What to wear for your portrait session with San Diego’s Best Senior photographer doesn’t have to be stressful. I’m here to help you every step of the way so your senior portraits will be a forever reminder of this important milestone in your life.
Let’s get the fun started!
What you wear says a lot about you!
Let’s start with comfort! Wear clothes that fit well and are clean. Garments should be easy on/easy off so we don’t lose time photographing you. It’s a great idea to try on everything, including shoes well before your session. Click here to see inspiration.
Choose clothes that reflect your style. It’s great to have a casual outfit, something dressy and something in-between. Aim for 3-4 different looks for your session.
(Photos 3,4,5)
Girls, wear the dress! They complement every body type and photograph so beautifully. Look for long, flowing fabrics of light-weight cotton or chiffon which help catch the sun and add movement to your images. If you choose a short dress, be mindful of how much it reveals if you are sitting down. Also, be mindful of undergarment lines or bra straps.
(Photos 1 + 2)
Choose a Great Color Palette
Select colors based on the environment and what you love to wear. Soft muted colors are great for spring time and bolder colors look great during summer and fall. Some of my favorite colors to photograph are neutral toned creams and rust or jewel tones.
Dress for the season, weather and time of day. If you’re too cold or too hot, it will be apparent in photos.
(Photos 6,7,8,9)
A Few Don’ts
Avoid neon, overly bright colors, brand names or logos. Avoid shiny clothes, distracting jewelry or accessories such as Apple watches and sunglasses, unless we use the sunglasses as a cool prop. Remove anything that doesn’t add to the outfit, and empty your pockets to keep from wrinkling and bunching. No cell phones in pockets and no hair ties on wrists!
A Polished Look!
Let’s talk about skin. If you have a couple of breakouts, don’t worry. I’ll take care of that in post-processing. But, if you use products or medicines which cause redness and/or peeling that’s a bit harder to correct. Please consult your medical provider about temporarily suspending use of the products one week prior to your photos so your complexion has time to rest before your portrait session.
Guys, show up groomed! Unless you wear your hair tight, please cut it no less than two weeks before your portrait session just in case your hair needs time to grow in a bit. Fingernails should be clean and clipped. Facial hair should be tidy. If you’re planning to be clean shaven, get this done early in the day to avoid razor bumps and burns. If you don’t typically use moisturizer, I recommend finding one that works well for you (do not use for the first time the day of your portrait session). Do you use chapstick? If not get some; it will be your best way to keep your lips from looking dry.
(Photos 10,11,12)
Girls, enjoy some pre-shoot glam! Your shoot is a great excuse to have your hair, makeup and nails professionally done as doing so brings an extra polish to your photos. Nails should be clean and free of chipped polish. Wear moisturizer on all exposed body parts and make sure your lips are moisturized too. If you’re not planning to wear lip color/gloss then please make sure you wear chapstick to keep your lips from looking dry.
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