Senior portraits are becoming more common as the years go by. Many senior photographs are taken in order to capture an individual as he or she has grown in both appearance and age. Senior pictures can also provide insight into the life of the senior and show his or her personality and mannerisms as she or he begins to age.
Senior portraits may also be used in professional photography and are becoming increasingly popular among business people, actors, and models. Senior photos are taken of a person in their sixties, seventies, eighties, or even ten years later. Most of the time, these portraits are taken within the first year of a senior citizens employment and are intended to serve as an archive of sorts to help them organize and remember their earlier years.
While most senior photographs are taken within the first year after graduation, there are instances when high school seniors may take senior portraits much later in life. Learn More on why it is important for the senior photographer to determine the best time to go about shooting the photograph.
In order to determine the best time to take senior portraits, the photographer should consider how long it will likely take for the senior citizen to completely recover from any injuries sustained during high school. Also, the best time to shoot a senior photo may be different depending on what the senior was doing, such as participating in a sport.
As most seniors begin to lose their muscles and become unable to perform physically, their ability to socialize declines. Thus, a senior photographer will most likely advise the senior to not participate in physical activities, but instead must focus on fine movements such as speaking, writing, or simply enjoying the moment.
Once the senior photographer has determined that the necessary physical activities have been completed, the next step is to place the senior in a setting conducive to candid photography. The setting can be as simple as a simple group of people sitting at a picnic table, or it can include a lush garden. Another great technique for candid photos is to use props. Props can range from simple throw pillows, to stuffed animals, to a large stuffed animal which the subject can lie down upon.
During the senior session, the photographer will create a series of poses in which the subject will be required to smile broadly. Although smiles are often associated with youthful beauty, the truth is that a person’s facial expression can say a lot about his or her emotional health and state of mind. After creating the series of poses, the senior photographer will ask the subject to sit down and do a series of stretching exercises.
After creating the series of poses, the photographer will want to take senior portraits. This will usually entail several sessions with the same subject. In order to make creative senior portraits, there are a variety of techniques that can be used by professional photographers.
The best way to make creative senior pictures is to remember that each person has an innate personality and style, so rather than trying to copy the look of another person in the picture, it is better to highlight a unique aspect of the subject’s personality. In this way, the photographer can come up with interesting and different ways to photograph the subject.
During the session, the professional photographer will often ask the subject to pose with several items in front of the camera. For instance, during September sessions, the subject might be asked to stand with a handbag, a wallet, or a book on their lap, while holding a tube of lipstick up to their face.
This technique is great for capturing several different poses in one shot, as it allows the professional photographer to capture several different looks within one session. Another popular method of taking senior pictures is to ask the subject to stand in just one position for a few seconds, then pose their entire body while moving around in slow motion.
