Senior Portrait Session in Colorado: What to Wear + How to Prepare

High school girl with long blonde hair wears a fedora hat for her senior portraits in Louisville, Colorado

This article should guide you, depending on the kind of session you are aiming for.
But my suggestions below tackle the most asked questions.

In this post, you will find tips and ideas for the best outfits to wear for a senior portrait session in Colorado.

Rock your session with confidence!

Tips for Your Senior Portrait Session

Here are some tips that will help you prepare for your unique photoshoot. But, before reading any further:

Remember to run your outfits by the photographer before your session!

I am always available to give my clients input on outfit options. I encourage all of my high school senior clients to text or email me snaps of anything they are considering wearing, so I can suggest changes if necessary. Usually, their outfit choices are good, but with just a few simple adjustments, I can help you get everything styled flawlessly.

Since senior portraits are so meaningful and last a lifetime, you want to prepare for the big day by getting suggestions for clothing from friends, parents and me (your photographer). Below are the top 13 portrait tips to help you plan your clothing for your senior photo session with me.

13 Top Senior Portrait Tips

Teenage girl with red hair wears a flower crown while posing barefoot in a river for her senior portraits

Redhead wearing floral dress sits on a wooden fence in a field for her high school senior portraits

1. Plan several outfits to bring.

You should arrange to bring several outfits to your photo session in a variety of colors and styles. Based on which session you choose, urban or a more outdoorsy one, I will suggest you a good number of changes of clothing to bring – usually from three to six – to create several looks and, most importantly, great images. Remember to bring accessories for all outfits, from footwear to jewelry & hair. Since some full-body images might be photographed, check your shoes to be sure they are in good shape.

2. Keep your clothing visually simple but have fun planning.

Avoid outfits with words or designs, stripes, pictures, or simply too busy. You want your face, eyes and expression to command attention, not the words on your shirt.

3. Give consideration to color.

Solid colors are recommended for most outfits. I give this a lot of thought. Although I have recommended colors in the past, now I just tell my clients to wear the colors they are more comfortable in, generally those that complement their skin color and personality. If you love how you look in the mirror, you will definitely like your pictures. Here’s an excellent way to see which colors look best on you: Stand in front of the mirror with good lighting and hold outfits of different colors in front of you. Watch for the colors that make your eyes, smile, hair, and skin stand out – these tones are the best.

TWO-PIECE OUTFIT

A two-piece outfit can be either a combination of top + skirt, or top + shorts – you get the idea. This type of outfit is usually also a semi formal outfit and an excellent option for senior pictures. When working with two-piece outfits, you must be sure to color-coordinate your clothes and really shouldn’t t mix n match patterns. Keep in mind that fitting bottoms pair well with looser tops, and fitted tops look great with both fitted and fuller skirts.

Blonde high schooler wearing a floral shirt and green skirt sits on a riverbank, barefoot and smiling

SHORT DRESS

A short dress can serve as your semi formal outfit. Just as with all the other outfits, pick colors that are suitable for the location and won’t be distracting from your face and skin.

High school girl wears a short, light blue floral dress and tan boots while posing for her senior photos in a field of tall grass

Blonde high school girl wearing a short, strappy black dress walks in a grassy field in front of tall Flatirons in Chautauqua, Colorado

When choosing your dress, try to stay away from very short dresses as they can be challenging to work with and limiting on the posing. You want to feel comfortable and not worry about fixing your outfit constantly.

DANCE OUTFIT & BALLET

It’s always so special to capture ballerinas doing their pirouettes and plies. These images are so powerful and full of energy! If you do ballet or any other dance or sport, let me know so we can try to capture that on camera. Bring your dresses and shoes!

PROM & MAXI-DRESSES

High school girl wears her light purple prom dress, posing on boulders for her senior photoshoot

We like to save the best outfit for last. If you are into long elegant dresses and want to incorporate that into your senior pictures – I’m all for it! We believe this type of outfit will highlight your best features and it will look truly magical. Based on the location of your photo shoot, we can discuss a style of dress that will be complemented by the surroundings.

4. Go easy on the jewelry.

Wear what makes you YOU, but avoid wearing attention-grabbing jewelry. Bring multiple options if you are not sure on what to wear. I can help you coordinate!

Hats and scarves can be great accessories, too. Always try on the outfit with the hat or other accessory, so you will be sure how this style combination looks on you. Just keep in mind – some accessories that are trendy today may not always be!

5. Apply makeup normally.

If you are planning on hiring a hair and makeup artist, make sure you are happy with the results and you love what you see in the mirror. The makeup artist will know to get you camera ready – be sure to communicate with them on your style. If you are doing your makeup yourself, apply your makeup as you normally would do on a day-to-day basis. Bring your makeup with you so if you need a retouch, I can let you know.

Brunette high school senior wearing a floral dress and natural makeup poses amongst a tree with pink flowers

You want to avoid using glitter or anything sparkly on your face: either powder, eye shadow, blush, or hairspray. Anything glitter or sparkly will get reflected and draw attention from your portrait.

It’s helpful to bring along a translucent powder, which can be applied in case of face getting a bit oily during the shoot. Without this powder, your face will have an unpleasing glow, which is impossible to get rid of during post-production.

Lip gloss is great, but avoid overdoing it. It can also leave white spots from the flash or make you look like you’re drooling.

6. Go with practiced hair styles.

A few hairstyle tips for a senior session: don’t go out unprepared, but also don’t overdo it. You definitely don’t want to show up for your session with unwashed and uncombed hair – this is not the time for that “natural” look. Also, don’t experiment with any complicated hairstyles.

We suggest practicing with your desired hairstyles a few days before the photoshoot to get the look you want in advance. If you don’t practice beforehand, you might end up having a tough time doing your hair on the day of the shoot, which can, in turn, ruin your mood for the day.

Get a haircut at least a week in advance to give your hair a chance to adjust and look natural. If someone is doing your hair, communicate your style, show your pinterest board etc.

7. Blemishes be gone...

Don’t worry about a blemish or bruise. Express to us about retouching concerns before we begin your session to get the most attractive portrait possible.

8. Don’t worry about braces.

Your braces are a part of you and shouldn’t be hidden. However, if they really bother you, I can digitally “erase” them for an extra fee. Ask me about it!

High school girl with braces wears a mauve shirt and brown floppy hat as she smiles for her senior portrait session in a field of tall grass in Boulder

9. Avoid tanning heavily.

I know you would like to tan or spray tan, but PLEASE go lightly on the tan as I can enhance it if needed, but it costs extra to "reduce" your tan look.

10. Help your glasses avoid glare.

While we make every attempt to shoot & not show glare, sometimes it is extremely difficult or not possible. You can either buy or borrow a pair of suitable frames without lenses to prevent glare & reflections from the glass.

11. Personalize your photos with props.

We invite you to bring favorite props to the shoot, such as athletic gear, sports jerseys, musical instruments, or hobby items, dancing outfits & shoes.

High school boy wears a light blue athletic shirt and black shorts as he poses with his tennis racket for his senior portraits

You can even bring your pet to be in some of the shots with you. Just be sure to bring someone along to help if you bring an animal.

12. Bring someone with you.

We welcome and recommend you to bring a parent / friend. This person can be your cheerleader assistant and can help you with clothing changes. It also helps to have someone you know with you, so you feel more confident and relaxed in front of the camera. Plus it's more fun to share this experience with someone who cares about you.

13. Prep for your photoshoot.

Few days before your session, we recommend setting out all your clothing options to coordinate each outfit. Try each complete outfit on and look in the mirror. If you don't like something in the mirror, you probably won't like it in your portraits. Ask trusted friends / family for input on your clothing as well, you can always text me your look and I’ll help you out.

If you don't already... Drink lots of water beginning at least a couple days in advance of your session. This will help hydrate your skin & have it looking its absolute best in your portraits.