.jpg)
Dear Senior,
Hello to the Class of 2024! Your senior year is upon you. Graduation time is nearly here, so CONGRATULATIONS! I know that 2023-2024 will definitely look a little different than years past, and you need to make the most of this last year of high school. My Class of 2023 senior just graduated this May, so I have recently been through ALL of the things you’re about to embark upon. I know just how exciting (and nerve-wracking) this milestone year can be. (P.S. WE MADE IT!!)
If you choose to celebrate the culmination of your hard work with a senior Class of 2024 portrait session, I would love to give you a few tips to make the very most of your experience with Christine Hamrick Photography. It is my goal that, when you look back at your images from our session together, you are brought back to an amazing time in your life – a time that holds incredible promise and potential. Let me help you make the MOST of it with these quick tips:
1) Showcase the best-looking you. Feeling and looking your best doesnʼt just HAPPEN – it requires some preparation.
It may seem like an extravagance to hire a hair and makeup artist for your senior session, but they have the expertise to make you look amazing for the camera. I firmly believe (and I think youʼll agree) that the end results are absolutely worthwhile. I have a few that I am happy to recommend!
Itʼs also imperative to make thoughtful wardrobe choices that reflect who you ARE and what you LOVE. Popping into your local boutique is a great way to get advice on what is on-trend and stylish, and they can easily help you pull together complete, cohesive outfits that mesh with your style.
Make sure that you get a good nightʼs sleep the night before the session. Make sure youʼve had a little something to eat and drink before we meet (or bring a snack along with you). A fed and well-rested subject (no matter WHAT your age) is a happy subject!
2) Understand retouching limitations before the session. I am a photographer, and while Photoshop is an amazing tool with incredible capabilities, it isnʼt my goal to turn you into someone who doesnʼt even LOOK like you. I use software to polish your images and remove small and temporary blemishes (pimples, scratches, bruises), so if you fall down and scrape your knee, or get the mother of all zits the morning of the session, DONʼT WORRY – I got it! I wonʼt make your hair another color, wax your eyebrows or make you lose 10 pounds, however. If you have specific questions about something, please ask!
3) Relax and enjoy. Unless you are a celebrity, itʼs just not typical to have a camera lens pointed at you. Being the center of attention in front of the lens can be uncomfortable and intimidating to some (myself included!). In order to help you get more comfortable with me, I love to meet up for a pre-session consultation to just chat and get to know each other a little better. Communication between us is crucial, and this is an excellent time to discuss session details, outfits, locations, products, etc. When we get the questions out of the way beforehand and have a better sense of each otherʼs personalities going into the session, it definitely makes for a more laid-back and productive time together.
4) Have faith in Type-A-detail-oriented me. Know that I will guide you into poses that will be flattering and natural. I will take time setting up each shot and pose, ensuring that all the details are just right, and that you donʼt LOOK pose-y. Is your hair amiss?
Hemline crooked? Bangles bunched? Is there trash in the background? A pole growing out of your head? These are the things running through my mind before I even put the camera up to my eye.
5) Keep in mind that lighting, not location, is the #1 factor in a successful image. I can make you look beautiful in a crummy dead field at sunset, but even the most amazing location with the wrong light will make a less-than-ideal portrait. Paired together, a good location at the perfect time of day will make a KILLER photograph. I love new and fresh ideas, so letʼs work together to make this happen.
It is my promise to you to give you an outstanding senior portrait experience, from start to finish. I want you to have fun and come away from your experience with beautiful images and top-notch, quality products. I will not be satisfied with anything less that your complete satisfaction – the Class of 2024 deserves no less, and I cannot wait to get started helping you document this amazing year!!