A Picture is worth a thousand words……

By Harleigh Goodman - August 12, 2015

Reflecting on senior portraits and pageant head shots in Chicago…

My life has changed a lot in the past year. I have gotten some really amazing opportunities to shoot with some wonderful and amazing photographers, and some not so amazing ones too. From headshots, to lifestyle modeling for one of my favorite boutiques, pageants and walking in a fashion show, I am learning as I go. One thing I have learned is that the photos that come out of a shoot are only as good as the photographer behind the lens. I don’t care who you are, you could be a supermodel and if the photographer doesn’t have an artistic eye, or the setting and lighting are off, the photos will not be that great. A professional photographer can take photos that will make anyone look like a model, and an unprofessional photographer can take photos that will make even a supermodel not look the best. You do not see what the photographer sees through the lens, which is why a professional photographer is a must. What might otherwise have been a beautiful photo could be ruined with stray hairs in your face, bad angles or lighting, or a bra strap hanging out. A pro photographer will have a keen eye for detail and will correct and adjust as they shoot to ensure that the photos are perfect. With school starting soon, I thought it would be a good time to talk about senior portraits and why choosing a photographer can be the difference between amazing photos and not so amazing photos.

It goes without saying that a great picture starts with you. Your makeup and hair should be camera ready. If you want your hair and makeup to be camera ready, I would recommend choosing a professional makeup artist and professional hairstylist. If you are going to invest money in having professional photos done, it makes sense to make sure you are looking your best. I made the mistake of paying to attend a model boot camp where they said it would be professional hair and makeup and professional photographers, and it turned out to be student makeup artists and the professional photographers cut my hands and feet off and the sets were terrible. The result was pictures that made me look like a clown, with no feet and large extended puppet like eyebrows! Senior portraits are something that will mark a very special time in your life, and you want to be able to look at them and love them for years to come. The same goes if you are building a model portfolio, or if you are having headshots done for a pageant. If you choose the right photographer, you will end up with photos that are gorgeous and are model portfolio quality. I recommend when searching for a senior portrait photographer that you ask around. I was fortunate enough to meet one of my favorite photographers, Stephanie of Stephanie Pana Photography when doing a lifestyle shoot for Pink Slip Boutique. She is artistic and has a great eye for settings, lighting and posing. She is so helpful and talks you through the photo shoot, which makes it so much easier. Not to mention she is so sweet and she puts you right at ease. Posted below are the photos we just shot for my blog. She really is amazing!