slight extra charge. Braces? Don't worry. You could have the tops taken off for your photo session, or we can retouch them out by computer. But don't fight smiling, a braces smile is better than a dorky holding back a smile look.

 

 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR GUYS

 

 

ARRIVE EARLY ON TIME!  I'm a guy... late is normal... don't be late!

 

SHAVING

 

Please make sure you are clean shaven. Retouching stubble costs extra and still does not look as good as a clean shave. Got a goatee that mom hates, but you 

love? Do your casual shots first with it on, then bring a razor and go to the restroom and shave it off for mom's formals. Everyone is happy that way!

 

HAIR

 

Avoid changing your hairstyle or cutting your hair right before your session. Let it be natural. Quick easy hairstyle changes during your session are OK, but 

make it quick or you loose camera time. Artificially bleached hair is often not best, in 10 years you might say "What was I thinking??" Bring your hair care 

tools and products with you if need be. 

 

Although our photographer tries to help with hair, it is hard to know what your hair "is supposed to look like". So make sure you like the look or let the 

photographer know your preferences. Hair style is ultimately YOUR responsibility.

 

COMPLEXION

 

We retouch blemishes, so don't worry about minor breakouts. Don't stress about your skin... we can fix it!!

 

SPECIAL CONCERNS FOR GIRLS

 

There are certain thing girls should be aware of and watch for in their preparation:

 

ARRIVE EARLY

 

If you show up late or not ready, you will have less time in the camera room. Arriving 10 minutes early is generally a good idea.  Arrive too early and you 

may end up waiting a bit.

 

CLOTHING STYLES

 

 Make sure your clothing flatters you.

 

If you think you have large arms, be careful of sleeveless styles, they can make your arms look fuller.

 

Wild to mild. We don't really tell you what you can and can not wear. A little sexy is OK, but don't make ALL of your outfits that way. We photograph 

everything from prom dresses to swimsuits. What one person likes may not be appropriate for the next person. Our philosophy is as long as it is rated PG, we 

can make it work.

 

CLOTHES FOR BLACK & WHITE

 

The black and white "glamour" look that is so popular is best with black clothing. The contrast between the skin and black is what makes them so dramatic. So 

bring some black, wild to mild. Or we have a few things here you can wear for fun. Dark bottoms are also in order.

 

MAKEUP

 

Makeup should only be slightly heavier than normal. About like you might wear in the evening. Mascara should be clean and contain no clumps. So if your 

mascara is old and clumpy, replace it first. Avoid makeup with "sparkles" in it. When you move, it makes a nice shimmer, but in a photo, where you are still, 

it creates a little white spot that almost looks like a zit. Also avoid makeup with an SPF in it. Although it is good for your skin in the sun, the SPF tends 

to create a shine. Summer shine can be controlled by using translucent powder that knocks out shine without adding additional color.

 

HAIR

 

Avoid changing your hairstyle or cutting your hair right before your session. Let it be natural. Quick easy hairstyle changes during your session are OK, but 

make it quick or you loose camera time. Artificially bleached hair is often not best, in 10 years you might say "What was I thinking??" Bring your hair care 

tools and products with you if need be. It IS ok to show up early in curlers if you need to.

 

Although Keith tries to help with hair, it is hard to know what your hair "is supposed to look like". So make sure you like the look or let the Keith know 

your preferences. Hair style is ultimately YOUR responsibility.

 

SUNBURN/TANNING

 

Tan lines are not attractive in portraits. We suggest you vary your swimsuit top or use a tanning bed to minimize any tan marks. Remember to not overdo your 

tanning, skin that looks like dark leather is not the most attractive.

 

AVOID SUNBURN! Sunburn and peeling skin DO NOT photograph well!! Tan, yes, burn, no. If you are a winter or spring session and your tan has faded, you might 

consider tanning. But don't overdue it so you look too fake-and-bake.

 

UNDERGARMENTS

 

It is amazing how many times someone will come in wearing flowered underwear and not realize it is a problem until they go to put on their WHITE PANTS! Or come in wearing a white bra and put on a black sleeveless shirt. Please bring appropriate foundation wear for each outfit. Flesh colored is the best you can hope for. Also, if you need a strapless, bring one. Tucking the straps down usually shows and looks bad. With todays thin fabrics, you might want to 

carefully select these pieces so they do not give unsightly lines.

 

FINGER & TOE NAILS

 

NAILS SHOW! If they have the paint all chipped off, it will show. Many casual shots are done barefoot, so don't forget about those toes! Avoid real bright 

colors. Natural or basic work best. We don't want to draw attention to your neon orange toe nails. And they may look really bad with your next outfit!