Hello Russ Burden Photography,

      I have the following concerns about my senior portrait. I’m very worried I won’t look my best. Please let me know what I should do about each:

a) I wear glasses and I’ve seen pictures of people with lots of glare in the lens. I don’t want this to happen in my pictures. What should I do?
b) I’m not sure what to wear. My parents want me to wear one outfit but I want to wear another. What should I do?
c) I’m worried about my acne. When I have the enlargements made from the proof, I don’t want to look like I’m a giant pimple. What should I do?
d) My braces aren’t scheduled to come off for another six months and that’s past the picture deadline. What should I do?
e) I get nervous when I have my picture taken. What should I do?

Thank You,

Concerned Senior

Hello Concerned Senior,

      Your concerns are very real and shared by many other seniors. When we create your portrait, please follow the guidelines found below and everything will turn out well.

a) GLASSES: Glare can be a problem so I suggest you contact your optician and have him or her remove the lenses prior to your shoot. It’s a common request and they do it often. Most will do it for free. Some will even lend you a blank pair of frames. The removal of the lens also prevents any distortion if the lenses are thick. If getting to the optician is not possible, glare can be removed via retouching, but there’s a cost difference between this type of retouching and normal retouching.
b) CLOTHING: What you wear is important. This is one of the big reasons we allow you three outfits with our 30 proof sessions. This gives you ten pictures with each clothing change. Solid colors are much better than prints. Avoid very dark or white tops. Avoid sleeveless tops. Bring one dressy outfit, one casual one, and one that’s middle of the road. Another reason why I offer three clothing changes is to provide you with a variety so mom and dad AND you can have the outfits of choice! When we schedule your session, I’ll go into more detail as to why the above suggestions work well.
c) ACNE: Acne is a real concern and can be removed through retouching. Although higher priced than a basic package, if you happen to break out right before your scheduled session, every pimple can be removed when we make the enlargements.
d) BRACES: Braces can be removed via retouching. As with any extra, there is an additional cost, but when you get your reprints made, you’ll never know you were wearing them at the time the picture was created.
e) NERVOUS: Many people dislike being in front of a camera. This is something I fully understand. I’ll work with you to get you relaxed. Additionally, you’re more than welcome to bring along a friend or parent for support.
I hope the above helps you. I look forward to creating your senior portrait.

Sincerely,


Russ Burden