Yay- you’ve booked your senior pictures…or maybe you’re waiting because you don’t know where to begin. What should I wear? How do I decide on a location? What should my makeup look like? After designing and photographing senior portraits for so many years, it comes natural to me, but I understand how overwhelming it can be for you, so I’ve put together a little checklist on how to plan for senior photos to have that dream shoot- or gather inspiration if you have no idea what you want. Take it piece by piece and the vision will start to come together.
There are 3 basic elements to creating a styled senior shoot. I’ve included action steps to take after each one to help you along.
I HIGHLY recommend using Pinterest as your vision board when designing your session. It makes it so easy to see everything together and it’s great for the makeup artist and I to see exactly what you want. Pin outfit ideas, photos you love, and makeup looks.
Determine Your Fashion Style
The best place to start is by thinking about how you see your final photos looking. This will help narrow down the overall feel you want for your session which will make it easier to start choosing outfits. You can view my boards HERE, or use keywords like “black blazer outfit” or “sundresses” to begin your search. If you have a piece you love and know you’ll want to wear, search it and see what outfit combinations come up.
ACTION STEPS-
Create a Pinterest Board
Start pinning outfits and pieces you like
Once you have your style nailed down, it’s time to think pulling it together and choosing each look. Check out these posts that are very helpful when it comes to pulling together outfits-
7 Do’s and Don’ts for Choosing Outfits
Decide on a Makeup Look
After you’ve determined your style, the next piece of the puzzle is makeup. Colors are just one part- you’ll want to choose how natural or bold you want to go.
You may decide you want a really cool cat eye, or maybe go lighter on the eyes with a bold red lip. It’s YOUR session. The makeup artist will also help guide you based on the outfits you bring, skin tone, and your unique features. I have an awesome blog post that illustrates the different looks- Designing Your Makeup Look
ACTION STEP-
Create a folder in your Pinterest board to pin makeup looks
(check out my board HERE)
Choose a Location Type
After you’ve started brainstorming your wardrobe and makeup ideas, you’ll begin to see your individual session style emerging and figuring out a location type is easy. Are most of your photos of girls in sunny fields? Or are a majority of them in front of cute shops and on sidewalks? Maybe you don’t want to go all in one one specific look, but want a more flexible location. The background pulls everything together and creates a cohesive look to your photos so imagine seeing the outfits you chose in each location type. You don’t have to choose a specific location, I will help you with that.
ACTION STEPS-
Pin photos of portraits you are drawn to
Look at your inspiration board and determine a location style
When you book a session with Urban Trend Studios, I’ll send you a Welcome Packet and Planning App full of info to help you as well. You’ll also fill out a questionnaire so I can get to know your personality and how you want to be photographed.
So that’s it! All you really need to create the perfect senior photo session that reflects YOU. I am always here to guide you as well and answer any questions. You can text me outfit ideas or get my opinion on how burgundy lips photograph (hint: the answer is AMAZINGLY well) Then, it’s up to me to give you the look you want while providing a fun experience and photos! Together, we’ll make some magic. I’d love to be YOUR senior photographer!
Ready to make your plans a reality?
