Tips for relaxed senior portraits

Being in front of the camera for any kind of photos can be a little awkward.  You don’t know what to do with your hands, you don’t know how to pose and you often don’t know the person taking the photos very well.  But the best photos happen when you are relaxed and comfortable, so what do you do when you have your senior photo session?  I have some great tips for you so you can have a relaxed senior portrait session and get beautiful, real photos that you love.

Preparation!   

When we start our work together, the first thing we will do is to get a call scheduled to plan your session.  This call helps us to get to know each other and to start to make some concrete plans so you can start prepping. 

In the initial call, we talk over your vision.  Do you have a location in mind already?  I can show you examples from previous sessions.  If you don’t have a location in mind, we will talk about how you want your images to feel.  I have a big cache of locations where I shoot all the time, but I am also open to new ones!

We’ll talk over how to choose and prepare your wardrobe, the pros and cons of hiring professional hair and makeup stylists, what you might want to bring with you and I’ll answer any other questions you have.

Know what to expect.    

I have always found that with my own teenagers, letting them know what to expect in unfamiliar situations calms any anxiousness they may have.  I’ll make sure that you you know what this process looks like.  While some of you do family photos every year and know what to expect, some of you are only used to getting phone photos taken.  I will let you know how things will go in your session, how I will help direct you and help you get into poses that feel natural.

We’ll talk, we’ll laugh, I’ll probably act ridiculous to make you smile. I want to hear about your plans for the future, I want to hear about something that really lights you up or something that your dog does that’s hilarious.  I want you to feel free to be exactly who you are!

Be YOURSELF!

I know it is a total cliche to say “be yourself”, but it’s true!! The more YOU you are, the more relaxed you will feel.

Your senior photos are to celebrate you and all your hard work and accomplishments, so I want you to feel like yourself!

I have done tons of senior sessions, I know what works and what looks good.  I’ll direct you and I’ll show you how to pose, and what to do with your hands (my most frequently asked question).  But, you are in charge. If I ask you do something that feels too awkward for you, we’ll move on from that.  If you have an idea for a pose you want to try, we’ll do it.  If you saw something in a photo or that your friend did in their photo session that you loved, tell me. I will come with a plan, but I am always open and flexible to try out your ideas.  I will remind you of this right before we start our session, because I want you to know, I am here for you.  I am here to capture photos of yourself that you love.

With a little bit of prep work, and knowing what to expect, you’ll feel empowered and ready to have a fun, relaxed senior session.  I will help you from the beginning of the process to the delivery of your images to get images that truly feel like you.