PORTRAIT SESSION TIPS

• Arrive with clean hair and minimal makeup.
• Wear a comfortable two-piece outfit from home.
• Keep clothing simple. Try to choose solid colors. 
• Bring 2-3 complete outfits. The more colorful, the better! We want to capture the real you! We do a variety of posing including full length and floor shots, so bring shoes and jewelry that complement your outfits. Bright solid tops look great colorized!
• For family sessions, make sure you coordinate your family's clothing from head to toe. Bring at least 2 complete  outfits. Denim with white shirts or solid black outfits give family portraits something to remember.
• Darker clothing slims. Choose shades of black, brown, blue, dark green and other jewel-toned colors.
• Scoops or v-necks flatter shorter necks and full faces. Turtlenecks or highjacked garments flatter longer necks and slender faces.
• Keep clothing consistent. Dress everyone in the same style. Don't mix casual and formal clothing (there are exceptions to the rule).
• Where light on white. Light pastel or white clothing looks best against a light-colored or white photography backgrounds.
• Wear dark on dark. Dark clothing looks best against darker backgrounds and creates a more formal mood.
• Add accents. Show your style in small accents. Save stronger colors and patterns for accessories (scarves, neckties, jewelry, etc.)
• Add in your personality! Bring your own props! This give your portraits a personalized touch. Things like military or sports uniforms, musical instruments or even pets, can make a great addition to your portraits.

TIPS FOR DRESSING YOUR FIGURE

• Undergarments are underrated, but so important. A properly fitting bra or panty can make you look 15 pounds lighter and minimize bulges and bumps. Shapewear also smooths out lines!
• Accenting the smallest part of the waist is a must on any body shape. The way a shirt or dress is cut can help emphasize this area, as can belts.
• Having clothing tailored is surprisingly inexpensive and can make all the difference in the end result. These are images that will last you a long time, so don't be afraid to pay for perfectly fitting clothes.

GRADUATION PORTRAITS FORMAL/INFORMAL

Outfit changes are available during your senior portrait session. We encourage you to show your personal style with a casual outfit as well as something  a bit more formal to add variety to your session.

• Guys' formal attire could include a simple sport coat, dress shirt and tie, sweater or a 3-piece suit.
• Girls, a formal dress from a special occasion, skirt, blouse or sweater.
• Informal allows for more variety - your clothing should reflect who you are! Include a casual outfit that suits your style, an outfit that includes pieces with today's latest trends, cap and gown, sports  or cheerleading uniform, sporting equipment, letter jacket, art supplies, skateboard, musical instruments, or prom dress. 
• Bring your parents, siblings, best friend, boy friend, girl friend for group photographs that will last a lifetime.
• Avoid prints and patterns, they draw the eyes away from the face. Plaids and stripes can also be distracting. Choose long-sleeved shirts and avoid bare shoulders or tank tops.

Please tell us what you like and don't like. We want you to feel free to express your likes and dislikes to your makeup artist and your photographer. This will help us personalize your session. We want your to be absolutely THRILLED with your portraits! We GUARANTEE IT! OR YOUR MONEY BACK!

Please plan to return to the studio in 7-10 days to select and purchase your portraits. We can customize a package that suits your particular portrait needs. We want you to be able to show off your beautiful portraits to all your friends and family members. For your convenience, we accept most major credit cards. 

THE CASE OF THE MISSING BLUE SUEDE SHOE

This is the first of many humorous  and human interest bits about the attire and the garments that people wear/display these days in the twenty first century. I call this piece KICKS & LIDS. This first story is hilarious. Check it out!

So, for my Birthday/Christmas gift my Sister at Church gives me a $50 gift card to D & K Mens Clothing & Haberdashery. I went looking for a black, french cuffs shirt. they have never had shoes in my size (size 8), so I usually just walk past and review them on my way out. But something caught my eye! A blue suede, lace up, round toe shoe! Nice, I said. "Watch it not be in my size!" So I stopped, picked it up, and to my SURPRIZE, SURPRISE! Yes Gomer, it was an 8! Regularly $99, today half price. I forgot all about the shirt! I began to look for the mate. LOL! It should have been in the box under the shoe, right! NO MATE! "What, the one legged man came through and bought the RIGHT SHOE,left the LEFT SHOE?!" Now the store owner and all his employees are looking for this Right Blue Suede shoe. After 20 exhausting minutes, still no SHOE! I left my business card with my phone/email information. "When you locate the mate, please give me a call."

A week to ten days goes by and still no CALL! So I decided to stop in again. The box, one left shoe and my business card were still behind the counter. The search continued. Another exhausting 20 minutes goes by, still NO MATE was to be found. I had resided into buying a shirt! Smiling, laughing and having one legged humorous thoughts. LOL!!! Then suddenly, from the back of the store, Michael, the SHOE ANGEL yells, "I found it! It was hidden on a shelf in the back listed as a discard item because it has NO MATE!" LOL!!! The whole store erupted into laughter!

But that's not how the story ends! The lost/found shoe had no shoe string I exclaimed! Michael, the shoe angel calmly says, "You got the shoes, we can find you some new shoe laces!" I got another 30% OFF on the shoes, leaving me enough on the gift card to purchase a signature hat/lid designed by Carlos Santana!

Now I've got to Kick it for now partners, so keep a Lid on it til later!

PEACE