When it comes to personal style, my clients vary greatly. Some come to me wanting editorial styling, straight out of a fashion magazine, others want a session way out in the country, boots and all! No matter what your style is, you can bring it into your senior shoot by consulting with your photographer ahead of time (me!), and filling me in on the things that make you come alive. Is it boho dresses? Your varsity jacket that you worked so hard for? Here’s some ways to bring your personal style into your senior shoot:
- Find ideas and make a mood board: Many clients enjoy making a digital or physical mood board to show me what they’re considering. It’s also a great way to see your ideas put together and how they might flow. To do this, you can print out photos of your items (like shoes or dresses), using stock photos from the company that made the items, or you can put together similar things on Pinterest to get the general idea. Whether you choose digital or physical, the idea is to make a scrapbook style page that shows the colors, textures, or ideas that you have in mind.
- Know your personal style. The bohemian dresses that are so popular are part of almost every senior session these days, but many girls don’t love the bohemian style and want something more structured or fitted, like a cute crop ensemble or a gorgeous maxi dress. That’s okay! Know what you love, and don’t give into something because its “trendy”…it will show in your photos that you don’t feel like yourself, and that it’s not your personal style. It will be something you’ll look at in the years to come, and think, “I wish I hadn’t worn that!”. If you LOVE something like a sixties style vintage dress, a flowy skirt, or an edgy leather jacket, then wear it. Be yourself, and know what looks great on you, and what you love.
- Communicate with your photographer about concerns: If you are struggling to decide on what to wear, please tell me. I’d much rather try to help you in the search for an outfit you feel great in, than you struggle silently and get to your session feeling discouraged. If you are dealing with another struggle, like weight gain/loss, an injury, hormonal acne or breakouts, or other private struggle, please also let me know. I am here to listen to your concerns and to help guide you through troubleshooting any obstacles to a wonderful, memory-filled day.
- Include at least one personal item: Many seniors want to incorporate an item that is important to them, such as a ring from their grandparent, their varsity jacket, their violin, a favorite book, or their cheerleading poms. You can choose any item you want (please let me know beforehand, so I can design your session accordingly), and I will gladly make sure it helps show off the many facets of your personality.
Above all, I want my clients to remember to be themselves. I have some clients sheepishly come in to meet with me, and they’re embarrassed because they don’t love some of the trendy styles. I say, there is no “one” way to do a senior shoot, and the most important thing to remember is that your senior shoot is about YOU, not about what anyone else is doing!
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