Get to know your photographer 

Let’s get rid of as much awkwardness as possible, shall we? One easy way to do that is to know more about the person you’re about to meet who is going to be taking your pictures all evening! While you may not be able to meet up in person with your photog before your shoot, there are a lot of ways to get to know them and their personality ahead of time. Communicate freely with them as you plan your session. Look over their website and blogs. Follow them on social media and check out their stories and posts. Join their email list. Trust me, we photographers spend A LOT of time on all of those things because we really do want you to get to know us! So take advantage of that so you don’t feel like you’re meeting a stranger at your photoshoot. 

Choose the right clothing

Clothing and outfit choice may seem like a very surface thing. But what you choose to wear in your photos can really influence the way they turn out, for good or for bad. These are photos of you, which are all about how you look, right? So when you’re making your clothing decisions, be sure and choose things that are flattering for your body type, colors that really pop with your skin tone, and outfits that make you excited to leave the house! When you do that, your confidence and energy will really come through in your photos and you will be radiant!

Don’t forget the finishing touches

Now that you’ve made excellent clothing choices, it’s time to think about all the other details of your look for the session, like hair, makeup, and nails. I always recommend to my seniors to seriously consider having pro hair and makeup done for their session. Get that “just out of the salon so I’m going to wave like a beauty queen” feeling and take it right to your photo shoot! If the profesional route is not possible, then really put thought into how you will wear your hair and makeup. Do a practice run well before the session and have a friend snap a few photos of you to make sure you like the way it looks. Also make sure your nails are nice and manicured. When you know all these details look nice, you can relax and just enjoy the experience of the session which will lead to some great photos.

Gather all your “stuff” the day before

Senior photos usually involve wardrobe changes, props, possibly some athletic or musical equipment, vehicles and all kinds of other things. Because there may be a lot for you to remember to bring, take the day before your session to think about and gather everything. Put all the things in a corner by the door so when it’s time to leave the next day, you can grab and go and not be stressing that you forgot something. 

Get plenty of sleep night before

“Beauty sleep” is a phrase for a reason. While you should always prioritize getting plenty of sleep, this is especially important the night before your photo session. There is nothing like being well-rested and refreshed after a good night’s sleep. Not only will you be sharper mentally and feel better emotionally, but you will physically look your best too. Bye-bye dark circles and hello bright eyes!

Expect the unexpected

Let’s be real. No matter how much you plan and prepare and try to have everything under control, sometimes things happen that can throw you a curveball. Even though you can’t control everything, you can plan your schedule to have plenty of time to handle any unexpected emergencies. So give yourself EXTRA time to get ready and to travel to your session. Nothing can bring you down faster than knowing you’re running late and being all frazzled when you get to the shoot. And it’s much harder to relax and enjoy the shoot when you arrive that way. 

Really think about who you bring along

This can seriously make or break your session guys! Only bring someone along who makes you feel like the best version of yourself. Read that again. Make sure it’s someone who is your biggest fan and cheerleader and who makes you feel confident! Be very honest with yourself about who this is for you. Or, if you and your parents are comfortable with it and you think you would do better, don’t bring anyone else with you. This is a really personal thing and what is best for each person is unique. But definitely think this through because it really can impact the way you feel at your session. 

So there you have it. Seven tips to help you feel your very best at your senior session. With a little thought, planning and prep work you will feel absolutely amazing at your photo session and your photos will totally show it! You’ve got this!