What I Actually Tell Clients Before Their Portrait Session

Most of the people I photograph have never done this before. They show up a little unsure of where to stand, what to do with their hands, whether they picked the right outfit. That uncertainty is completely normal and it usually resolves itself within the first ten minutes.

But there are a few things worth knowing before you arrive.

Wear what you’d wear to something that matters. Not a costume, not your most formal outfit. Whatever you’d reach for when you want to feel like yourself and have somewhere to be. Solid colors tend to photograph cleaner than patterns, but the more important thing is that you feel good in it.

Eat something beforehand. A real meal, not a snack. Hunger shows up in ways people don’t expect shorter patience, tighter expressions, less willingness to try something a second time. Bring water too, especially for outdoor sessions.

Sleep the night before. This one sounds obvious until the session is the day after a late night. Eyes are the first thing that show fatigue and the hardest thing to edit around.

Don’t over-prepare your expressions. Practicing smiles in a mirror usually produces mirror smiles expressions made for mirrors, not cameras, not connection. Show up and let the session find its rhythm. That’s my job.

Tell me what you’re nervous about. Seriously. If there’s a side you prefer, a feature you’re self-conscious about, something that didn’t work in a past session, say it at the start. I’d rather know than guess.

The rest we figure out together once you’re here.