GX2Photography,LLC1130FaulknerLaneDanville,KY40422

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PreparingForYourSeniorPortraitSession–GIRLSEDITION

HereareafewtipsandpointersthatIhavelearnedovertheyears.Pleaselookthisoverwithyourparentsafewweeksinadvanceofyourshootandcallmewithanyquestions.

1) OutfitsandShoes• Thereisnolimittothenumberofoutfitsthatyoumaybring.Basedontimeandlocationwemayormaynotuse

allofyouroutfits.• Besuretoselectoutfitsthatareappropriatefortheseason.AlongsleevedsweaterinJulyorashortsundress

inNovembermaynotbeappropriate.• Solidcolorstendtolookthebestinportraits.Busypatterns,especiallyflorals,tendtoclashwithyour

surroundingsanddistractfromyourface.Thisruleisn’tsetinstonethough,sobesuretodiscussyourchoiceswithmepriortoyoursession.

• Don’tforgetyouraccessories;i.e.jewelry,belts,hats,sunglasses,etc…• Pickappropriateshoesforyouroutfits.Heelsalwayslooknice.Pumps,boots,strappyheels…youcan’tgowrong

withheels!• Heelsversuswedges.Althoughbothlookgreat,andtheultimatechoiceisyours,Icansaythatinmyexperience

mostgirlsseemtohavemoreflexibilityinheels.Someposesarehardtogetintowhilewearingwedges.Allotherthingsbeingequal;chooseheels.

• Dependingonyouroutfit,astraplessbramaybethebestchoicetoavoidstrapsshowingupinshots.• Beconsciousofthecolorofyourundergarmentssothattheydon’tshowthrough.Thisisespeciallyimportantto

considerwhenwearingwhiteoranythingsheer.• NOTE:Ihaveneverseenagirllookbadinaskirt/sundressandheels.Seriouslyconsiderthiswhenchoosingyour

outfits!

2) HairandMakeup• Don’tmakedramatichairstylechangesjustpriortoyourportraitsession.Thisincludesdramaticcolorchanges.• Don’tcut,color,dye,bleach,orhighlightyourhairlessthanfourdaysbeforeyoursession.• Whenshootingoutside,consideralosecurltohelpyourhairstayinplaceinthewind.Onverywindydaysyou

mayevenconsiderpullingitupifthatsuitsyourstyle.• Besuretousemakeupforyoursession.Wearitthewayyouusuallywearitwithoneexception;highlightyour

eyesjustalittlemorethannormaltobringthemout.NOTE:FALSEEYELASHESLOOKGREATINPORTRAITS!• Ifyoudon’tnormallywearmakeupIwouldstillsuggestthatyouusealittleforyourshoot.Trysomefoundation

foranyblemishesandalittleeyelinertobringouttheeyes.• Icanrecommendagoodprofessionalmakeupartistifyouaskme.• Eyebrows:makethemlooknice!You’dbesurprisedathowmanygirlsforgettotouchthemup!J

3) Skin• Lotion,lotion,andmorelotion!Usecopiousamountsoflotionduringthelastfivedaysbeforeyoursession.Your

skinwilllooksmoothandsilky!• Shavethenightbeforeyoursessionifyouareshootinginthemorning.Shaveinthemorningifyouareshooting

intheevening.Thiswillhelpreducetheeffectsofrazorburnandirritationtoyourskin.Inotherwordsyourskinwon’tbered!

• Tanning:atanisnotnecessaryforgreatportraits!HoweverifyouDOtan,besuretostarttanningweeksaheadofyoursessionsoitlookssmoothandnatural.NOTANNINGBEDSwithinfivedaysofyoursession.Tanningbedstendtomaketheskinlookorangeorbrightyellowunderthelights.ThereislittleIcandotoeditthatout.Avoidsunburns.Icannoteditoutbadsunburns.Beconsciousofweirdtanlines;especiallyonyourface(i.e.sunglasses),shoulders,andfeet.Ifyouareusingaspraytanbesuretosprayyourfeetandunderyourarms!

• Blemishes,tattoos,scars,moles,freckles,stretchmarks,birthmarks,etc…Ifit’spermanentnatural(i.e.freckles,moles,birthmarks,etc…)orpermanentadditions(i.e.tattoos)Iprefertoleavetheminplace.Hey,theyarepartofyouright?Icanusuallyremovetheteenageblemishes(i.e.pimples)andscarsrathereasily.Besuretodiscussthissubjectwithmethedayofoursession.

• SPECIALNOTEFORMARCHINGBAND:Bandcampmayleaveyouwithsomeweirdtanlines,especiallyonyourfeet.Pleaseconsiderthisandtakeprecautions!

4) Nails• Itendtousealotofposesthatwillhaveyourhandsnearyourfaceandhair.Thereforeyourhandswillbevisible

inalotofshots.Besuretogiveyourselfamanicure,orhavesomeoneelsegiveyouonethedaybeforeoursession.Afreshcoatofpaint,thatmatchesyouroutfits,willmakeaworldofdifference.Ilikebarefootshotstoo.Giveyourself,orget,apedicurethedaybeforeoursessionandpaintyourtoes.Anyonethatshowsupwithlastmonth’spaintonfingersand/ortoeswillbeforcedtodo100pushupsandwillgetseveralminutesworthofmeanlooksfromme.

5) General• Glasses–It’sveryhardtoavoidglareandreflectioninlensesduringashoot(especiallywhenusingstudio

lights).Ifpossible,Ialwaysrecommendremovingyourglassesforoursession.Ifyouprefertowearthem,Isuggestthatyouaskyourdoctorforanemptypairofframesthatareofthesamestyleasyours.Ifthatisn’tanoption,letmeknowandIwilldomybesttoreduceglareandreflections.

• Besuretobringahairbrush,makeupbag,andextrajewelrytoyoursession.Bettertohaveitandnotuseitthanneeditandnothaveit.

• IdoNOTremovebraceswheneditingmyportraits.• Boyfriendsandfamilymembers–Idiscouragehavingotherpeopleinyourseniorportraits.Thatbeingsaid,Iam

notopposedtodoingacoupleshotswithsomeonewhoisveryspecialtoyou.Pleasediscussthispriortooursession.

• Pets–Petsarewelcomeaslongasyounotifymebeforeoursession.Idon’tmindsnappingafewshotswithFidoorFluffy!Pleaseunderstandthatanimalsaregoingtodowhattheyaregoingtodo.Nomatterhowgreattheyareathometheymayactdifferentinastrangelocationaroundstrangerswithlights,camerasandreflectors.

• Whotobring–IsuggestthatyoubringONEpersonwithyoutoyourshoot.Ifyouareunder18yearsofagethatpersonshouldbesomeonewhocanmakedecisionsonyourbehalf(i.e.parent,stepparent,guardian,etc…)TwopeopleareOKifyouwanttobringbothparents.Morethantwopeopletendtogetintheway.Boyfriends,

BFFs,siblings,andotherstendtoonlyserveasdistractionsandusuallyaredetrimentaltothequalityofyourportraits.Trustmeonthis!

6) Beyourself• Betteryet,beyourselfonsteroids.YourportraitsareareflectionofwhoyouareANDofwhoyou’dliketobe.If

youplaypianothenlet’strytogetababygrandontheroofofabuildingforyourshoot.Ifyouwanttobeamodelthenlet’sglamitupandhaveafashionshoot.Ifbooksareyourthing,thenbringawholestackofyourfavoritesandlet’sfindaplaceinthewoodstosetachairsoyoucanreadwhileImakeyourportraits.Practicethosefacesyoumakeinselfiesinthemirror.Someofthem,exceptforducklips,lookprettycool.Ducklipsrarelylookgood.Justsayin…Bottomline;thisisyourtimetoshine.Don’twasteit!