The goal of a professional photoshoot is to capture quality images. You will likely share your images with your family and friends on social media and you'll hopefully purchase gorgeous prints to hang on your walls. In order to achieve the best results, it’s very important to prepare for your session.
Here are a few things you can do as a client to take your best photos.
COMMUNICATE
Prior to booking your session, we will send you a questionnaire to get a basic understanding of your needs. This will include preferred dates, package, occasion, etc. Please be as thorough as you can in communicating your needs and expectations with us because our goal is not only to capture amazing images, but ultimately to produce your desired images.
We love to receive “inspiration” photos ahead of time that give us an idea of what you like. If you see something online that inspires you, shoot us an email of the image to help us prepare for your session!
HAIR
Do you want to nail your portrait session? Hair is often the most overlooked and easiest thing to manage when prepping for a photoshoot. We recommend hiring a professional hairstylist or barber to style your hair for your session. If you can style your hair at a professional level, that would be great too! Just keep in mind, the camera will pick up every angle of your hairstyle, and we know you want your session to be flawless. Just be sure to practice leading up to your photoshoot so that you’re able to perfectly pull off the look that you’re trying to achieve.
MAKEUP
Makeup can either make or break your photos. It’s important to be sure your complexion is evenly covered, your eyebrows are correctly shaped and filled, and your lashes are an appropriate size. We know bold eyelashes are trending, but sometimes they get in the way of clients being comfortable posing and the photographer applying light without unnecessary shadows.
Again, we’d recommend hiring a professional makeup artist to get you “picture perfect.” The small investment is worth the reward.
WARDROBE
Make sure you take time to think through what your clothing may look like through the lens of a camera. The camera will pick up wrinkles, stains, and even things as small as lint. Iron your clothes the night before. If necessary, use a lint brush to remove lint and pet hair prior to arriving for your session.
Let us know the colors/patterns you’ll be wearing so that we are able to plan backgrounds to complement your wardrobes.
If shooting in the studio, we do have a restroom on site if you need to spruce yourself up or to change if you'll be wearing multiple outfits. If shooting on location, we will have a portable dressing tent if a restroom is not available.
PROPS
If you’re doing a Headshots or Beauty session, props are not necessary. However, if you’re doing something like branding, graduation, or birthday sessions, props may be a great addition to your photoshoot. Let us know what you plan to bring so that we can be prepared to bring attention to your prop in your photos.
Additional “DO’s” for a successful photoshoot:
- Do practice (smiling, posing, relaxing)
- Do manicure your nails.
- Do moisturize your skin.
- Do have a bite to eat.
- Do ask questions.
- Do arrive on time.
- Do have fun!
