If you are thinking, “should I take my own my own senior pictures”, please don’t! I know what’s you’re thinking, “well he’s a photographer, so of course he will say that!” No, that’s not it. Cameras on iPhones and Android phones are very nice and have great detail in photos. But, the file size is small and limited.
Other than posting on social media, there is not much more you can do with the images. I know you’re probably thinking about right now that is all you need. But fast forward 10 or 15 years and you will wish you had gotten professional senior photos. There is a big difference between DIY senior photos and professional senior photos. Read on for a few reasons why:
Professional lighting for senior pictures
Think about the small flash on your phone. Do you even use the flash on your phone? It is not very bright and unless you have a bright sunny day. You will not be happy with how they turn out without good light. Professional photographers know how to make you look your best in different lighting situations. We know how to avoid shadows that give you dark circles under your eyes.
Knowing how to use light to make you look dewy and fresh is important as well. We also know the best time of day to shoot depending on the location. The professional lighting we use makes a huge difference in how your photos come out. Even without professional lighting in your senior photos, professional photographers know how to use available light and make you look great!
Professional poses for senior pictures
Professional photographers just know how to pose you better. It’s literally our job to know what angles look best on you. We also know how to pose you so that you look incredible. We know how to serve tons of different poses in a single session to maintain variety & interest. Over the course of a 2 – 3 hour shoot (and sometimes longer) we can shoot hundreds of images. In those images, sometimes the slightest turn or angle and make a huge difference.
Your poses for your senior pictures need to show your personality. Yes, you can do that is selfies, but, your poses are limited because of the limited angles you have when holding the phone. Even putting the phone on a self timer is not as accurate. A professional photographer can give you those selfie poses and more!
Professional knowledge of camera equipment
Yes, your mom or dad can rent a camera like the professionals and take your photos. But, an expensive camera is just not enough to get great senior photos. When you take a selfie, do you hold the camera a certain way? Do you know why you do that? Because the lens on the phone is not designed for certain angles. That’s a result of something called distortion. It happens in the lens choice and distance from the photographer to you.
Professional photographers know this kind of information and how to avoid making your features look different than they really are. Professional photographers know which lenses work best. That is one of the reasons most of us carry at least two cameras with different lenses. The lenses allow us to get closer if needed, or as far away as we need without making you look bad.
I know you might be worried about the cost as well. Before you settle for DIY senior photos, talk to several photographers and get options. Not every photographer charges an arm and a leg. Check out my gallery for some posing ideas for your senior pictures. You have options. Use my contact page or email me and I can suggest other photographers if needed.
