WHAT TO WEAR, HAIR & MAKEUP TIPS.


What to wear. WHAT NOT TO WEAR. HAIR & MAKEUP TIPS. GLASSES. BRACES. ACNE.

Here's a step-by-step guidance:


  • What to wear:

 - Choose outfits that reflect your personal style and make you feel comfortable & confident.

 - Opt for timeless and classic pieces that won't look dated in the future.

 - Consider the location and theme of the photoshoot for outfit inspiration.

 - Experiment with pops of bright colors to add visual interest.

 - Don't forget to coordinate accessories and shoes with your outfits.

-When choosing outfits, choose different colors. If all the outfits are the same color, close ups will only show the one color and look like you were wearing the same outfit in all pictures.


Girls:

  • What color outfits, how many and what style:
  • Solid colors in natural tones like white, blue, green, gray, and cream work well with most backgrounds and are especially good for close-ups. Jewel tones like emerald green, deep red, and royal blue are also flattering. Avoid bright neon colors, which can be distracting. 
  • Patterns
  • Simple patterns like stripes or small florals are better than bold, busy prints. 
  • Clothing
  • Flowing maxi dresses and skirts are flattering on all body types and look great on camera. They also add movement and dimension to your photos. Dresses with long fabrics or trains photograph well. 
  • Jeans with a cute top that's in style and or jean shorts.
  • Accessories
  • Classic jewelry and accessories like a simple necklace and earrings are usually all you need. Avoid anything too attention grabbing. 



  • Hair:

 - Keep your hairstyle simple and natural, so it doesn't distract from your face.

  • I always recommend getting your hair & makeup professionally done, it's one less thing you have to worry about the day of that can cause you a lot of stress. Let the professionals pamper you and make you look and feel your best.

 - If you cannot get your hair and makeup done, practice your makeup look beforehand and make sure it enhances your features.

 - Use long-lasting products to ensure your hair and makeup stay in place during the photoshoot.


  • Makeup:

-Aim for a natural, slightly enhanced look by using a matte foundation, subtle eyeshadow shades, a light blush, well-defined brows, and a lip color close to your natural lip tone; avoid heavy makeup, excessive shimmer, or anything too dramatic, as it can appear unnatural in photos. 


Key points to remember:

  • Natural skin: Opt for a light, matte foundation that evens out skin tone without looking cakey. 
  • Neutral eyes: Choose soft, neutral eyeshadow shades that enhance your eyes without being too bold. 
  • Defined brows: Groom your eyebrows to look neat and well-shaped. Wax or pluck a few days before shoot to ensure redness & swelling is gone.
  • Subtle blush: Apply a light touch of blush to add a natural flush to your cheeks. 
  • Minimal shine: Avoid shimmery products, as they can create unwanted reflections in photos. 
  • Natural lip color: Choose a lipstick or lip gloss that closely matches your natural lip color. 
  • Lips: The week of your shoot (boys & girls) put vaseline on your lips at night & chapstick on during the day to prevent chapped lips for your pictures. Also, drink lots of water.

Do's:

  • Mascara: A coat or two of mascara to define and lengthen your lashes. If using fake eyelashes, make sure they look natural.
  • Concealer: Use concealer to cover any blemishes or dark circles under your eyes. 
  • Powder: Set your makeup with a translucent powder to control shine. 
  • Eyeliner: A thin line of eyeliner can subtly enhance your eyes. 

Don'ts:

  • Heavy foundation: Avoid applying too much foundation, as it can look unnatural in photos. Also, make sure your foundation on your face matches your neck color.
  • Bright eyeshadows: Stay away from bright, bold eyeshadow colors. 
  • Glitter: Avoid using glitter as it can be too distracting in pictures. 
  • Overly contoured cheeks: Keep contouring subtle to avoid harsh lines 
  • Dark lip colors: Opt for lighter lip shades instead of very dark lipstick. 


Consider a professional: If you want a flawless look for your senior pictures, consider getting your makeup done by a professional makeup artist who can tailor the look to your features and suit the style of your photos. 

 - Bring touch-up essentials like blotting paper, lip balm, and hairspray for quick fixes.



  • What not to do before a photoshoot:

- Stay away from excessive sun exposure that could lead to sunburn or tan lines.

 - Avoid trying new skincare products or treatments that could cause skin reactions.

 - Don't experiment with drastic haircuts or hair colors right before the shoot.

 - The week of your shoot, avoid eating heavy, greasy, or unbalanced meals that could make you feel bloated & or cause break outs.

-Don't wax or pluck your eyebrows the day of or before your shoot.


When choosing what to wear for senior photos, you can consider the following:

  • Colors
  • Solid colors in natural tones like white, blue, green, gray, and cream work well with most backgrounds and are especially good for close-ups. Jewel tones like emerald green, deep red, and royal blue are also flattering. Avoid bright neon colors, which can be distracting. 
  • Patterns
  • Simple patterns like stripes or small florals are better than bold, busy prints. 
  • Clothing
  • Flowing maxi dresses and skirts are flattering on all body types and look great on camera. They also add movement and dimension to your photos. Dresses with long fabrics or trains photograph well. 
  • Accessories
  • Classic jewelry and accessories like a simple necklace and earrings are usually all you need. Avoid anything too attention grabbing. 
  • Location
  • Consider the location of your shoot when choosing what to wear. For example, if you're shooting in a sunflower field, you might want to avoid wearing yellow and dark green. 
  • Makeup
  • Apply makeup normally, but you can add a little extra blush or eyeshadow to avoid looking washed out. 

GLASSES:

  • If you wear glasses, you can ask your optician to remove the lenses from the frame for your photo session. This will prevent shadows on your lens that is sometimes hard to prevent and hard to remove.

BRACES:

If you wear braces, know that photoshop can remove braces if you would like that option, this would be outsourced and an extra fee.


ACNE:

  • If you suffer from bad acne, photoshop can remove acne, but it is also very time consuming and this does require an extra fee for editing.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU’VE BOOKED YOUR SENIOR PORTRAIT SESSION, AND IT’S GETTING CLOSE TO YOUR BIG DAY. AS A SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER, ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS I GET IS: “WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO MY SESSION?”

OTHER THAN YOUR PERFECT SMILE, YOUR UNIQUE STYLE, AND HYPED ENERGY, I’VE CREATED A LIST OF 15 MUST HAVES, GOOD IDEAS, AND OPTIONAL ITEMS YOU MAY WANT TO BRING WITH YOU TO YOUR PHOTO SHOOT THAT WILL ONLY ENHANCE YOUR SENIOR PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE FURTHER. 

Must-Haves

NUMBER 1:

Outfits. You’ve spent weeks curating your looks down to 3-5 jaw dropping styles and you’ve been tossing them into a corner, or piled on that catch-all chair. Now, more than likely they’ll have tons of wrinkles that need ironing. Please do not show up with your clothes stuffed into a duffle bag and pull them out when you are already on site. I will not waste hours in Photoshop editing out what could have been prevented beforehand. The difference is shocking. Hang your outfits together by outfit in your car to keep them from creasing in transit. Your images will thank you for taking that extra time getting them photo ready.

NUMBER 2:

Accessories. The most overlooked item is the icing on the cake. You’ve spent weeks finding that perfect outfit and are so excited to finally wear it that you completely forget those items that make it shine. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, sun glasses, hats, scarves, belts, all add interest and sparkle to any image. Don’t forget to pack them too! Pro Tip: hang your outfits together on one hanger and include all your accessories so that you won’t miss a thing, including undergarments and shoes specific to that outfit.

NUMBER 3:

Water. Your session could take up to 3 hours, and I may make you climb, hike and work your way through the session. Especially if your session date is in the summer, temperatures can spike in the late afternoon and reach well over 100 inland and hydration is key in keeping it fun and cool during your shoot. Let that $$$ Stanley cup shine and fill her up, she’s about to showcase!

NUMBER 4:

Snacks. If you’re anything like a normal teenager then you know exactly what it means to be hangry. You likely haven’t had much to eat the day of your session as you run around getting things buttoned up. Probably skipped breakfast and even lunch, and now you’re sitting with your stylist for hair and makeup on an empty stomach. Trust me, you’ll be wishing you could stop off at the nearest Mickey D’s as we head to our first location, and we won’t have time. So, pack a few items that are easy to munch on, as we travel from location to location that won’t drip or spill on any of your outfits. Something that will keep your blood sugar from dipping mid sesh.

Good Idea

NUMBER 5:

Chapstick, Lip Gloss, Lip Stick. With all that smiling we’re about to do more than likely your lips will need some retouching, or simply some moisture. Cracked lips, or dry lipstick just isn’t going to be annoying, but they’ll be front and center in every photo. If you have a tendency for dry lips best to bring some backup so we can keep your kisser looking plump.

NUMBER 6:

Hair Brush. Not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but it can get pretty windy around here, and even though your stylist sprayed a ton of hairspray, if we’re headed to the beach, we’re going to need to do some touching up. And by touching up, I mean some serious mane control. Pro Tip: A bristly brush can calm down those flyaways without pulling all the way through to the scalp, leaving the top smooth, but also keeping those curls tight.

NUMBER 7:

Hair Control. Things like hair spray, bobby pins, and those clear mini hair rubber bands can help in situations where the wind just won’t let up. We live on the coast and weather can be unpredictable, so it’s best to be prepared when a situation out of our control arises.

NUMBER 8:

Lotion. If you have dry skin, lotion will be your best friend. You should be moisturizing daily a few weeks before your session, but in case you forgot to moisturize before you headed out, that lotion bottle will come in handy.

NUMBER 9:

Toothbrush. Ok, hear me out…if you are snacking in the car then you most likely have something in your teeth. A dry toothbrush can quickly scrub those front-and-center pearly whites and clear any debris left behind by your hangry snacking binge.

Optional Items

NUMBER 10:

Music. Bring a portable speaker and your curated senior photo shoot playlist and let’s get this party started! We’ll dance all the way through your session, and keep the energy high til sunset.

NUMBER 11:

Mosquito Repellant. No explanation required on this one, however any mosquito, tick, or bug repellant is always a good idea. We’ll be walking through and sitting in tall grass, rocks and nature, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to spray yourself down to prevent an itchy situation later.

NUMBER 12:

A towel. If you plan on getting any part of your body in the water, ocean, or sand you’ll want a towel. You may need it to sit on in the car, wrap up in after, or use to brush off those sandy toes, either way, a towel is a great idea.

NUMBER 13:

Flip Flops or Sandals. These are great while walking to and from the car at a beach session. They are easy to slip on and off as we shoot and walk to locations around the beach. That way you aren’t getting a wood sliver or stepping on glass or something sharp as we go from one place to another.

NUMBER 14:



Cap and Gown. If you have access to a cap and gown from your school this would be a great opportunity to sneak in a few images of what you’ll look like come graduation day. Most grad gowns come folded in a package and you’ll want to use a bit of steam to get them smoothed out beforehand, then hang them up with the rest of your outfits to keep it looking crisp.

NUMBER 15:

Lint Roller. If your outfits are dark in color you may notice small bits of lint or pet fur have velcroed to your outfit without you noticing. A quick swipe with a lint roller will quickly pick up any leftover bits that won’t make it to your final images.

Don’t forget to bring your squad too. Anyone who pumps you up, supports you and can help you with outfit changes, stray hairs, taking behind the scene photos or straightening your dress is someone you want in your corner. I love it when a client brings their parents, friends, and even their furry friends (as long as they have someone who can look after them when we’re not shooting with them).



 Remember, these are general guidelines, and it's essential to adapt them based on your personal preferences.