Planning tips for your best portraits
There are some questions I get asked all the time by clients planning their portrait sessions. All my clients get a guide to support them while planning, whether it’s a simple style guide for family portraits or a full story-planning workbook for branding sessions.
But everyone reading this may not be my client, or you may be considering working with me (or another photographer) but still have some reservations about a portrait session in general. So to ease your mind and help you plan your ideal portrait session, I’ve put together a list of tips and tricks to help you out.
Theme:
You don’t need to have a theme for your session, but you should have an idea of what vibe you want. To decide on that, think about your likes, dislikes, and your personality.
Consider your hobbies and whether you want to showcase those in your pictures.
Peruse Google or Pinterest for inspiration. While researching, remember that every photographer has an editing style that is unique to them, so your pictures will not look exactly like the example images you find. But they will help give you creative ideas.
If you do decide to embrace a theme, go all in. Tailor the session to that theme for all the pieces of planning, from location to wardrobe to props. When you say you had a forest pixie themed photo shoot I want to see glitter, flowing fabrics, flowers, all of it. 😉
Location:
What places speak to your personality?
What places make you feel most yourself?
If there isn’t a specific place, think of the types of locations you’d like to shoot at. Do you want to be out in nature surrounded by trees, or would you rather be in a sunny Café with funky furniture? These are some questions to consider while deciding on your perfect location.
Weather can play a part in the right location as well. If your ideal pictures don’t have you drenched in rain, an outdoor shoot during rainy season is a risky idea. Same goes for the heat/cold. Any outdoor session should be scheduled according to the weather and your vision for the pictures.
Also keep in mind that professional photographers have a wealth of knowledge about the towns they typically shoot in, and may know the perfect location based on the vibe or style you’re going for. Use their expertise and don’t be afraid to ask them for tips!
If you’re having trouble finding a good spot in the Tri-Cities, check out my article about the 10 best locations for branding photography. They can apply to portrait photography too and give you some good locations to scout out for your purposes.
Props:
Whether or not you’re going to use props is completely up to you. If you’re more of a minimalist, you’re going to want to avoid stuffing your pictures with too many extra things.
If you’re obsessed with llamas, bring all your llama gear! Hell, bring your pet llama. Then it’s really a party.
But seriously, consider the theme of your session and whether props will fit into your vision. And then plan accordingly. Let your photographer know if you’ll be bringing props and what they are, so that they can start thinking ahead to how they’ll position it all.
Wardrobe:
Your outfits don’t have to be perfect.
But they should make you feel comfortable, beautiful, and like yourself.
Here is where my advice is going to differ than a lot of other photographers.
Don’t dress by society’s standards. Wear colors that make you happy. The same goes for prints.
Dress in a way that says to the world “this is me, in all of my authentic glory, in all of my weirdness and my prettiness and my divine.”
And if you don’t have that outfit, go shopping. Take your photographer or your stylist or just a friend who’s really good at helping lift you up, and treat yo’self to a couple of new outfits.
While you’re on the hunt for the ideal outfit, remember your location. You don’t want to blend into the background of your pictures. So if you’re shooting in a bright room full of floral prints and you’re also wearing bright floral prints, you might just match the wallpaper. Which isn’t ideal. If you’re shooting in a forest and you wear green and brown, you’re going to be camouflaged.
The colors you choose should both make you happy (as mentioned before) and stand out from your backdrop. So it’s a good idea to have the location nailed down – or at least the *type* of location – before you start picking your wardrobe.
Mindset:
What’s an article from me without a section on mindset?
That’s right, a really great way to prep for your portrait session is to do some hard mindset work.
Because one of the biggest hurdles people have (particularly women, in my experience) to booking that photoshoot, is their insecurities.
So let’s get this out of the way right now:
You don’t need to lose weight, cut your hair, have your lips injected with poison, or tone your muscles to look beautiful.
If you want to do those things for your own well-being and happiness, by all means, go for it. But don’t use them as a reason you’re not good enough.
Because you’re gorgeous and perfect as you are.
So get yourself a journal, or a therapist, or a good guided meditation, and start working on that mindset. Not only will it help get you in a good headspace before your portrait session, it’ll also help you feel lighter and happier, and even more joyful, in the long run.
These are my quick tips. If you have any questions or want to know more about a specific topic, send me a message and let’s chat.
Or, when you’re ready to book your next portrait session, fill out this form or book your consultation and let’s get you on my calendar!
Whatever you do, don’t keep putting it off. You deserve to document this beautiful life you’re creating, and you deserve to do it now.
And if you’re not quite ready for a personal portrait session all by yourself, consider joining my next Group session. I’m collaborating with a local boutique owner to bring this event to you, check out the details here.
