CLASS OF 2025: Want to know 5 ways to RUIN your senior pics?!? Yeah, we thought so!

1. Get a spray tan the night before your senior session. Why not? 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. Don’t forget to exfoliate and scrub your wrists, ankles, knees, and knuckles religiously since these are the parts of your body that can collect extra tanner and actually make you look dirty.

2. Get a big chop or drastic dye job right before your session. Why not? If you hate your new do, it’ll be documented forever in your pictures. Save the big chop for the summer before you leave for college. And the same goes for hair color. Freshen up your look with your usual color / highlights, but don’t make a drastic change. It could not only shock you, but could also change the way your skin tones look, depending on the color of your hair.

3. Try new face products the weeks leading up to your session. Why not? Trying new facial products could leave your skin looking dry or even worse, with a huge breakout or peeling. Yikes! Your skin could even develop a rash from new chemicals, so just save your new routine for post session.

4. Don’t read your session materials your photographer gave you. Why not? Because this is a great way to show up completely unprepared and panic at the last minute! These resources are meant to make your senior session process stress-free and a ton of fun with great tips and tricks like to prepare you for your custom session including a what to wear guide, face prep, nail prep, and so much more!

5. Wear the same style and colors over and over again in your senior pics. Why not? 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) and make sure you have a range of colors to wear to give your outfits a beautiful dynamic.

Signs you’re ready to book with AHP for your senior pictures:

+ you don’t want to have to do everything on your own+ you want tons of help when it comes to preparing for your session

+ you want professional makeup and hair application the day of your senior pics+ you love the idea of natural poses mixed with some editorial looks

+ you want to look like yourself in your senior pictures

+ you’d like to have an album of your session as a big coffee table book

+ you want a variety of locations from urban to fields

+ you want a photographer who will customize your session to you

+ you want hair and makeup changes to match your outfits during your session

+ you want a fashion consult to help decide on your session outfits

So tell me... how would you feel, booking a photographer who strives to offer this to their clients? If so, send me a message and we will get you going!

How to build the portrait perfect senior session wardrobe!

The #1 thing you can do when putting your outfits together is to build in a ton of variety! The more variety you have, the more dynamic your session will be. 

Here’s 5 things you can do to build variety into your senior session outfits:

1. Change up your colors: Even if blush pink is your number one fave color, try not to wear it for all of your session outfits. Wearing the same color throughout your session can make your entire session look repetitive.

2. Change up your looks (casual, sophisticated, retro, formal, etc): Think about each wardrobe you bringas a categorized collection. For your first outfit, consider a formal or sophisticated look. Then follow that up with a casual outfit that is true to you. Afterward, wear something a bit more urban or retro, then maybe something bohemian.

3. Change up your style (pants, short skirt, maxi dress, suiting, romper): I know that you may love your ripped jeans that you always wear, but make sure that they’re only showcased in one of your session outfits. So, if one of your outfits features your fave ripped jeans, make sure your next one features a mini skirt or maxi dress.

4. Change up your accessories: One of the best ways to change up the look of your outfits is to change the accessories that you are wearing. Vary your metals in tone and weight while trying out a stacked necklace for one outfit, then a simple strand for the next. Don’t forget that sunglasses, jackets, andscarves can be added to any outfit for a fun look!

5. Change up your makeup & hair: Between each look, update your lip color and change your hair style.Consider adding a subtle braid for a feminine update or a high pony for a more sophisticated look. We take our makeup artist and hairstylist on location to ensure our clients get a ton of different looks throughout their session!

What to wear for FIELD senior pics in the FALL

- Colors: Consider wearing colors that go well with warm toned surroundings like cream, mustard, navy, burnt orange, burgundy, caramel, eggplant, etc.

- Textures: If you want to mix trendy fall textures, remember to mix a heavy weighted texture (like tweed, wool, cable knit) with a smoother or lighter textured piece (like satin, or suede). This will keep your outfit balanced and not too heavy, adding weight to your style.

- Layers: This is the time for layers! So throw on that cardigan over your dress, a skirt over your tights, or a sweater over your long hemmed top to add a bit of interest to your outfit!

- Prints: If you want to wear a fun fall print like fall large florals, anchor it with a solid piece so that your outfit isn’t too busy.

- Accessories: Beanies & Berets are this season’s go-to hats! We are seeing these pop up in shades of cream, camel, and dusty rose, or in prints of houndstooth, leopard, and plaid!

Looking for more senior fashion advice? We can help! DM us with your email address and we’ll send over a link too our FREE GUIDE: What NOT to Wear for Your Senior Session!

If YOU have a Charlotte or Lake Norman summer senior session coming up, SAVE THIS POST! Here’s things you’ll want to bring to your session as a summer session emergency kit:

1. lots of ice water: heck, bring a cooler to keep it cool

2. lotion: if you’ve been laying out in the sun, your skin could be more dry than normal

3. bug spray: and apply it between each outfit change

4. umbrella: you’d be surprised to know how much cooler it can keep you

5. paper face towels: blot, blot, and more blotting to keep the sweat away

6. handheld fan: keep it on you while walking to new locations

7. snacks: the sun & heat can drain you so keep your calories up

8. bug bite itch cream: it will stop the swelling and redness for pictures

9. extra deodorant: to keep your outfits dry

These are little things, but they will help make the session go smoothly!

We are almost sold out of our SUMMER 2024 senior sessions and only have 6 left! DM us with your email address and we’ll send you our senior magazine complete with our pricing info, client experience, timeline and more!