Every photographer has had that camera-shy client who’d rather hide than stand in front of a lens. It isn’t always easy to help the photo-phobic relax and enjoy their session. You can help by giving your clients great styling tips well before the big day.
About that Wardrobe…
Most clients know how to dress for their session, or they at least have an inkling of what looks great and what’s not so great. However, it never hurts to remind them of a few things anyway. For example, baggy clothing is always a no-no — some might do this out of an instinct to cover flaws with as much fabric as possible. In reality, this tactic only highlights flaws.
For group portraits, clients often want to arrive all wearing the same color — or worse, the exact same outfit. Unless your client is utterly determined to do this or has a good reason for it, explain that too much matching gives portraits a very cliché, dated look.
There is also the temptation among clients to wear brand-new clothes to their session, but that’s not always a good idea. Picture someone struggling with heels who normally wears flats, or a short skirt for someone who usually wears slacks. Unfamiliar clothing can make a client feel like a fish out of water, and it will show in the portraits. If your clients want to go for a bold new look, make sure they try it out at least a month in advance so there’s plenty of time to get acquainted with the clothing.
Picture Day Doesn’t Have to be a Bad Hair Day
Between haircuts gone wrong along with wind and humidity, hair styling is one of the hardest things to get right. Advise your clients to get a haircut at least two weeks before the shoot. That allows hair to grow out a bit if the barber botches the job. Here are a few more things to tell your clients:
- Bring along hair ties, bobby pins and whatever else is necessary to pull back hair. Good days sometimes turn windy, and an unexpected cloud burst can raise humidity and wreck otherwise perfect hair. It’s also a good idea if you have some of these things in your kit, just in case the client forgets.
- Recommend a selection of moisturizers that your clients can try if the humidity will be high on the day of the shoot. There are many great products that weigh hair down without making it look dull or oily.
- Experimentation is key. Encourage your clients to practice their favorite hairstyles at least a couple of weeks before the session to prevent any last-minute hair emergencies.
A bad hair day is the easiest way to make a client feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. With plenty of planning, your clients will achieve picture-perfect hair despite the wind and humidity.
Doing Makeup Like a Model
The right makeup can make a huge difference. Consider creating a “makeup tips” fact sheet to help your clients look and feel their best. Here are some of the things you could tell your clients:
- Use yellow or orange concealer to negate blue or purple under-eye circles.
- Apply bright white concealers under foundation in shadowed areas to reflect more light. This technique works wonders to reduce or eliminate shadows from deep-set eyes or smile lines.
- Give your clients a lesson on contouring. Use dark makeup under the cheek bones to add more definition. Contouring makeup can also be used around the jaw line and temples to give the face more dimension.
Finally, you’ll want to remind your clients that the makeup needs to match the theme of the session. That is, no cat-like eyeliner and blue lipstick if you’re going to shoot among the fall foliage. Save those looks for high-fashion style sessions.
Tying it Together with the Right Accessories
When it comes to accessories, anything — or almost anything — goes. For women, scarves work well to spice up muted outfits. Hats, belts, jewelry and hair pins can also be used, as long as they aren’t overused. Too much of a good thing can make a wardrobe look cheap and tacky.
Accessories are also a great way to tie a group shot together. Suggest that your client choose accessories of the same color to create a theme. Accessorizing is a great way to show relationship without resorting to the dated look of matching outfits.
Give your clients plenty of time to experiment with their look, and make yourself available to answer any questions they may have. After all, when clients look their best, the photographer looks pretty good, too.
Lisa Foreman is the Marketing Conversion Manager at Nations Photo Lab, a leading professional photo lab that specializes in a wide range of print options for hobbyists as well as professionals.