Congratulations!!!

The time has finally come -freedom awaits! Just finals, graduation, and of course... booking your grad photo session to check off your list!

Grad portraits can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience as you celebrate the closing of one chapter of your life and the start of a new one. You have so much to be proud of! Years of classes and late-night study sessions have finally paid off and now it's time to capture this special time in your life.

Grad sessions are full of laughter, silly banter, getting to know each other, and talking about the big dreams you have for your life. Having a photoshoot can seem intimidating at first, but trust me - I am all about making this experience as stress-free and fun for you as possible!

In this blog post, I'm giving you my best tips and advice for choosing stunning outfits for your session, resulting in gorgeous images for you to look back on for the rest of your life.

But first, why should you schedule a grad photoshoot, and are they even necessary?

Why Book A Grad Photo Session?

You've more than likely gone through 13+ years of school with the same group of friends and made tons of memories together that I guarantee you will look back on with a smile for many years to come. Maybe you've been in school clubs, traveled with your sports teams, or played in the school band! Either way, your senior year marks the end of an exciting era and the beginning of a new one. Whether you are headed off to college or getting ready to start a new career, taking graduation photos is a great way to mark this milestone in your life.

Your senior photos are also a chance to capture memories and express yourself just as you are in this moment of time. Your loved ones are undoubtedly proud of your accomplishments, and will want to celebrate you! These photos will not only be stunning to share on your socials, but will also make great gifts to pass out to your family and friends. And, in case you needed one more reason to schedule a graduation photoshoot, getting your senior photos taken is FUN! Whether you do it alone, or with family in tow, I promise you will have a blast and will look back on these photos and remember the good times!

But let's be honest... you want to look GOOD. Am I right? So let's get into my top tips for choosing your outfits for your grad photo shoot!

TOP 14 CLOTHING TIPS TO PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR GRADUATION SESSION

1. Bring multiple outfits

Outfit changes are one of the best and easiest ways to bring variety and add personality to your photo shoot. Of course, you're going to want the gorgeous formal grad dress or suit, but I highly recommend bringing some casual outfits too! One-hour senior portrait sessions with me allow for 3 outfits.

2. Colour & pattern choices matter

When it comes to your outfit choices, keep it simple! Avoid clothing with large pints, logos, wording, lots of fine lines, or pictures as they can distract from your face. Neutrals are your friend, and the camera loves muted earthy tones and pastels like blush pink, sky blue, sage green, golden yellow, peach, heather gray, creams, tans, brown leather, and denim. Additionally, layering is a great way to add dimension and interest and creates a more put-together look. It also allows you to have more creativity around the colors and textures you choose.

3. Consider your location(s)

Consider the location(s) of your photos. For outdoor sessions in nature locations, textured fabrics and seasonal colors work well. For urban / city locations, feel free to dress up a bit and choose brighter colors that will pop against the city scene.

4. Accentuate your best features

Use your clothing to your advantage. Do you have an outfit that makes you feel great? Maybe it brings out the color in your eyes or flatters your body shape just right. Whatever it is, choose outfits that make you look and feel your best. This will help you feel more confident on the day of your photoshoot and rock your photos!

5. Choose your outfits at least one week before your session

This is so important so you don’t stress yourself out the night before your session. Some of you will want to go buy an entire new wardrobe for your senior session while some of you will have plenty to choose from in your closet already. Start looking and planning!

6. Try on all parts of each outfit

Ladies – You will want to make sure you try your outfits on so that you know the bra you pair with your shirt isn’t hanging out. Try these outfits on for a friend or parent and ask for their honest opinion. Sit down, walk, and stand up to see if you like the look of your outfit. Don’t forget to try on those shoes, too!

Guys– Try on your socks and undershirts with your outfits to make sure that they will look okay if you are sitting or standing. Show them off for your mom or a lucky lady in your life.

7. Hang your outfits on hangers to avoid wrinkles

I cannot stress this enough. Avoid bringing all of your clothes in a big laundry basket all bunched up. Wrinkles are nearly impossible to edit out of photos!

8. Sports outfits

Some of you will want some sports photos in your full uniform and a handful of poses to really capture your love for your sport. Others will want just a couple of shots in your sports top or warm-up gear. If you decide that you want quite a few pictures in your sports uniform and at the location of the sport (on the field, rink, court, etc.), we do like to count that as one of your outfits. If you are going to just throw on your shirt for one or two quick poses then you don’t need to count that as an outfit.

9. Flattering your figure

Ladies – A lot of times girls complain about the way their arms look. We’ve been there! We all see things in ourselves that we don’t like. One trick to avoiding the picture you hate because of your arms is to wear loose, longer sleeves or a jacket. Heels are also very flattering on slimming you down if that is a concern. Rompers are something that can look good, but a lot of times the wider look of the legs leave you to look larger than you actually are. Be cautious with those! Long flowy dresses can look beautiful and flatter your waistline really well!

Guys – Slim fit shirts look so much more flattering on guys! Even if you are a bigger guy. Layers also look really nice in photos for guys. Bonus: Add a watch!

10. WITH JEWELRY, LESS IS MORE

Not only does trendy or large jewelry date your photos very quickly, but it also takes away the focus from your face. Classic jewelry is always flattering and timeless, so if you plan on wearing jewelry in your photos, try to pick simple pieces.

11. go for a Natural look with your Makeup

If you are getting your makeup done by a professional, ask for a more natural look. This will allow you to look natural in your photos. You should also avoid glitter and sparkles as they do not photograph well. And listen y’all, there’s only so much I can do with post-editing if you look like an orange the day of the shoot. Tanning in excess can look unnatural and can throw your skin tone off, so it’s best to avoid any tanning before the shoot to ensure you look as natural as possible. Side note – Please don’t be concerned about minor breakouts. If your acne is more severe, that’s ok too. I will help with the retouching during post-editing to ensure you have the best portraits possible.

Additionally, Your hands will end up in some of your favorite poses, so be sure to take the time to make them presentable. Nails should be neat and trimmed and if you want to go the extra mile, you can get a manicure ahead of the shoot.

12. Get rid of glare from your glasses

For those of us who wear glasses, we know how pesky the glare and reflections in photos can be. A couple of options to remove the glare going into the photoshoot are to either buy or borrow a pair of frames without lenses or ask your optician to remove your lenses from their frames. This will help ensure there is no glare in any of your photos, however, I can also help remove some of the glare during the editing process as well.

13. PERSONALIZE YOUR PHOTOS WITH PROPS

Props are an awesome way to bring your personal style and interests into your shoot, but please touch base with me before your session so we can talk about your ideas! Think sports equipment, musical instruments, or hobby items. Bring different outfits that you wear while doing those hobbies such as ballet shoes, yoga gear, football jerseys, baseball hats, etc. Think outside the box and bring sheets of music, your favorite book, or even your dog! The sky’s the limit, so get creative and make your senior portraits stand out!

14. Get inspired!

If you’re still feeling stuck on what outfits to wear or what props to bring to your senior photo session, browse Instagram or Pinterest for outfit inspiration. P.S. I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to senior portraits inspiration, so feel free to start there!