5 Top Tips for a Senior Photoshoot!
5 Top Tips for a Senior Photoshoot!
Photographing youngsters who are ready to start on a new stage of life is a privilege for me as a photographer. We consider it a privilege to document this time in their lives. Photographing teenagers who are exceedingly self-conscious but who are not yet adults, on the other hand, might prove challenging. Take a look at the following suggestions to make the most of your senior photography session.
1. Consultation with both the teenager and his or her parents prior to the procedure
It is critical to schedule a meeting with both the teenager and his or her parents ahead of time. This will allow you to conduct an interview with the adolescent and have a better understanding of what you want to accomplish during your session. Images of older people that contain the teenager's thoughts and ideas tend to soften as the adolescent grows more enthusiastic about taking part in the project.
Being accompanied by a parent during the pre-consultation can also assist you in gaining an understanding of what you are looking for in terms of wall prints, invitations, graduation announcements, and other related items. Because they are the ones who pay, they have the ability to select the most advantageous solutions. Adapt to your specific requirements and financial constraints.
Create an informal and comfortable environment for yourself and the teenager in order to facilitate the development of a natural communication between the two of you. Bring samples to show them so they can get a feel for the items and see how they work. Provide them with printed pricing sheets to take home with them. After seeing the photographs, this will assist consumers in making decisions about the things they may wish to purchase. As a result, when the session is done, you will be in a better position to make a more significant sell.
Some seniors may already have a clear notion of what they want from their photoshoot, which makes the process a little less stressful for them. You may, on the other hand, come across a large number of adolescents who are completely dumb. This is where you may help them by providing direction. Demonstrate to adolescent’s previous senior sessions that you have photographed in a variety of settings and styles. You'll most likely get a good sense of what they don't like, which will help you narrow down what they do want to get.
2. Keep the music playing during the session
It is possible that music will assist the teenager in relaxing and feeling less frightened throughout the session. Before or during the session, ask them to create a music playlist that they enjoy listening to. Music can also help fill in the gaps when you're photographing them and can't concentrate on a discussion with them.
Music might be a little aspect that is often missed at a large event. In the case of a very shy adolescent who is not outgoing, music, on the other hand, can be transformational. You have the ability to create the tone for the session and urge the older person to posture in a specific manner and make specific facial expressions, for example.
The quality of the customer experience is what generates word-of-mouth and recommendations from existing clients. Allowing your kid to have some say in their senior session allows them to feel heard and recognized. A seemingly insignificant choice in terms of what music to listen to can have a significant impact on the overall experience.
3. Props and other related items Having the right accessories may be quite beneficial when working with an adolescent client. You may utilize a variety of accessories to enhance your senior photos; however, the following are the most common and exclusive to senior photographs:
Musical instruments.
Sports accessories such as balls, uniforms, bottoms.
The teenager's car.
His hobbies, such as a camera for photography, art supplies, or an easel for painting.
An accessory that describes the personality of the teenager.
The cap and gown for your school.
Balloons with graduation year.
A signal.
The use of accessories can also assist the youngster feel more at ease while posing with something he finds appealing. It also adds a sense of fun and playfulness to the session, while also providing seniors with a more positive overall experience. For example, if the teenager enjoys horseback riding, he or she can visit the location where he or she keeps his or her horse and snap some photographs.
Another option is for teenagers who are interested in DJing to bring their favorite vinyl albums to the shoot. The use of accessories might assist to give the session a little more individuality.
4. Posing
Posing may be difficult when working with high-end photographs. You want to maintain the postures acceptable for teens while still keeping in mind that they are young adults preparing to embark on their first journey into the real world.
Choose stances that are varied in nature. It is OK for girls to cross their feet while standing with their arms crossed or loosely dangling entwined, as long as their arms are not in their faces. For youngsters, have them stand up against a column or wall and support one leg, or keep it casual by allowing both feet to be completely relaxed. Sitting on the steps also makes for a wonderful, solid portraiture opportunity. During the session, don't be scared to experiment with different lenses to get a variety of distinct looks.
5. Invite more seniors to the session
Having the opportunity to shoot more than one senior in the same session may be a rewarding and enjoyable experience for all those who participate. You should charge per individual in this scenario, or you should have provided the principal consumer a group quotation. Also, figure out how many seniors you can photograph efficiently in the length of time you have available for the photo session.
Using three or four different settings, photograph the entire group. Then take turns photographing each senior in a series of 5 or more solid portraits. If they are all members of the same sports team or club, ask them to bring the appropriate equipment. Accessories might include items such as their uniform or other items that are representative of the activity in which they are taking part.
Allow enough time for each adolescent to change into their group photo attire so that they may also have their personal time with you throughout the session. This gives them the impression that they are participating in their own tiny session within the larger group photographs. The greater the number of images you include of each youngster, the greater the number of options you will have to sell prints and other things.
Make an effort to capture candid shots of the group as well. Being able to capture genuine emotions from people when they are speaking and hanging out may be just as significant as taking staged photographs.
