This portrait session prep guide begins with something easy to forget: you are allowed to make photographs of yourself without needing a graduation, engagement, new job, weight change, or dramatic reinvention to justify them. Senior portraits, grad photos, dating-profile updates, creative branding, birthday sessions, glow-up sessions, and simple “I want to remember this version of me” portraits are all good reasons.

You do not need to know how to pose

I will direct your feet, hands, posture, movement, and relationship to the light without asking you to become a different person. We start simply, review what feels good, and build from there. Some people want polished editorial energy. Others want softness, humor, motion, or a portrait that feels almost private. None is more correct.

What to wear

• Bring one outfit that already feels unmistakably like you.
• Add a second look only if it creates a genuinely different mood.
• Try on everything together, including underlayers, shoes, jewelry, and glasses.
• Steam or press clothing and remove tags or lint.
• Test sitting, walking, raising your arms, and putting hands in pockets.
• Do not let a trend talk you out of your gender expression, culture, body comfort, or personal style.

Hair, makeup, skin, and grooming

Do what helps you recognize yourself. Professional hair or makeup is optional. If you hire someone, choose an artist experienced with your skin tone, hair texture, gender expression, and desired finish. Avoid a brand-new facial, peel, haircut, spray tan, or unfamiliar product immediately before the session. Hydration, sleep, moisturizer, and familiar routines usually serve you better than last-minute transformation.

Choose a location that supports the story

A beach, downtown block, studio, backyard, school, workspace, stage, record collection, or favorite piece of ordinary life can all work. Think about privacy, crowds, accessibility, changing space, permits, wind, parking, and how much walking your clothes and shoes allow. The location should give us possibilities without asking you to manage a production.

Props and personal details

Bring objects with a real connection to you: an instrument, a diploma, favorite book, skateboard, art, uniform, letter, or celebration detail. Skip generic props that do not mean anything. One honest object creates more story than a car full of decorations.

Body image, identity, and privacy

You can tell me what you love, what you feel tender about, and what kinds of photographs you do not want. I will never promise that a body can be “fixed” in post-production. We use thoughtful light, posing, clothing, lens choice, movement, and honest conversation. Share your name, pronouns, accessibility needs, privacy boundaries, and retouching preferences before the session so we can work with care.

Portrait session prep guide: the day-before checklist

• Outfits tried on, steamed, and packed
• Location, parking, and start time confirmed
• Water, comfortable shoes, and a small touch-up kit ready
• Props limited to the meaningful essentials
• Glasses cleaned and pockets kept free of phones or keys
• Privacy, accessibility, pronoun, and retouching preferences shared

A portrait session can be celebratory without becoming performative. We can make something cinematic, tender, strange, polished, silly, powerful, or quietly true. Explore my portrait work or get in touch when you are ready to make photographs of the person you are now.