Avoiding awkward Senior pictures

"Are senior pictures awkward?" is a top concern for many heading into this milestone.  Let me set your mind at ease!  The Senior Portrait Experience can be one of the most fun and memorable things you do all year.  It isn't just a photo session.  It's called an experience because it's something you've probably never done before and probably won't do quite the same way again in the future.  This experience is designed to put you at ease, make sure you feel comfortable, celebrate who you are, create a fun experience, and make sure you end up with Senior pictures that show the rest of the world the cool, confident, gorgeous person you are.  

If you don't feel cool, confident, and gorgeous, that's ok - we can see it!  It's there hiding inside of all of us, but most of us feel a little bit awkward and a little bit unsure too much of the time.  

Here are the things we do and the ways to avoid awkward Senior pictures:

• Start by planning your session.  If you know what to expect, you will be more relaxed and look better in your photos.
• Do your thing.  Whether you enjoy football, the chess team, or reading a book by yourself, incorporate your favorite activities and accessories into your session.  When you do the thing you love, you show the world a little bit of who you are inside and that always looks great on camera.
• Dress for success.  Wearing an outfit you feel great in will make you feel more confident in front of the camera and confidence photographs really well.
• Relax.  Don't worry about being contorted into uncomfortable and unflattering poses.  The Senior Portrait Experience is all about showing the world who you truly are and we can only do that by letting you be your natural self.  We will give you little tips and guide you as you go, though, so that can be comfortable knowing that we are creating images that show you at the best angles and in the best lighting.  
• Enjoy.  This time is for you and you get to help design it.  Your Senior Portrait Experience can take place in your favorite place or a place you've always wanted to visit.  You can listen to your favorite music and do your favorite things.  We will photograph you in action and also show you some great poses - what to do with your hands and ways you can sit or stand to look good, but they will always be things that look and feel natural to you and we won't ask you to do anything that makes you feel awkward or will look awkward in the camera.
• End by choosing your images.  You don't have to worry about us showing the world a picture you don't like in a "sneak peek".  You see all your images before anyone else does.  You only purchase the ones you love.  The rest (and any of your purchased images you want to keep private) go into a "do not share" folder.  We keep them in case you ever change your mind, but we don't show them to anyone else.

As photographers, we look for the beauty in the world around us.  Often we see the beauty and confidence of a person's soul before they see it themselves.  It's our job to show you how cool, confident, and gorgeous you really are.  If you feel awkward or unphotogenic it's not because you are, its because you need a better photographer.