How to prepare for your upcoming portrait session

Whether you have an upcoming portrait session with me in Toronto or another photographer around the world, there are a couple of things you can do to help ensure you get the best result possible.

A striking portrait requires more than technical and artistic know-how from a photographer. It requires buy-in from you in the form of comfort and confidence.

“Oh no!” I can hear you scream, “I hate being in front of the camera!” Don’t worry. I got you.

Your photographer will do everything they can to ensure you’re comfortable and give you clear easy-to-follow directions (I will at least). But there are 4 simple things you can do to put yourself in the right headspace during your session to nail a confident, carefree expression (or whatever look you’re going for).

1. Get a good night’s sleep

Not only will this help keep your face and eyes looking fresh (goodbye eye bags!), but it’ll also help reduce the nerves of standing in front of a camera. Which, unless you're a professional actor or model, is something we all suffer from.

2. Arrive early

When you’re in a rush, the universe conspires against you to make you late. Your train’s delayed. You can’t find parking. It happens. Give yourself some wiggle room for the unexpected. This way you’re not stressed and flustered when you arrive. And you’ll have the entire session and plenty of time to nail your portrait.

3. Don’t get a haircut the day before

If you’re planning on getting a haircut before your shoot, it’s best to come straight from the hairdresser/barber with your hair styled by a professional or wait a few days. This way you’ll be comfortable with your new haircut and know how to style it properly. Plus, a haircut that’s a couple of days fresh looks more natural and better on camera (in my opinion).

4. Wear your usual clothes

It’s tempting to try a new look on a photo shoot. And, I’ll admit, it can result in incredible shots. But it comes at a risk. You might look back on your outfit choice and think “What was I thinking!?” You can buy new clothes to look fresh. But they should be something that reflects your personality/style and you're comfortable wearing. Something that wouldn’t be out of place in your wardrobe. This will give you a lot more confidence.

If in doubt of anything or you have any questions, just ask your photographer. They want to help you and make sure you’re 100% on board with the process. After all, they have the same goal as you — to capture the best portrait possible!