Portrait Photography Session Tips:

Flash Factor Photography is a portrait photographer in Columbus, Ohio.  Although based in Ohio, we love to travel and are open to photography adventures worldwide. 

​Below you will find some tips and recommendations in preparing for your Flash Factor Photography portrait photography session.  After all, it's about capturing you at your best!  Don't stress, simply prepare and come relaxed to have fun at your photo session to get some fantastic pictures. 

GENERAL ADVICE:

• Hair - If you’re getting a haircut for your shoot, do so one to two weeks beforehand, just in case it goes wrong – you just never know.  For men, a fresh haircut a couple of days before the shoot is fine.
• Hair accessories – If we’re shooting outdoors, be ready to put your hair up and make it look nice in case of a windy day. Bring bobby pins, hair clips, headbands or any other favorite accessories.  It never hurts to be prepared!
• Glasses – If folks wouldn’t recognize you without glasses, you want to wear glasses in your shoot – however, the glare on glasses can detract from your eyes in photos. You can have your lenses removed from your frames for your shoot (don’t worry, it’s what Hollywood does to avoid glare in movies), ask your eye doctor to loan you a pair of similar frames, or you can also visit an inexpensive company online and buy a suitable pair of duplicate frames on the cheap.
• Red eyes – Visine is your friend. Not getting drunk the night before your shoot helps, too. 
• Lips – You will probably wipe or lick your lips during your shoot, so bring fresh lip gloss or lipstick to do touch-up. Use lip balm for a few days in advance of your shoot to make your lips look their best.
• Teeth – If you want to brighten your smile, start your treatments about two weeks before your shoot.
• Breakouts – Don’t cake on a lot of make-up to try to hide blemishes – it’s almost always easier to edit away pimples with software than to clean up overdone make-up.
• Make-up – A subtle application of make-up can really soften your skin and accent your facial features. But make sure you know what you’re doing, and make sure it matches your skin tone, or your face may look orange compared to the rest of your body.
• Facial hair – Men, be freshly shaved (never hurts to use a new razor, shaving cream and a moisturizing after-shave lotion to avoid bumps and redness).  Trim up your beard, sideburns, moustache or goatee, especially looking for wiry stray hairs.  Same goes for nose hairs. 
• Moisturizer – Dry skin can really detract from a great photo shoot.  Start moisturizing nightly a week in advance of your shoot.  When you get out of the shower, dry off until lightly damp, and slather on moisturizer.  Focus on your arms, shoulders, neck, face, hands, anywhere you’ll be exposed to the camera.  This includes your legs if you’re shooting in shorts or a skirt.  
• Nails – A fresh coat of nail polish will make a world of difference in your photo shoot. Pick a neutral color that won’t distract in your shoot or clash with your outfits. Freshen the morning of the shoot, and then be careful not to scuff it while prepping. If you don’t have time to paint make sure your nails look tidy and clean, including the cuticles.
• Sunburns and tan lines – If your shoot is booked for Saturday, don’t go to the beach on Friday. If you plan to tan before your shoot, do so at least a week beforehand and don’t get burned.  Be mindful of clothing tan lines, sunglass tan lines, hat tan lines, etc.
• Ironing – If you iron, iron the night before and then hang the clothes for your shoot. If you’re wearing something that wrinkles easily, don’t wear it in the car on the way to the shoot – just change at the location.
• Shoes – Ladies, you can’t go wrong in heels or wedges. Men, dress shoes are best, a quick clean up or polish is always nice!  

Below are some specific suggestions for certain types of shoots.

MATERNITY:

• Moisturize that belly!
• Gather your props to bring along - ultrasound printout, alphabet blocks that spell your baby's name, baby shoes, stuffed animals, flowers, whatever you've seen in other maternity photo's that you like.
• Wear whatever you feel comfortable and pretty in - long, flowy skirts, solid color's are nice.  Tube dresses are great for showing off your shape.  If you plan on showing your belly be sure to wear clothing that won't leave impression marks.  A button-up shirt also makes it easy to transition into showing your belly.
• Your family/partner should coordinate outfits with what you'll be wearing.  The focus should always be on you, your expressions, your emotions, your personality, your joy, and your connection.

NEWBORNS/BABIES:

• Use a wash cloth to clean away flaky skin and eye gunk.
• Trim those tiny fingernails and toenails with appropriate baby trimmers.
• Book your shoot around your baby's feeding and nap times, work with the natural rhythm of your baby.  The most perfect time to shoot is right when the baby would be laying down for a nap.  If your baby normall falls asleep after a feeding, wait to feed the baby until you're at the photo shoot. 
• Dress up paper diapers.  Cloth diapers are classy and stylish, but if you don't use them, bring bloomers or decorative diaper covers, solids preferred.
• Any outfit works for a newborn.  Accessories like hats, headbands, etc. are good.
• If your baby takes a pacifier, bring it - if they're bottle fed, bring an extra bottle to help put the baby to sleep.

CHILDREN:

• The cleaner the child, the better their photos will turn out.  E.g. nails, hair, face, and feet (Note: sandals on small children = black feet).
• If your child is still in diapers or pull-ups, tuck them in or wear bloomers.
• If your child is still of napping age, make sure they nap before the shoot.
• Avoid colorful drinks or lollypops within 24-hours of your photo session.  Don't eat or drink anything that will stain face, teeth or mouths.
• Wardrobe - for children, note that you don't have to match perfectly, simply coordinate.  You can't go wrong with dark, rich monotones, which drive the attention in photos to sweet faces and darling expressions instead of loud prints or colors.  If nothing else, pick a color that compliments your child's eye color.

FAMILIES:

• Best family advice is to coordinate!
• For wardrobe, go for jeans or pants, tucked polo or dress shirt with a belt, or go casual with just a t-shirt or untucked polo, button-up short sleeve, etc.  Again, everyone doesn't have to match perfectly, just wear something that coordinates.
• If wearing jewelry, aim for subtlety, and be aware of it twisting or turning.
  

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS:

• Bring a variety of outfits - cap and gown, something casual, and something stylish.  Wear what you think you look best in!
• Bring props that recall your high school years - band instrument, sports gear like a volleyball/soccer ball/baseball glove/bat, letter jacket, your car, and/or sunglasses.  Most of all represent YOUR style, whatever that may be.  Your senior photo should be unique to your life and personality.
• Ladies, be sure to clean and apply a fresh coat of polish to your nails.