As a top Southern California Senior Portrait Photographer, my goal is to give each girl an amazing senior portrait experience and give them lasting heirloom quality images they will cherish for many years to come. When I was working with Madison, I knew she wanted a mix of both urban and nature settings so we did her shoot in a few of my favorite spots. The plan was to shoot along the way and finish the session in Ventura for some cute and fun beach portraits. Of course, here in So Cal, the beach is a very popular place to shoot! Madison is one of my Class of 2019 Senior Models and has the most stunning eyes! Check out what she had to say about her high school senior portraits and some tips for those also planning their sessions!
Q:What is your Dream College?
A. My dream is to attend UC Santa Barbara or San Diego State and dance
Q. College Major?
A. Nutrition
Q. What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
A. I am on the Valencia Dance Team and attend To the Pointe Dance and Pilates Centre where I train and perfect my dance technique. I am apart of the Family Promise organization where I provide food and comfort to homeless families. I also babysit two times a week because I enjoy children and entertaining them.
Q. What kind of look were you going for in your senior photos?
A. For my senior pictures I was looking for locations and outfits that represent me. I don’t often go out of the box with my outfits but I feel that my outfits we just enough to stand out and still represent me. I am a beach girl so I defiantly wanted to make a trip to the beach. I also love bright greenery and flowers that would make my outfits pop.
Q. How was your experience during your senior shoot?
A. My experience at my senior shoot was amazing. I had so much fun picking out my locations based off my outfits. I enjoyed the experience of getting my hair and makeup professionally done and loved that way it turned out. I loved the poses and positions that I was in while taking my photos. My favorite part was taking photos in white flowers with my black outfit. I also loved finishing off my shoot at the beach where I could let loose and have fun. Overall this experience made me feel more confident while taking photos and allowed me to have a fun time while modeling at the same time.
Q. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to anyone getting their senior photos taken?
A. A piece of advice that I would like to give is to make sure you have fun and enjoy the process. Also make sure all your clothes are ready to go so you can easily change and look flawless for every outfit shot.
Q. How many outfits did you take?
A. I took 6 outfits.
Q. Would you have taken more or less, reasons why?
A. This outfit amount was a perfect amount because I was able to mix and match different types of looks without repeating the same types of outfits. I had an extra outfit that I brought but I felt 6 had plenty of variety to shoot with.
Q. Did you accessorize differently with each outfit?
A. I did accessorize differently with each outfit because I felt that matching my accessories with my outfits would look put together and clean. I would recommend earrings for every outfit. They bring together an outfit perfectly and they look beautiful. For shoes, I used basic heals and some sandals. Your feet aren’t included much in some shots but I would still recommend having a pair of shoes for each outfit just in case. I organized my jewelry separately for each outfit. I would put certain bracelets and necklaces that would look amazing with the individual outfits in a bag and place it with that outfit. Overall, accessories are important to have to bring together an outfit and make it not look too plain.
Q. Did you take any props or try to incorporate any activities that you’re in?
A. I didn’t include many props in my shoot the only prop type item I had was a hat that I used in one of my shots. It was a fun touch to my outfit because I don’t normally wear hats so it brought me out of my comfort zone.
Q. Any tips on how to prepare for the session or must have things to bring?
A. Some must have items are lots and lots of jewelry. You can never have too much jewelry for a photo shoot. It adds so much more to an outfit and brings out your features. Another thing to bring is a Suitcase or duffel of some sort to keep your clothes and accessories in order without ruining them. The last thing to bring is your fun and energetic self because it is a long but super fun day that you will remember forever.
Q. Any tips on hair/makeup? Where did you get your inspiration for this? Did you bring in pictures or have a plan prior to your styling?
A. I did have a plan as to what my hair and makeup was going to be. I wanted a natural look for my makeup. I used Pinterest to look at natural make up hat would bring out my blue eyes. I found multiple ideas and brought those images to show the makeup artist. She did my makeup flawlessly and it was a perfect mix of a natural yet still glam look. For my hair, I decided to curl it and leave it down the entire shoot. I wanted to keep my hair down because I wanted the focus to be my face and not my crazy hair do that I could have done.
Q. Did you find a store that had everything you were looking for?
A. For my shoot I found almost all of my outfits at Free People. I love Free People because they have outfits that are out of the box but still fit your own personal style. This store had everything including dresses, skirts, tops, you name it. They have it all. I also purchased many accessories form Francesca’s. This store has so many earrings and necklaces to choose from that match any kind of outfit. I also got my beachy type looks form Rip Curl. This store has many beach type rompers and flowy clothes that look stunning while shooting by the shore. With these stores plus many others I was able to get all the items I needed to make my shoot perfect.
Q. What ended up being your favorite outfit and why?
A. My favorite outfit ended up being my black two piece with the black hat. This is because the outfit really popped in the location I was in and it fit my body perfectly allowing it to looks flawless on camera. This outfit also brought color to my blue eyes which looked amazing on camera.
Q. Let’s talk about locations. What location(s) did you choose for your session? Why did you choose that location? Do you wish you would have gone some place different or would you suggest where you went?
A. Being a beach girl, I had my heart set in going to the beach. The beach is where I like to spend most of my time so having my senior shoot there would show off my personality. I also love going to places with bright greenery because it shows great on camera and makes you stand out. I also wanted some color so I posed in front of bright pink flowers which ended up turning out great. Finally, I went to the Ventura Train Station which was super fun. I would definitely recommend going there plus incorporating color and greenery.
Q. What’s on your BUCKET LIST of things to do or see?
A. 1. Skydive
2. Hike through beautiful waterfalls
3. Explore the world and nature
4. Travel out of the country
5. Get married and start a family
2. Hike through beautiful waterfalls
3. Explore the world and nature
4. Travel out of the country
5. Get married and start a family
Q. FUN FACTS ABOUT MADISON!
A. I love horror movies
I am a competitive dancer
I don’t like chocolate or soda
I love Science especially Anatomy
I love the Dolan Twins
I love the Cheesecake Factory
I don’t like History
I am obsessed with apple juice
Favorite high school memory was competing at nationals for dance team
Best thing about being a senior is having fun with friends all the time
I love Vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles
I have one brother
My worst haircut was when I cut it to my shoulders
I am a competitive dancer
I don’t like chocolate or soda
I love Science especially Anatomy
I love the Dolan Twins
I love the Cheesecake Factory
I don’t like History
I am obsessed with apple juice
Favorite high school memory was competing at nationals for dance team
Best thing about being a senior is having fun with friends all the time
I love Vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles
I have one brother
My worst haircut was when I cut it to my shoulders
Q. Tell me 2 truths and 1 Lie
A. I don’t like chocolate
I’ve never been out of the country
I have a dog (lie)
I’ve never been out of the country
I have a dog (lie)
Q. Is there anything you would have done differently for your shoot?
A. I wouldn’t have done anything differently because every aspect of my shoot went perfectly and I would never change anything about it.
Q. What was your favorite thing about your session or the overall experience?
A. My favorite thing about my senior session was being photographed with my favorite outfits and being glammed up while having fun at my locations.
Q. Why do you think senior portraits are important?
A. Senior portraits are important because they show off how much you have changed since the beginning of high school. They also bring out your personality through your clothes and locations. It also serves as a memory to look back to for years and years to come.
Q. Why did you choose Tara Rochelle to take your senior pictures?
A. I choose Tara Rochelle for my photos because she does an amazing job at using light and camera angles to capture the perfect image. Her quality of pictures are amazing and her editions brings out each models physical features. She is also a fun and energetic person to work with and I enjoyed my experience with her.
Are you looking for a Southern California Senior Portrait Photographer? Check out my Senior Portrait Website for more info on sessions, what to expect, and my online portfolio! Do you need some more shoot inspiration? Go ahead and check out these Santa Barbara Senior Portraits with Lexy! Keep in mind that when you’re looking for a Southern California Senior Portrait Photographer, they will most likely book several months in advance. This is especially true for the summer months when out of state clients are traveling to California for summer vacation and many want to do their portraits while in town. Be sure to book early to get the best dates!
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