7 Brilliant Tips to Prepare for Your First In-Studio Photo Shoot
If you are thinking about hiring a professional photographer to shoot your acting, modeling, or professional head shots, you may be wondering what to expect. Working with a professional photographer in a photography studio should be fun and exciting!
It’s totally normal to feel a bit anxious before your shoot. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of 7 tips to help you prepare for your first photo shoot in a photography studio, like ours in Norman, Oklahoma.
BRING WARDROBE OPTIONS
Your photographer will typically be equipped with the backdrop and props, unless you’ve discussed other ideas previously and are expected to bring something. Other than that your main job as the subject and focus of the photographs is to look your best.
We suggest preparing a handful of options for your wardrobe. Make sure your clothing is laundered and wrinkle free.
You can put shirts and dresses on hangers and if needed, you can bring a rolling suitcase with shoes and jeans, depending on how many outfits you’ll want to be photographed in. In any case, it’s always nice to have options!
Take a bit of time to think about how the garment will translate on camera. Beware of anything too sheer, too shiny, or too loud (such as neon). Shiny or sparkly garments can create an undesirable effect on the camera. Likewise, certain intricate patterns can cause an effect called moiré, which essentially confuses the camera and creates wavy lines on the image that shouldn’t be there. Click here to read Click Magazine's article on what not to wear for photos.
COME CAMERA READY BUT BRING YOUR MAKEUP ALONG
The day your shoot is scheduled, you’ll want to arrive at the photography studio camera-ready. This means that your makeup is done, your hair is finished, and you are in an outfit that could work on camera.
Prepare a makeup kit to bring along that includes pressed powder to reduce shine, the lipstick that you’re wearing, mascara, and eyeliner for touch-ups. Depending on what kind of shoot you are doing you may want to bring along your nail polish for touch-ups as well.
You don’t want to spend your entire shoot time touching up your makeup so make sure you are as prepared as possible when you arrive.
DON’T TRY NEW THING THE DAY OF
When you’re getting prepped for your in-studio photo shoot we suggest sticking to what you know. It’s nice buying a new garment for a shoot but don’t go too far out of your comfort zone, unless you are doing an off-the-wall artistic shoot or something that requires you to push the envelope.
Likewise, when applying your makeup and preparing your touch-up kit, we recommend sticking to products you know and trust, when possible. Avoiding trying new products will prevent an eye-liner disaster from happening the day of the shoot that could ruin your photographs and spoil your experience. If you need a little guidance, here’s a great article from FashionMagazine.com.
FIND YOUR GOOD SIDE, FIND YOUR LIGHT
Most people have a “good side” when it comes to photography. If you don’t already know which side is yours, a good rule of thumb is to shoot your left side.
There is, believe it or not, a whole science behind this with a points system involved. If you want to get super scientific, you can follow this guide from Martin Benson who is an actor marketing consultant.
You can also ask your photographer what they consider to be your best side, they typically have a terrific eye for these kinds of things.
Once you know which side of the face you’ll prefer to have shot, try practicing “finding your light” which means angling your face so the light hits it just right. Again, your photographer will have an idea of what looks best on the camera monitor and this will include choosing lighting and colors to accent your lighting and compliment your skin tone.
PRACTICE POSING
Another way to come to your photo shoot prepared is to practice posing. This includes practicing your smile, facial expressions, and posing. When posing your body, think about what might look nice on the camera.
I’ve had a photographer suggest to me that when posing for photos, you can think of yourself as a puppet hanging from a string that’s anchored in the sky. It does give an elegant effect and makes the shoot feel like a dance. Practice different poses both standing and seated.
You can try moving your hands around to create different poses, including hands on your hips, hands on your shoulder, and hands behind your head. You can also include interesting poses like bending, squatting, and sitting down on the ground.
Turn your body to the side to avoid looking square on the camera. You can also extend your hands toward the camera to create a visual sight line back to your body. Try to come up with as many poses as possible so you’ll have plenty of variations. Your photographer should have some ideas for poses as well.
REACH FOR INSPIRATION
If you’re not sure what kind of photos you want or how you’ll want to pose, there is nothing wrong with looking around for a little inspiration. Try searching the internet for headshots of your favorite actor or actress or looking for posing inspiration from a guide like this one from Mixbook.com.
RELAX AND BE YOURSELF
The most important thing to remember is to relax and be yourself. If you want natural-looking photos you won’t have to try too hard if you’re being authentic, staying playful and joyful, and trusting your photographer to capture what they see in you.
READY TO BOOK A SESSION WITH ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS?
The creative professionals at Spivey Media, located in Norman, Oklahoma, are ready to help you shoot and edit impressive photos for your brand, band, business, or product. We offer head shots, mini-photo shoots, group photo shoots, event and product photography, and so much more. Contact us today and let us know what kind of professional photos you need! We will book an appointment in our professional photography studio, at your business, event, or a location of your choosing.