How To Make Sure You Won’t Be Embarrassed By Your Senior Pictures In 20 Years
Covid-19 has really made an impact on 2020, especially 2020 seniors in high school and in college. Well, seniors, even though your senior year was affected by covid-19, you are still graduating and have accomplished something to be proud of! In honor of your achievement, we're going to be talking about senior photos, and how to make sure you won't be embarrassed by your pictures in twenty years!
Whether you are graduating from high school or from college, you should be thinking about your senior photos. Why? Because this is a huge milestone for you! You can use your images for graduation announcements, resume images, also, some schools let you replace your senior yearbook photo with your senior photo. So let's talk about some ways to guarantee you'll absolutely love your senior photos!
This article is coming from a girl who absolutely hated her senior photos...me... Yeah, I had the cliche-looking senior photos inside a studio- that totally just was not me. I felt awkward and ugly, I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't have fun. Don't expect me to share one of my photos either, cause they're just that bad, LOL! But throughout this article, I will be sharing other people's senior photos that I personally have taken! ((hope you enjoy those)).
Tip #1: Choose a location that you truly feel yourself at.
What I mean by this is if you feel relaxed at the ocean, then get your photos done at the beach. If you're more of a city person, take your photos in some urban areas or downtown. If you love the smell of fresh air and grass, take your photos in a field or a park full of trees. Whichever place you choose, I doubt you'll feel relaxed in a studio setting. In a studio setting, all the eyes are on you, and the photos really depend on your posing and facial expressions in order to come out somewhat decently well. However, if you take your photos outdoors, you can take a break from posing and get some great candid shots at a place you love. Not every photo has to be a close-up of your face. Get some images of you frolicking in the field of flowers, or some images of you running into the waves. Senior photos are a great way to express your personality show your individual personal style- so show it!
Tip #2: Don't let your mom pick your clothes.
Okay, I guess that was a teensy-weensy bit harsh, but like I said before, your senior photos express YOUR personality and individual style, and one of the best ways to do that is to dress how you dress. Now, your first thought is probably to pick your best looking outfit in your wardrobe, but doing so might come with it's own discomforts and self conscious thoughts because you don't always wear that outfit. Instead, pick something that you've worn before and know looks great! Almost think about it like you're dressing for a family reunion and not a first date with your crush, although I think this is good advice even if you going on a first date with your crush, lol. Don't be afraid to bring multiple outfits. Get different looks for each photos with just a simple change of clothes. Ask you photographer in advance if this okay to do and that you'll have time to do each outfit.
Tip #3: Get to know your photographer.
I've said this multiple times before in previous articles, but it's never a good idea to let a stranger take your photos. Your photographer should want to get to know you anyway to be sure they capture you instead of their stereotypical ideas of senior photos. Spending just a few minutes before your shoot to chat and finding out your interests will change the whole dynamic of your photo shoot. This will also help making your session feel less rushed and more relaxed and personal.
Tip #4: Include your hobbies.
If you love skating, bring your long board. If you love your car, take photos with your car! If you play guitar, bring your guitar! This adds more to photos and make the photos more you. This also helps with keeping your hands busy. A lot of people feel awkward because they don't know what to do with their hands, and having your photographer say "Do this with your hands" or "put your hands here" will make you more focused on your hands and not relaxing and having fun like you should be.
Tip #5: Bring a friend or sibling that makes you laugh.
Having your best friend or quirky brother there will make your photos look natural, candid, and fun. They don't have to be in the photos with you, but having them around makes such a difference. Friends naturally make us feel less nervous and more ourselves. Going along with this tip, don't bring someone that will make you feel more self conscious about yourself. Don't bring a boyfriend or girlfriend that you'll feel embarrassed to pose in front of, and don't bring your mom if you think she will just critique you and make the session what she wants instead of what you want. Granted, there should always be another adult at the session if you're under 18, but they don't have to be right behind the photographer and leading the session.
Have fun and make the most of your senior photos! I hope this article has helped you and given you some ideas for your senior session! Let me know some other ideas that you have in the comments below!
laniegarciaphoto.com | laniegarciaphoto@gmail.com
http://thewarmtharoundyou.com/blog/10-ways-to-rock-your-senior-session | https://www.petruzzo.com/2017/06/how-to-feel-comfortable-in-front-of-the-camera-if-youre-usually-not/ | https://www.laniegarciaphoto.com/post/key-moments-in-childhood-when-you-might-want-to-consider-hiring-a-photographer