Go from Awkward to Camera Comfortable: 5 Tips to Rock your Senior Session 

When it comes to taking senior portraits, its normal to feel a little awkward. Many seniors are self-conscious of how they will appear because taking pictures solo can feel uncomfortable. Dancers, you already have, inside of you, the most difficult part of becoming camera comfortable and you might not know it. Dancers love to perform, it is one of the thrills of dancing right? We can give you all the tips in the world, but your dance instructors have been training you for this day since you started dancing...just replace the crowd with the camera. 

Here are a few things we have come up with to help everyone with their senior session, the most important thing is to be you and perform for the camera not the judges/audience. Put these tips to practice and you can rest assured that you will love your portrait for years to come. 

Use your eyes 

Avoid awkward photos by using your eyes to express emotion and make the connection. When a natural smile occurs the whole face lights up and the eyes look bright and awake. You can practice smiling in the mirror and working different expressions. You want the muscles in your face to contract and change the shape of your eyes to ensure your smile looks natural.  

Relax 

The best photos take place when the subject is relaxed and confident. Let the excitement your senior session translate through the lens by taking a moment to relax, breathe, and have fun with it. You may feel silly but we are used to this and will help you feel comfortable. 

Breathe 

This may sounds like an obvious one, but breathing is a key aspect in capturing a natural look. You can practice taking a big breath while smiling in front of a mirror. Slowly release the air while holding the smile and notice how your face and eyes settle into a natural and relaxed expression.  

Move 

Staying stationary can often times produce a very staged and cheesy look. Just because you are still does not mean that you can’t change your angles to create a fresh and inspired look. Try leaning into the camera slightly to appear more engaged, shifting your weight from left to right, or simply moving your chin slightly up and down for different shots to get a variety of facial expressions to choose from. Here is a great article with some tips. We share this not to give you a list of tips to memorize but to answer some questions you might have and to help you prepare if you want some reading...You are the subject of this photo shoot and you and your personality are the things we want to focus on. 

Beautify 

This goes for everyone. Ladies, spend the extra time getting your hair blown out, getting your makeup done and choosing that top that makes you look and feel your best. Fellas, take a shower and shave. If you look your best, you feel your best, and when you feel your best, you act more confidently. Go the extra mile to walk into your senior session feeling confident, attractive, prepared, and inspired.