7 Simple Tips for Taking a Great Yearbook Photo with Steady Photography

1. Wear something to compliment the background. The background we use is grey (see example below), so chose clothes that will compliment that color. We recommend darker colors like black, navy blue, green and red because they draw more attention to your face than lighter colors will. White really isn’t the greatest choice for a photo, because it can make your skin blend with the background, and will sometimes make you look heavier than you actually are. Stay away from grey!
2. Avoid tank tops, strapless tops, and spaghetti straps. Some people don’t end up liking the way their bare shoulders look in their photo, so the safe route is to wear at least short sleeves.
3. Plan ahead. Have your outfit prepared before picture day. The last thing you want is to find that your favorite outfit is in the laundry. You should also leave yourself plenty of time to get ready that morning. Do your hair and, if you’re wearing it, makeup in the morning before school. Then, right before you face the camera, do a quick touch-up and check to make sure there isn’t any lunch on your face or in your teeth.
4. Avoid big changes to your appearance. Don’t get a drastic new haircut or color, or a daring piercing the day before the photo. We highly recommend you hold off on making any big changes to your natural everyday look until after you’ve had your picture taken for the yearbook. It may turn out looking good after all, but then again, it may not.
5. Keep it simple. Don’t over-accessorize for your photo. Big earrings and busy patterns will only draw attention to themselves and away from your face and smile. The same goes for your hair and makeup. Don’t try too hard on picture day, like doing something new with your hair, or wearing makeup you aren’t used to. You want the photo to be of you, not you trying to be someone else. Guys, make sure to shave that morning.  And please, no hats.
6. Check your posture. Make sure to hold your head up high and don’t slouch!
7. Don’t forget to smile! One way to avoid a fake looking smile is to think of something slightly funny to help you crack a smile or just a bit of a giggle. Practice smiling in the mirror ahead of time. It may sound cheesy, but figuring out how to make a natural-looking smile for the camera takes a little preparation.

This is an example of the background that will be used in all yearbook pictures.

We hope these tips will help you feel a little bit more prepared to take your yearbook photo this year. If you miss your photo day, there will be a make-up day scheduled sometime in October. We will list all of our school’s make-up dates on our Facebook page, so if you aren’t already, become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/steadyphotography!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 at 7:50 am. It is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.