The Dos and don'ts of Preparing for Your Professional Photo Shoot | How To Prepare for a Photo shoot | Denver Senior Photographer | Sarah Lindsay Photography

You've found the perfect photographer, you've paid the invoice, you've set a date for your photoshoot... now what? Preparing for your professional photos is just as important as the photo shoot itself! Being ill-prepared can lead to a not-so-great photo shoot and will leave you and the photographer with a bad taste in your mouths. But don't worry, I'm here to help! Here are my top Do and Don'ts for your professional photo shoot:

Preparing for your professional photoshoot | Denver Senior Photographer

Don't want to read the blog post? Watch the Instagram Live video and see what other questions were asked!

1. Pick out your outfits in advance

I suggest picking out your outfit(s) the week before your shoot and setting them aside. You don't want to accidentally wear that outfit during the week and then it not be clean for your photo shoot! I also suggest setting out jewelry with your outfit during the week to see what jewelry combinations you prefer. If you're looking for more outfit tips, check out this blog post (it's written for Senior photos, but the rules apply to all other professional photos)!

How to prepare for your Senior Photos | Denver Senior Photographer

2. Leave the entire day free

The last thing you (or the photographer) want on the day of your shoot is to have planned too much, get behind schedule, arrive late, and be in a frazzled mood for your photoshoot. That frazzled mood will show through in your photos - trust me. I suggest planning nothing on the day of your shoot. Take the morning to relax and have some "me time". Then schedule enough time to get ready and arrive at the photoshoot location early.  As a photographer, I always appreciate it when my clients arrive early! It means we can start on time and maximize our time together!

Dos and Don'ts of preparing for your professional photos | Denver Senior Pictures

3. Don't come hungry

Do you get "hangry"? I know I do! I suggest eating a small meal before your photoshoot to ensure you won't get hungry. I know some people don't want to eat a lot before their photoshoot because they are afraid of looking bloated, but honestly, as long as you don't eat a huge pasta dish or something you're intolerant to, you should be fine. I suggest eating until you don't feel hungry anymore, that should be enough to get you through a two hour shoot! You can always bring snacks to the shoot as well!

Preparing for your professional photos | Senior Photography Denver

5. Tanning

A lot of people want to look tan in their photos, and I don't blame them! Being tan gives your skin an even tone and looks awesome in photos. Regardless of how you want to tan, I suggest you stop tanning at least 3 days before your photoshoot. This way, if you accidentally burn or your spray tan goes wrong, your sunburn will fade or you'll have time to fix your spray tan before your professional photos. In terms of a natural tan vs. a spray tan, I can't really suggest one or the other. They both have their pros and cons. If I HAD to pick one, basing my decision strictly off what the tan will look like in photos, I would choose the natural tan. But I don't want anyone to get skin cancer, so PLEASE wear sunscreen! 

7 Ways to prepare for your professional photo shoot | Senior Photographer in Denver

6. Waxing and Shaving

If you're like me, you've got hair in places you don't want. So you wax or shave to get rid of it. If you're waxing, especially your eyebrows, I suggest doing it at least 5-7 days before your photoshoot. This will give the inflammation time to die down and look natural for your shoot. If you're shaving, I suggest shaving the day before. Shaving isn't typically a huge problem, unless you're using an old razor and get razor burn!

How to prep for your professional photoshoot | Denver Senior Portraits

7. Makeup and Nails

I provide professional hair and makeup to my clients, but if your photographer doesn't and you're doing makeup yourself, I suggest doing your normal makeup, only darker. False eyelashes make a huge difference as well (just make sure you test these out a few times before your shoot - they can easily look awful...). If you've bought new makeup, test it out at least 2 weeks in advance, just in case you have an allergic reaction! 
As for nails, I know the trend right now is to do bold colored nails. These can look great now, but are you going to love neon yellow nails 10 years from now? Chances are you won't. So I suggest a more neutral color - possibly pinks, white, or black. Or go au naturale and have naked nails (those never go out of style)!

Interested in booking a photoshoot with Sarah? Contact her now to start the conversation!