Senior Portrait Tricks

[bsphoto]

<p>I was asked by my website person to do her son's senior portrait. I already picked up the Cap and Gown for the shots and have the Bow Tie and Shirt, and just picked up a tux jacket. I seem to remember that when I had my senior shots done so many years ago, they didn't carry a wardrobe of all sized tux jackets but rather had it slit up the back...</p>

<p>Its been a while so I don't remember how it was all put together to be able to make it easy to do and not fall apart. I want to be able to use it should I get a request to shoot another senior port.</p>

<p>Think I should split it and pin them together? Sew them together? Any ideas are welcome.</p>

[tim_ludwig2]

<p>Bryan,</p>

<p>It's been a long time since my portrait studio days (now it's all commercial), but I keep up with studio friends in the area, so I'm going to suggest that you Google "senior portraits" in your home town area and or look at the web sites for studios in your area and view their work.</p>

<p>In the twenty years since I stopped doing portraits, the senior market has changed radically to keep up with trends in music, fashion, film, videos, sports and other lifestyle factors that did not exist back then. You've got to be aware of what they are being offered in your area if you are going to make this family happy.</p>

<p>It's likely that the cap and gown and tuxedo shots will need to be ten minutes out of an hour or more of shooting time with both clothing and location changes for a really good session.</p>

<p>If you are buying a tux to keep for other kids, get over sized and then either split the back and possibly sew in longish velcro strips for various adjustments or use the following. In the fashion world, an over sized garment on a model in a shoot is often just pulled tight and fastened with spring type clothes pins.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

[elnoralouisa]

<p>I do Senior pics for friends' kids (not studio), and most of them don't even want to dress up anymore. It's jeans, as many pictures outside as possible, bright colors, and the a million poses. As many weird backgrounds as you can get are the best. I know some of the more expensive studios are able to get the cap and gown colors of the school the kid goes to, but even that isn't done that much anymore. They should be supplying their own clothes, and you should plan on at least a couple of clothing changes. There are hundreds of examples of Senior pics on the web, as most portrait studios offer them. If at all possible, offer them a slideshow of their pics. </p>

[bsphoto]

<p>I have already done searches online to see if I could find the answer to the tux question. All i find are other photographers who do senior portraits with no insight to the tux issue. </p>

[bsphoto]

<p>And my website person wants the Tux and Cap/Gown shots. Not to mention the schools require the Tux/gown shots for the yearbooks in this area atleast.</p>

[vick_vickery]

<p>Try searching photographic costume shops...many sell Victorian and western outfits to the "Vintage" photographers. Photos of the costumes and explanations on these sites should give you an idea of how they handle the "one-size-fits-all" costuming.</p>