After 18 years of growing up it's time to pause and celebrate all you've accomplished and become with senior portraits. Creating senior portraits that show off your unique style and personality can feel uncomfortable since you haven't done it before. Let's face it, you don't graduate from high school twice, so chances are you might feel a little overwhelmed being in front of the camera with all the attention on you. Often so much time is spent buying new clothing that we forget that we already own much of what shows off our personal adventures and style in high school. So here's a list of helpful tips to make your planning EASIER and your session MORE FUN and your images MORE YOU!
TIP #1 Accessorize your session
It can feel overwhelming gathering clothing for senior portraits when you feel like everything has to be over the top and exaggerated. So think smaller! Accessories are subtle ways of showing off your true personality without the feeling of being dressed in a costume.
SUNGLASSES: Your relationship with your sunglasses is very unique to your personality. You try on a million pairs, looking in tiny mirrors, trying to find that look that feels just right. Bring those sunglasses to your senior session because they are a small but important part of your style.
SHOES: Everyone shows their personality off in their shoes whether they admit it or not. Bring those Doc Martens, Air Jordan's, Platform wedges, high heels, running shoes, Ballet shoes, or whatever your feet love.
JACKETS/ VEST: Layering is a great way to add interest and style. Do you have that favorite jean jacket that's been by your side every step of high school? How about that letterman Jacket or school sweater? What about that hoodie that was your safe place?
HATS: Baseball hat or trendy instagram hat? Did you have a favorite go to hat when you wanted to either dress up or dress down? How about a helmet for baseball, softball, football, biking... This list could go on forever, but you get the point. Your hats are an important part of your personal style.
JEWELRY: The smallest of accessories style speak volumes about your personality. Your class ring, favorite necklace, bracelet, anklet, belt buckle can all bring a tiny detail that matters.
CARS: whether the car you drive in high school is your dream car or not, it knows more of your secrets then anything else. Run those wheels through the car wash on the day of your session and capture that special machine that was the sacred place of late night gab sessions and drive through Starbucks runs during lunch. I promise you will want to remember that car one day.
WHEELS: Maybe you didn't have a car in high school. Did you have a longboard, skateboard, roller skates, mountain bike or dirt bike instead? Those wheels took you places you needed to go or maybe they were the therapy that got you through tough weeks of school. Don't forget to include them, they were a huge part of your life.
TIP#2 Be proud of your accomplishments
You have worked hard to learn skills over the last 18 years, DOCUMENT THEM. This might be the last year you play competitive soccer or football or any team sport. Celebrate the milestone by including a jersey or a baseball glove or your toes shoes or your instrument. What may seem like just an average activity in your world today will turn out to be one of the biggest influences of your life later. Create a time capsule of the cool things you did in high school with your senior portraits. Life is about to change dramatically in the next 6 months and what might be your everyday norm now may be a thing of the past sooner then you realize. Bring your guitar or your instrument and make sure you capture something that includes the thousands of hours that you worked on your musical talent. I promise, it takes several years away from high school to gain the perspective that you really were building cool skills in high school.
TIP#3 Honor your individuality
As a creative, and an individual, it drives me crazy when I see high school seniors portraits that all look the same. Guess what? I have never had 2 seniors be the same, EVER! Honor your unique individuality by creating images that bring out the real you. I know that high school is a balancing act between fitting in and standing out. But senior portraits are the time to stand out. One of my favorite quotes is, " It's hard to be yourself, but it's impossible to be someone else." If you want to have the best senior portraits focus on showing your personality and telling your own story. Find a photographer that acknowledges your individuality and wants to capture what makes you YOU. When I am working through a clothing consult for senior sessions I always ask, " What color do you look amazing in? What color makes your eyes pop off the page. Wear that color." Work to bring out the best in you, not just follow along copying someone else.
Make your senior portraits an exercise in celebrating your individuality and you will love them forever.
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