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I am so, so excited to officially have you as an Adriana Escalante Photography Senior!!!
Photographing each of my seniors is such a huge honor, and I can’t wait to have a blast together and capture some beautiful images!
My goal with this Senior Style Guide is to help you prepare for your shoot and get the MOST out of your experience. Your senior session is SUCH an exciting memory and a huge investment…so it’s my job to be sure you are fully prepared!
In this guide, you will find everything from suggestions for outfits, hair, and makeup, ways to customize your experience, what to expect on the day of your shoot, how your final gallery will work, and everything in between!
Please take the time to read it thoroughly to ensure you have all of the information you need to make your shoot the absolute best it can be!
My promise as your photographer is that I will make you look and FEEL like the best version of YOU!
I want your shoot and your images to reflect exactly who you are, and I’m here to help ensure we make that happen.
Use the content in this guide as suggestions, but feel free to reach out to me at any point in the planning process to chat about how we can make it personal to YOU and create images that you will look back on and love for years to come.
Can’t wait to see you!
Now that you are booked and things are officially official - let’s talk through the entire senior experience, step-by-step! Your senior experience starts NOW, and I want you to know what’s around every corner as you begin to prep for your shoot day!
Alongside this style guide, you are going to receive a senior questionnaire to complete. It's just below too!
This questionnaire will help me to get to know you, your style, and your preferences so that I can create the best possible senior experience for you!
Please take the time to fill it out thoroughly after reading this guide - the more info you give me, the more I can customize your experience and be sure your images reflect YOU!
But finish reading this guide first…there’s helpful stuff in here!
This questionnaire is meant for my beautiful senior! Please remember to submit it a week before your photo shoot.
The questionnaire is really important for prepping for the session. It will save us, you and me, time since we won’t be to have to email back and forth or get on the phone to gather info.
Now for the most FUN part and hands-down the most frequently asked question:
WHAT DO I WEAR!?
Choosing what you will wear for your photo shoot is a huge decision that can make or break your senior portrait session! I know that sounds intense... but, if you wear something that you don’t feel confident in or that doesn’t photograph well on camera...it can ruin the experience for you!
So, the Senior Style Guide (next section ⬇️) and a great blog post are to the rescue!
This section will break down my best tips for what to wear and how to style your senior session outfits, plus LOTS of fun inspiration!
These tips and recommendations will give you confidence and comfort when selecting your outfits. Try to select between 3-4 outfits. We aim to do all 4, but if time runs out of our hands, 3 outfits is pretty good as well.
The NUMBER ONE, most important thing to remember when planning your outfits: if it’s not comfortable to wear in real life, it won’t make you feel confident on camera! If you do not like fitted clothing (super tight dresses or pieces that fit awkwardly) then leave them at home!
Personally, I try to steer clear of items that are fitted in the tummy area (don’t we all?) just because it makes me self-conscious and I’m constantly wondering if it looks bad.
So, if there are pieces in your closet that make you feel self-conscious or uncomfortable, don’t include them in your senior portrait wardrobe! I also recommend trying to steer clear of anything that you have to constantly adjust or is at risk of being revealed.
You’ll be doing lots of moving and posing, so if the outfit is super low-cut…you’re at risk of things slipping while we shoot!
At the risk of sounding cheesy…staying true to yourself with your outfits is so, so important. When you look back at these images in 20+ years…you’ll want them to truly reflect YOU!
If you aren’t someone who ever dresses up or enjoys being fancy…don’t feel like you need to go buy a fancy dress just for photos. If you don’t enjoy being girly and wearing frilly dresses or lots of makeup…then leave them at home!
Don’t feel pressured to buy anything new or outside of your usual style just because you are getting photos taken.
This entire shoot is meant to be about who YOU are in this exciting season of life…so don’t change a single thing about ya!
Use this shoot as an opportunity to have a little bit of fun with your outfits + colors! On camera, solid black + white can make skin tones look washed out and unflattering.
When choosing outfits for your senior session, try to choose colors that POP and that compliment your hair + skin tones!
Primary colors like royal blue and yellow photograph beautifully as well as jewel tones like emerald green, bright purples, pinks, oranges, and any other colors that really POP!
Sometimes, color combos that may seem odd in-person end up photographing BEAUTIFULLY on camera!
Don’t shy away from color!
In the cold months (fall + winter), adding layers to your outfits always looks STUNNING in portraits!
A sweater with a flannel underneath paired with a vest + statement earrings or scarf adds so much dimension to your images and makes for super fun posing options!
Even in the warmer months (spring + summer), you can add these layers + dimension by wearing a tank top with a cute sheer cardigan or by throwing a denim jacket over a dress!
Sometimes textures like feathers, furs, and 3D florals can be considered too extra…but, in portraits, they are the BEST! Adding texture to your outfit can make a huge difference.
I also love to photograph pieces with MOVEMENT: long, flowy dresses with epic trains or fun applications that move when you twirl.
It adds a super fun element to your pictures!
There is a whole section dedicated to props and accessories coming up in this guide…but it’s honestly one of the most important parts!
Adding accessories like jewelry, hats, fun shoes, purses, etc. to your outfits really makes them feel like YOU and adds a whole new layer of detail to your senior gallery.
I’m a huge fan of statement earrings, bright lip color, super fun shoes, colorful bags, floppy sun hats…
All of these things give us so much more variety with posing plus they create such beautiful and fun pictures!
However, always with taste!
When planning your outfits, make sure that you have a VARIETY of looks!
I tell all of my seniors to choose from these categories: casual, cozy, dressy, school-related, sports-related, preppy, or edgy.
I always recommend choosing 3-4 of those categories and finding outfits accordingly.
This provides a beautiful array of looks during your senior portrait session, so each outfit looks drastically different and you get tons of variety!
Now, there are a few important things to AVOID that are worth having their own section in this guide! As a general rule of thumb, these are the things to stay away from…
We already touched on this quickly…but it’s important!
You will be doing a lot of moving throughout your shoot, so wearing pieces that have to sit juuuuust right or that are at risk of slipping aren’t a good idea.
And, if pieces are super thin or sheer, it may be see-through in your photos or easily show sweat marks in the summer months.
This is something that may slip your mind as you are planning your outfits…but it is SO important!
Be sure to bring along multiple bras if you are wearing something strapless or that requires a sticky/backless bra.
And wearing a neutral pair of undies is the best way to go to ensure it’s not showing through anything!
We will be doing a lot of moving around, sitting, walking, etc. at your shoot. If the material of your outfit easily wrinkles...you may want to be careful.
Pay close attention to textures and remember that not everything is as easy to edit out as you may think!
Editing out wrinkles from a dress can take hours PER PHOTO...which can result in your images taking a lot longer to get back or requiring additional fees for extensive edits.
Sometimes it can be easier to pick outfits for the spring/summer months than it is in the cooler fall/winter months.
I also have some seniors who want to have a separate session during BOTH times of year to capture the different looks and styles that a new season brings along.
So, this section of the guide is going to help you break down how to prep your outfits according to the time of year that we are capturing your portraits!
Another important thing to keep in mind about the time of year is the SUNSET.
In the summer months, golden hour shoots won't start until 5 or 6 pm... but we will need to start much earlier (3- 4 pm) in the winter months to accommodate the earlier sunset sessions.
Hair and makeup services are already included in your package because they play a key role in enhancing the overall quality of your photos and your senior portrait experience. Since you're already investing in your portraits, it makes sense to ensure that every detail is taken care of, and this includes having a professional stylist on board.
Here’s why it makes such a big difference to your experience:
When you are investing in a professional photographer, you want to make sure that the images look their absolute best. Professional hair + makeup artists are TRAINED to do hair + makeup so that it photographs well. While your makeup may look AMAZING in person, it can look completely different on camera, and these professionals are trained to know the difference! They will conceal spots you don’t like, contour your face so it looks the best at every angle, use colors that compliment your skin to make it look flawless, make your eyes POP with false lashes + shadows, manicure your eyebrows to perfection and more!
Preparing for your senior portrait session can be stressful in and of itself. Trying to do your hair and makeup by yourself can make things even harder. Professional camera equipment is designed to pick up every little detail in an image (even details that the eye can’t see) so hiring a professional makeup artist is the best way to go.
I don’t ever want my seniors to feel like their portrait session is just simply “taking pictures”, I want it to be an EXPERIENCE. So, if my seniors arrive after an hour of being pampered + beautified, the entire experience has already started on a good note! If a senior arrives flustered or stressed after trying to get ready themselves, it can affect the entire experience, including the way you look in photographs!
I work with many hair stylists and makeup artists (aka MUA) and know their craft very well. Instead of having 2 professionals, I always book the one who does both exceptionally well (aka MUAH.)
Here are a few beauty tips to prepare for your photoshoot that are very effective and will make you look much better in the photos. Here is how.
Get a good night's sleep for a few days before the photo shoot, or at the very least the night before. But don't oversleep either; don't try to make up for lack of sleep the night before. Sleeping too much may result in puffy or baggy eyes; lack of or poor sleep will probably have the same effects plus even the abominable dark circles under the eyes.
There are numerous health benefits of eating a healthy diet and drinking enough water, but for the effects of photography, keeping these two things in check will have a positive impact on your appearance and how you feel during the session. We are talking about the beauty benefits for the skin and hair as well as having a happy stomach during the session. Hydrate and eat well.
Now that we have a better idea of the overall style for your session based on your outfits and locations, let’s add in the pretty details! First, let me clarify: this part is TOTALLY optional! If you don’t want to add any props or accessories to your shoot… you don’t have to! All we need is YOU to make your shoot amazing. But, if you want to personalize your shoot even further and add in some fun “extras”... this section of the guide is going to help you!
This is clearly a theme of this entire guide! The goal of adding in props or accessories is to make the shoot feel even more like YOU. Try to think creatively about the things that make you who you are. What are your hobbies? Favorite colors and styles? Extracurricular activities? Do you LOVE bright, girly colors and want to have a ton of florals in your images to compliment that? Are you an athlete with medals and trophies that you want to highlight? Do you already know your plans for college and want to have celebratory images to share about your next steps? Let’s do all the things!!!
One of the best parts about bringing extra options for props is that it gives us VARIETY. If you bring things like hats, purses, extra jewelry, shoe options, etc...we can mix and match these pieces throughout your shoot to give you a TON of options in your final gallery. For example, if you bring a floppy sunhat with you...we may throw it on for a quick 2-3 minutes in each of your 3-4 outfits. Instantly, you have a ton of variety in looks and images just by adding and removing that one piece!
One of my FAVORITE ways to elevate any senior session is to add in some beautiful florals. To my girly girls, this one’s for you! There are so many ways to incorporate flowers into your shoot. You can contact a local florist to put together a floral crown (paired with a long, flowy dress), buy some grocery store flowers to fill a purse, have a small bouquet as an extra detail or as grandiose as a floral installation at a location that you love. If you want to talk more about how to incorporate florals, reach out to me and I’m happy to help!
If have a pet, a friend, a significant other, or a family member that is a huge part of your life...they should be featured in your photos, if you want! You'll be so glad you did when you look back at your images 10 years from now. If you plan to bring a pup or a pet, I just ask that you bring someone along that can watch them for us when we aren't taking pictures with them!
A super fun way to highlight your university is with a football or other sports jersey! If you are planning on playing a sport at college, you can also bring your own gear to use in these photos. If not, just grab a college tee, hoodie or crewneck to throw on! If you want to bring along your acceptance letter or a fun sign, we can capture that, too!
Already know where you plan to head to school next year? AMAZING! The biggest congratulations to you!! If you want to celebrate by capturing some images rocking your college gear, let's do it! I typically tell my seniors to bring this as an "additional" outfit - so it doesn't count as one of your 3-5 outfits in your package. We'll throw it on for a quick 5 mins and give you the perfect photo to announce your plans for next year!
A super fun way to highlight your university is with a football or other sports jersey! If you are planning on playing a sport at college, you can also bring your own gear to use in these photos. If not, just grab a college tee, hoodie or crewneck to throw on! If you want to bring along your acceptance letter or a fun sign, we can capture that, too!
One of the most fun ways to customize your senior experience is to add in some of your favorite things that you do every day! I've had seniors want to highlight the sport they play, their favorite foods, their love for reading, shopping or flying planes... I've done it ALL! Use this section of the guide to start brainstorming ways we can creatively incorporate what makes you YOU!
Because the gowns typically look a little like a potato sack (let's be honest), I typically photograph my seniors with them unzipped to be a bit more flattering or wear just a dress like Miranda did in the image to the left! ⬅️
I recommend wearing a sundress underneath - something white or neutral looks really traditional and timeless underneath the gowns.
I also recommend a neutral pair of heels! We will get images with it both zipped and unzipped, as well as with the cap and without - just so you have tons of options!
If you already have your cap and gown before your shoot (or want to order a cheap one on Amazon or one from a friend who already graduated from your same HS) - we can get cap & gown images at your session!
If your session is in the studio, I can always provide the "official" yearbook image that your school may need...but, if your session is outdoors, we can get some more candid lifestyle images of you looking like a GRAD!!!
Don't forget to bring the tassel for the top of your cap as well as any additional cords, awards, or elements that you want to highlight!
If you choose to decorate your cap, doing it before your shoot allows us to get the cutest detailed photos of it!
Bring your tassel + decorate your cap!
Pick the right dress underneath!
It takes 2 weeks to edit (not fully retouched) your senior images, then you'll get an email with the link to a proofing gallery.
At that time, you will be able to mark, select and leave me notes, on the photos you like the best keeping in mind the package you will be purchasing since all packages come with a different count of digital images.
Once, I receive your favorite images, I will continue with the retouching of only the selected images.
The longer you take to select your favorite images, the longer it will take for you to get your final images or products.
When your final images are done, fully retouched, you will receive a notification for your to download, your high-resolution digital images.
You can download individual images or the entire gallery at once. You can also individually save photos to your phone to start sharing on social media!
If you order a photo book, I will send you an email to you and your parents with the styling options and requesting the wording of the cover.
The proofing and final galleries do have an expiration date. Make sure you select your favorites and download your final images before the galleries expire. Any trouble with the galleries, just shoot me an email or a text.
Fashionably late is no biggie, but if you know that you will be 20-30+ minutes late, please let me know ASAP so that we can shift things around. If I am free, I don't mind making the session at a later time the same day if it works better for everyone, or alternatively, please reschedule.
I understand unexpected situations may arise out of your control, so if for any reason, you can't reschedule or do the session anymore within a 6-month period, you can also transfer or gift your booking fee to family or a friend. Please let me know ASAP within 8-12 hours of the session.
That is COMPLETELY okay! We will make the final call 24-48 hours before your session. Part of the reason I only take 2 senior sessions per week is to leave TONS of room open for rescheduling if we need to for reasons outside of our control (i.e. sickness, weather, emergencies). Typically, you won't have to wait longer than a week if we have to move your date!*
*This does NOT include needing to reschedule because of poor planning, running late, or any other reason. These reschedule are required to book for my next availability date - which is typically 1-3 months out.
Typically, my seniors choose to change their outfits in the car. A lot of the time, we are photographing at locations that do not offer public bathrooms, so it's the quickest option! I recommend trying to organize your outfits + accessories ahead of time to make this process super quick and easy. If you would feel more comfortable changing in a bathroom, just let me know ahead of time - I'm happy to select your locations based on which ones have public bathrooms!
If the location has a bathroom, then let's use it, or else I have a portable changing pod that we can use if the bathroom is too far from where we are.
We all live La Vida Loca so if you do need to reschedule, please contact me to choose a new date and time for your session within 24 hours. Rescheduling may be done anytime within a 6-month period. Rescheduling past the 6-month grace period and No-Shows would require rebooking and paying the session fee again.
Oh no! As much as it breaks my heart, a severe sunburn or peeling skin is one of the only times I DO recommend rescheduling your shoot. It is very difficult to edit out bright red skin tones or peeling skin and make it appear natural. Don't fret, you'll be glad you moved dates until you were feeling your best - promise!
I actually recommend staying away from spray tans before your shoot...especially if you have never done them before! Instead, I recommend a more gradual, natural tan like Jergens lotion - this way you can build it slowly and it will look natural and not patchy.
Girl, we've ALL been there! Don't worry one bit. I am happy to remove any large blemishes in Photoshop - you won't even know it happened! Promise!
I offer my clients the option of online proofing or in-person proofing with me so that we can look at the pictures together. After going through the photos, we can discuss what would be the best options for you. You may create your own package (a combination of prints, wall art, photo album, digitals, etc.) or do it à la carte.
I will have your images ready within 2-3 weeks of the photo session. You will receive an email communicating that your photos are ready. At that time, you have the option to select what you would like to do with your images and set a date for online proofing or in-person proofing to discuss your creative package.
What happens if we have bad weather?!
This is by far the most asked question I get about things that could go wrong, which makes total sense...because bad weather happens all the time! If there is bad weather in the forecast for your shoot, rest assured that you have options and I am MORE than happy to reschedule!
I typically wait until we are 48 hours out from the session to make a final decision about the weather because it changes so often.
Alternatively, instead of rescheduling due to bad weather, we can always bring your photo session indoors to my home studio. A different vibe, but still nice and fun!
We are going to have the BEST time...I promise! If you need me for anything before your session, you can reach me at adrianeephotography@gmail.com or 703.926.7638.
See you soon!