First Photo Job! Senior Pictures

[iKokomo]

I have been asked by a friend to to her Senior pictures. We are planning on doing it on a beach near Lake Michigan (which has a lot of sand dunes and forests as well) and are planning on taking some even underwater (I have an underwater pocket camera). My main camera is a Nikon D90. (lens are 28-300, 18-105, and if i can borrow it 50mm 1.8) She is planning on bringing at least three changes of outfits. So my question(s) are (being my first time and all)

I have taken college classes (which I am studying to be a Media Minor) about photography, so I know the basics of ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, ND Filters, angles and know how to use Photoshop CS5 fairly well, so feel free to give me more advanced advice!

1. What poses should I do (on the beach, forest, sand dunes, underwater)?
2. What (and how) do I get her to do unposed pictures (so it looks less fake, or posed) or should I not do it at all?
3. How should I charge her for them? (per pic, per hour?) Should I send the pictures she wants via email, and how to embed a watermark?
4. What lens should I bring(lens I have are in the description above)?
5. Should I bring my SB-800 flash?
6. What should she do to prepare? (makeup, hair, (she wants some with hair up and hair done) eye shadow, etc) ?
7. What are some good Senior photography blogs/websites (not just ordinary one, good ones) that I should look at to get some ideas?
8. Should I do more than just photos, should I do a video as well, and if yes, how should I go about doing the video (or should the video just be for my portfolio)?
9. Is there anything else that I should know, that I might not have asked above?
10. This is my first time with pictures, Im nervous haha

Thanks a ton for all your help. I hope to be able to use this to get me into the world of more professional photography!

 

[tyler_h]

Can only comment on some; I'm not real good at portraits. Only just lined up a third shoot with a friend to try and learn through doing.

2. You can try for un-posed. My friend was a dancer so comfortable to have a bit of fun. I'd say leave it to the end so she is more relaxed.
3. I'd think per time; including PP. I'm not a believer in watermarking them; and I'd suggest CD for delivery.
4. Definitely borrow the 50; likely your main as 75 on crop. If the 18-105 is decent wide open at the long end I'd say use it as well.
5. Fill flash... look at reflectors too I guess.
6. Make up and hair should be done; an odd one I found. My friend used bronzer and it made PP hard as it would come out really orange.
8. Video sounds odd to me; what is your purpose for the video? what audio...
10. The more nervous you are the more nervous you'll make her. Relax!

Good luck. I'm sure you'll get some more better advise from people here with more experience.

 

[Kerbouchard]

Start here... The Rules Of Good Portraiture

 

[mrpink]

5. Should I bring my SB-800 flash?

No. Why on earth would you want to bring your photography equipment to a photo shoot?

#10 should answer #3.







p!nK

 

[The_Traveler]

Do this for fun.
If you don't know enough to answer 1-9, you don't know enough to charge.

 

[iKokomo]

The reason for video is for promo, I see Photographers advertising on YouTube with videos! And thanks for your help so far! Oh. I do start with 1, not 2

 

[gsgary]

The reason for video is for promo, I see Photographers advertising on YouTube with videos! And thanks for your help so far! Oh. I do start with 1, not 2

If you can't answer any of these questions you are not ready for promo

 

[Kbarredo]

Here is another question are you going to be doing any in water shots. If so ask her to bring a bathing suit.

 

[iKokomo]

She already know that she should. Cause we are also good friends so me, her and a good fried of hers will go swimming afterwards so it's not just a photo shoot

 

[tibrunner]

For Watermarks I use the Digimarc add-on for PS

Once you have it in the filter add-on folder in your Photoshop directory

open PS
- Open Image>>Filter>>Digimarc>>Embed watermark

 

[iKokomo]

Thanks for all your help!! It will be in August sometime, but I will be Preparing now for it

 

[KmH]

You might want to get the Master Guide for Photographing High School Seniors

 

[Oilersrock]

You might want to get the Master Guide for Photographing High School Seniors

Bahahaha! I was so confused about this thread until I read this. I thought he meant 60+ senior - not high school senior. I'm Canadian, and we don't use those terms, so I was surprised when the OP said the 'senior' was going to be bringing 3 changes of clothes, and was going to take underwater shots. I was kind of wondering what this senior was going to use the photos for

 

[PhotoTish]

Yep, me too! I thought "seniors" were elderly folk until I visited this forum.

 

[Derrel]

Do a bit of research about VERTICAL and horizontal composition choices. Do NOT shoot a boatload of horizontals where her forehead is chopped off,and her chin is 4mm from the bottom of the frame, and she occupies 25% of the frame, and the remaining 75% of the frame is empty,dead space.

The single, biggest mistake I see beginners making is to shoot "portraits" in horizontal mode, with loads of dead space, and a very small bit of person in the middle of the frame. Nothing screams "untrained!", "no art background!", "newbie!", "no clue!" louder than horizontalitis.