There are different opinions on what good photography looks like, but there are five critical elements seniors should look for in their images.

1.  Light

The essence of photography as a skill centers on the ability to control and manipulate light.  Your senior photographer should be able to produce well lit images.

2.  Style

Style encompasses three elements, make up, hair, and clothing.  For girls, having make up done will make your skin tones look better in your senior pictures. You should also wear your hair in a way that reflects your style.  Do not make any drastic changes to your hairstyle before your pictures.  Guys should have a well groomed face and hair.  Bring a variety of clothes that reflect your personality.  Accessories, such as jewelry, scarves, and hats, are all elements that will make your pictures stand out from the crowd.

3.  Skin Tones

This will separate the professional photographers from the amateur ones.  With good light and style your photographer should be able to show great skin tones in your final images.  By looking at the diagram, created by Gary Box, a photographer from Oklahoma, you can see the qualities of a great senior image.  Your skin should not have a plastic look to it.  Make sure the images look like you.

4.  Poses

Your images should display a variety of different poses.   Look for full-length, ¾ length, and head-and-shoulder poses from your photographer.  As you are searching for a senior photographer, look at their websites and marketing material to see if they are showing a variety of poses.

5. Fun

Your senior year is a defining moment in your life so far.  Make sure you find a studio where you can have fun and express yourself. You and your photographer should be able to paint a picture of who you are.

Article by Chris Rout - Mr. Foto