Preparing for your Portrait Session
How to Prepare for Your Portrait Session
A little preparation can make a huge difference to your photographs. You don’t need to completely reinvent yourself or buy anything new - the most important thing is that you feel comfortable, confident and like yourself. Here are a few things to think about before you come to the studio.
What to Wear...
If you’re unsure what will work best, bring a few different outfits. We can look at everything together and choose what photographs best. I’d recommend bringing at least 2–3 options, even if you already have a favourite outfit in mind. For a professional portrait session, think about the image you want to project and who you’re trying to connect with. Think about bringing a mixture of:
Something smart or polished
Something more relaxed or casual
A favourite outfit that makes you feel fantastic
Different necklines or jacket/shirt options
Different colours or textures
Plain, well-fitting clothing usually photographs beautifully.
Try to avoid:
Large logos or obvious branding, Very busy patterns, Tiny stripes or checks, which can sometimes create distracting effects on camera, Anything that constantly needs adjusting
Jewellery & Glasses
Accessories can add personality and interest to your photographs. If you wear glasses every day, you don’t need to remove them for your photographs unless you want to. If possible, glasses with an anti-reflective coating are ideal as they reduce reflections from the studio lights.
Hair
If you’re having your hair professionally styled, we’d recommend doing this shortly before your session rather than making a major change immediately beforehand. For men, a fresh haircut is great, but don’t have your hair cut immediately before your session if your hair tends to look better after a few days of growth. And if you colour your hair, make sure roots are looking their best.
Makeup
For women, your makeup can generally be a little stronger than your everyday makeup. Studio lighting and professional photography can soften makeup, so what looks quite noticeable in the mirror can look beautifully natural in a photograph. A few tips:
Even out your skin without making it look heavy
Define your eyes and lips
Add some colour and definition to your cheeks
Matte makeup photographs beautifully
Skin
If you have dry skin, moisturise well in the days leading up to your shoot. Please don’t worry about the odd blemish or imperfection. That’s what professional retouching is for. We want you to look like yourself, just on your very best day.
Don’t Forget Your Hands...
Your hands may feature more than you expect in your photographs.
The Most Important Thing…
Don’t overthink it.
You don’t need to know how to pose, where to put your hands or what to do in front of the camera. That’s my job. I’ll guide you through the session, help you with your posing, and make adjustments to your clothing, hair and position as we go. Your job is simply to arrive feeling prepared, bring a few options and trust me to do the rest. And remember: you don’t have to look like a model to have an amazing portrait. You just need to look like you - at your absolute best.