Shoot Day Preparation - (Portrait-Glamour-Performer)

• Expectations
  It's OK to be nervous!  Most people are and we know that. We love working with people and set them at ease. We like to have fun with our customers so keep that in mind.
• Be "mentally" ready.
     Please save family "issues" until after the shoot.
     Help yourself get in the mood on the way to the shoot by doing something fun in the car.
     You  should postpone the shoot if you are not in a good state of mind.
     Images come out so much better if you are prepared to have fun and feel good about yourself. 
• Be sure you are doing this because you want to, not because someone is pushing you (mom).
• The photographer can do a lot to capture your "better side" however; the more you work with the photographer, the better your pictures will come out.
   
• For clothing, bring things that show off your better parts and hide those that you aren't prepared to show off. Read more about this below.
   
• Photo Style
  Think of the style of photographs you want. We can do almost anything you see in magazines or on the net if we have time to prepare. Look on-line and through magazines to see what appeals to you. Send us what you have found in advance so we can better prepare for your shoot. Or, leave it in our hands and just let the photographer create images as you go. Your pictures will reflect the mood you express. The ability to express them works well for the camera. The photographer will guide you through the shoot to help you do this.
   
• Preparation
  Being prepared can make a huge difference in your photo experience. The more you think about what you want the better. We love clients with ideas and want to work with us on "the other side of the camera".  In any case, we strongly encourage you to use your imagination.
  • If you plan on doing a more "fashion" shoot wearing short skirts, shorts, sleeveless blouses or swim wear, a light tan always works well...  but don't over do it.
  • For swimwear and glamour shots, bring lotion or oil that gives your skin a sheen. We cannot supply this as many people can have bad reactions to certain chemicals. You know what you can use better than anybody.
     
• Clothing
  The more you plan your wardrobe the better.
  • In general
    • Don't wear prints, do wear solid colors.
    • Don't wear white or any light color, do wear darker-richer colors
    • Men - Don't wear T-shirts or baggy shorts*
    • Women - avoid short skirts or plunging neck lines*

    *These make it hard to pose in certain situations and can "distract" from the real you.
     

  • Group shots
    • Everyone wearing similar styles and definitely the same colors looks better.
       
  • Models and performers:
    • Trendy/current fashion
    • Sporty / Summer / Swimsuit
    • Professional - Skirts, slacks, jackets, heels, scarf, tie
    • Going out - Evening at the ball

Hair
Be sure you and your fellow subjects are adequately quaffed. For models and performers, be prepared to work with your hair.  The more styles you can show the more expression you can convey.  For longer hair be prepared to do up-dos, pig-tails, loose braids, etc. We have a wind machine to work with it even more. For shorter hair you can spike it, tussle it, grease it or dry feather.  We strongly encourage you to use your imagination.

Makeup
Don't wear shiny lip gloss, glitter or sparkles. These will reflect the strobes and show up as bright white dots. Bring your favorite makeup kit and bring it all for better preparation. (We have a powder room). Think of your photo session as an opportunity to explore different looks. For the more serious model or performer exaggerated makeup styles are encouraged. We welcome you to bring your own makeup artist. We have staff that can consult on this matter if you would like. Please inform us well before hand if you need this.
Don't worry about breakouts or scar that can't be totally covered just do the best you can. We are expert in photo retouching and can take care of "problem areas" for you at no cost.

Hands and Feet
Manicured hands and pedicured feet make a big difference in photos that involve or feature them. Please seriously consider maintenance in these areas if you are getting a solo portrait and are a model or performer.

• Last but certainly not least
  • Bring accessories. Jewelry, scarves, hats, hand-bags all work great for the more fashion shoots.
  • Bring period clothing. Period clothing always gives your images that unique look.
  • Dig out that wedding dress or borrow mom's wedding dress. ...now wouldn't that be interesting?
  • Music is a critical element to setting the mood of the shoot. Think about what you would like to work to during the shoot. Please bring your CDs, iPods, etc. We even have clients that bring their own mix CD/iPod play-list. We can easily hook it up to our studio sound system so don't bring speakers. 

Based on the information on this page, you should contact us with any further question and tell us more specifically what you would like from your photo shoot. We want to make our clients happy and make them feel great about themselves.
Directions To Our Studio are Here

If you have any questions, please contact me at your convenience eis@coolwaterstudios.com.