Preparing for your Portrait Session

When it comes to having your portrait taken, a bit of preparation can really enhance your experience and the final images. “Winging it” might lead to some distracting elements that draw attention away from what matters most—your eyes! While your photographer’s skills play a big role, taking some time to prepare can make a big difference. Here are five key areas to focus on: Face, Hair, Hands, Skin, and Clothes. Let’s make sure you look and feel your best!

Face

If you’re going to go all out into pamper mode, be sure to do your facial at least a week before your session.  Since facials tend to cause redness, a week usually allows enough time to heal.The best way to prep your skin for a photo session is to get help from a professional. These guys prepare skin for events all the time. They are the best people to help you get your skin looking good. 

If you are on a budget, an at-home facial with a gooey, florescent masque is always a fun alternative to a night on the town. Throw in a delicious book and recharge your psyche. Repeat as necessary.

Wax Eyebrows. If you decide to have your eyebrows waxed or threaded, be sure to schedule the appointment for at least a few days before your photoshoot. Otherwise, an eyebrow trim/touch up at home could be done a day or two before the shoot.

Make-Up. I would always recommend having make up done by a professional, but if that is not possible, here are some tips:

Wear matt makeup; nothing that shines or shimmers. Dab your t-zone with a tissue or facial blotting paper to eliminate shine and dust some powder on your nose

Apply concealer and foundation generously, they are important for a flawless look

Don’t be afraid to apply your blush and bronzer a little heavier than normal. It will accentuate your cheek bones and give you a healthy glow during the shoot

Wear your eye makeup slightly darker than normal, especially around the eyes. A black liner and mascara helps to make your eyes pop in the pictures.

Hair

Touch Up Your Roots. If you dye your hair, touching up your regrowth three days before your photoshoot is ideal. 

Get a Nice Trim. Neat, healthy hair is youthful and vibrant. To prepare your hair for your photoshoot, get a haircut in the week leading up to the shoot. You can get a trim to keep your hair looking tidy. Talk to your hairdresser about what hair style will best suit your face for your photo session.

This applies especially to men, get a nice trim and unless you want morning shadow ensure you have a shave the morning of the session - try an avoid cuts and razor burns.

Deep Hair Condition Treatment. Your salon can do a professional conditioning treatment, or if you wish to do the home treatment start a week before your photo session and use a nourishing, deep conditioning treatment on your hair. This will ensure it is healthy, strong and fabulous for your shoot.

Hands

Get a Manicure. While you’re at it, toss in the pedicure. If you’re hard on your manicures, book the mani/pedi a few days before your session.

Again if you are on a budget, apply a nail polish colour you love, or just ensure you have nicely shaped and clear nails.  Soft, neutral colours work well for fingertips. Toes can get away with any color. (When choosing a nail polish consider what would match with the outfits for your shoot. If you’re unsure what colour to go for – opt for a nude pink or bare nails.)

For men, we don't like dirty nails so make sure his your are neat and clean

Rings. If you will be wearing wedding rings, or any other ring or accessory give them a good clean. Using a toothbrush and toothpaste is a great day-to-day way to clean your bling, but most professional jewelers have sonic cleaners that make it sparkle like the day it was born. Many will even clean your ring for free, especially if you return to the jeweler you bought it from.

Skin

Wax or Shave. If you go the waxing route, give yourself a few days to heal before your session. Shaving can be done the night before. Be sure to get your legs and underarms, and if you’ll be wearing a swimsuit or lingerie, go for the bikini area as well.

You can also try a sugar scrub, especially if you are going to do a session where you are showing lots of skin. Not only does exfoliating with a sugar scrub remove buildup from your skin, but it also helps to create a more radiant complexion.

Remember that, while Photoshop can hide a multitude of sins, you’ll love knowing that your pictures have captured your most perfect self. At the end of the day, there are some things no amount of preparation can change, (and maybe you wouldn’t want to). A couple of examples are birthmarks or scars. Some people feel that these markings are part of who we are, while others would rather have them “photoshopped” away. Which is right? Whatever you want. It’s your face, your body, your photos.

Clothing

Choose 4-5 outfits to bring with you. 

Wear something you love and retain your own style - your portraits should be a reflection of you. Choose clothing with a tapered waist, nothing too baggy. Choose outfits you love. Think of those special pieces you might not wear often because they’re impractical for day-to-day use, or the go-to blouse you always wear when you’re going somewhere nice.

Dark. Bring at least one dark outfit or top. Black, Navy or Charcoal work best. Darker colored clothes will make you appear more slender on camera

Light. For your light outfit, think angelic. Soft, gauzy, maybe even layered and sheer. It doesn't have to be white, you could go with cream, nude, light pink – whatever.

Fun/Funky/Whimsical. This outfit is your chance to really show your personal style. If you tend toward more conservative tastes, choose a different adjective. Instead of Funky, try Structured, Soft, Elegant, or Formal.

Sexy. This one is entirely your call. You could skip sexy, and that’s up to you. But if you’d like to, you can be an understated sexy in a backless formal dress, or a more overt sexy in a pretty pinup-style swimsuit. Beautiful lingerie is lovely and empowering.

Necklines. Let's see your collar bone, so boat neck, scoop neck, square neck, deep V and off-the-shoulder are great choices. Whatever you choose, try to make it more interesting than the basic T-Shirt neckline. Feel free to bring whatever calls to you. Mixing up the necklines will add variety to your shots, so try not to bring all of one style.

Avoid Prints. Patterns and prints are distracting. We want people to look at you when they see your portrait, and even the most beautiful print will steal that attention. 

Avoid Spaghetti Straps or Strapless Tops. Strapless or tube tops may look flattering in person, but they tend to make your shoulders look wide in photos. Keep this in mind depending on how you feel about your shoulders. Also, avoid wearing spaghetti strap tops because they make hiding bra straps impossible.

Solid Colours are Better

For portrait sessions, I recommend solid colours because they put more focus on you, the subject.  

Launder and Iron your Clothes 

Nothing feels better than a clean and comfy shirt. Get rid of any wrinkles or minor stains and show up in clothes that look 100% mint.

Bring Clothes on a Hanger
Keeping your clothes on hangers will minimize wrinkles and help you sort through the pieces when looking for the next outfit during your session. Plus, it keeps clothes off the ground.

Don't wear session clothes whilst Travelling
If you can help it, wear an outfit in the car you won’t be wearing for your portraits. It’ll cut down on wrinkles, or crumbs and spills from that last-minute Starbucks run.

Take Stuff out of your pockets

Guys are the worst offenders here. Take your phone out of your pocket and put it into a separate bag. Phones create weird bulges in pants pockets and are not flattering at all.

Miscellaneous

Accessories

Bring some jewelry if you like, it will help to complement the pictures. If you wear glasses bring them with you.  Hats and scarves are great fun to use during the shoot for a more relaxed, casual look.  If you wish, bring your work tools or whatever prop you would like to include them in your photo.

General Items 

I will have water readily available unless it is a location session. In this case make sure you bring along plenty of water.  Other items that you can bring along include:

Pocket-sized mirror or your phone handy so that you can check your hair and make-up periodically during your session. 

Towels and tissues are super helpful if it’s crazy hot out, you’re inclined to sweat easily, or we’re doing stuff with water. Especially for sweat, it’ll keep it out of your eyes and keep your makeup fresh.

Hair has a mind of its own, and sometimes fingers just don’t cut it. A brush or comb can be a lifesaver in terms of wrangling stray hairs and maintaining your look.

If you want a quick and easy way to change your look by modifying long hair, consider bringing some hair ties. A hair tie is a quick way to negate the effects of wind or go from formal to casual super quickly.

Clothespins are excellent for modifying clothing. Sometimes a pose is perfect, but a shirt or sweater needs to be tightened to show off how awesome you look. These are quick clips to pinch clothing and make sure the fit is flattering.

Like clothespins, but more for emergencies, safety pins are great for fixing a dress where the zipper snapped or a button popped off from a pair of pants. Portrait sessions are usually pretty relaxed, but occasionally accidents happen. A couple of safety pins can save the day and keep you posing in your favorite outfit.

Bring along a pair of comfy shoes, especially shooting on location.

I would love the opportunity to photograph you, and I would like you to choose me to be your portrait photographer.  If you would like to work with me, contact me today.