As a senior photographer serving Central Ohio for the past 18+ years, I have a ton of knowledge when it comes to the senior photography industry. I love sharing so I can help seniors and their parents have stress free senior sessions and stunning senior portraits!


So let’s dive in to a few tips on some common session mistakes and how to fix them:


1. NOT READING SESSION PREP MATERIALS

Wanna know a secret to the best senior session ever? It’s all in the PREP work! How you prepare for your senior session will 100% show in your senior pictures! That’s why we pride ourselves on helping our senior clients every step of the way! We provide each of our clients a downloadable guide to help make your session day easy & stress free! We are the experts when it comes to preparing for a session because we’ve helped hundreds of seniors over the past 18 years! We know all the tips & tricks to having the best senior session possible!


2. CHAPPED LIPS

Now is the season when it usually happens… we're not drinking as much water as we should, we're getting more sun than we planned, and before you know it our lips are feeling dry and less than nourished. Here's a session prep tip that will have your lips looking luxurious the day of your session!

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For one full week 𝘉𝘌𝘍𝘖𝘙𝘌 your senior session, brush your lips with a toothbrush every night before going to bed and slather on your fave lip fix.⁣

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What balms are best? Here’s a few we love:

Let me tell you, chapped lips not only show through all kinds of lipstick & gloss, but they’re also incredibly difficult to Photoshop in your senior portraits. Your best bet is to follow these tips and arrive with smooth and healthy lips for a picture perfect smile!⁣


3. FAUX TANNING

I know, I know, you want to be a beautiful bronzed goddess for your senior session, but running out and getting spray tanned the day before your session could end in a blotchy, streaky nightmare.


If you are determined to be faux tanned for your session, here’s a few details that could save your skin (literally):

  • Don’t get a spray tan within 3 days of your session. Your color needs time to develop & settle. Lightly exfoliate your skin 48 hours after your spray session and then rub in plenty of moisturizer to help it set.
  • Exfoliate and scrub your wrists, ankles, knees, and knuckles religiously if you get a spray tan. These are the parts of your body that can collect extra tanner and actually make you look dirty. After scrubbing, hydrate these areas with a heavy moisturizer.
  • Consider using a slow build self-tanner the month before your session. These daily moisturizers with gradual tanning solution build a bronze glow over time that won’t look blotchy or streaky like spray tans can. The secret to using these options is to layer them over a base lotion first.


4. NOT BOOKING EARLY

Senior pictures are NOT the time wait until the last minute. You will need plenty of time to make other appointments with your hair stylist, nail artist, aesthetician, etc to make sure you feel your best the day of your session. You also need to consider how busy senior year will get & you’ll want to have your session booked with your top choice for photographer before they book out!⁣


5. LACK OF VARIETY IN SESSION OUTFITS

VARIETY is everything! Make sure that your outfits aren’t all dresses, jeans, or shorts. Try to incorporate a variety of not only pieces, but style as well (like urban, organic, casual, and sophisticated).⁣


Here’s 3 quick tips to making sure you have plenty of variety in your session wardrobe:

  • Don’t show up to your senior session with the same kind of clothing piece (for example, maxi dresses or flannels) or the same vibe (for example, super fancy) for every single outfit. Get some variety in there! Bring different kinds of pieces like denim for one outfit then a formal gown, then a skirt or some shorts and make sure they range from casual to sophisticated and everything in between!
  • Opt for colors that complement your skin tone. Wearing the wrong colors for your skin tones can make you look washed out and very drab. To stay looking fresh and your best, go with colors that are known to fit your seasonal shades, like warm, cool, or neutrals.
  • Speaking of colors, change it up through out your session outfits! I like a good monotone color palette, but your senior session is a time for purposeful variety that showcases your personality. Opt for a beautiful range of colors that look good with your skin tone for the ultimate variety. If you absolutely must stick with one or two colors, at least vary the shades to mix it up.


If you’re ready to book your senior session with Jennifer Leigh Photography, the time to book is NOW! Connect with us through our contact form and we’ll get your booking process started! We’ll send you our brand new senior session guide and available dates!