Moms, if you are reading this post, slide that screen around and let that handsome senior of yours keep reading. This one's for them.

Ok, fellas, I get it. You hate having your picture taken. You think you don't care about this and are only doing it for your mom or girlfriend. Heads up: Everyone wants their senior picture to look good. You can hate the process, but you want to love the outcome. Am I right? You can also pretend you don't care. That is ok too. Go on, keep pretending. I promise your secret is safe with me.

Here are ten tips to keep mom happy and avoid bringing total shame to your spouse and children in the years to come (since we already know you obviously don't care...wink wink).

1. Don't wear sweatpants, basketball shorts or a dirty, ratty t-shirt. 
Instead, wear jeans or slacks and a button-down or polo. Look sharp for your photos. A favorite go-to t-shirt is fine as long as it has minimal print and no distracting logos. Also, please do not wear a colored or graphic logo'd t-shirt under a white shirt (I know this from vast experience, unfortunately). Make sure you only wear white if it is a crisp, bright white. Remember, it is ok to dress up! 

2. Make sure your clothes are wrinkle-free.
Yes, you might have to bust out the iron and ironing board. And please don't stuff everything into your gym bag after ironing because it will get wrinkled again (think of all that wasted ironing! gah!). Instead, hang it up and bring it on a hanger. I prefer a t-shirt to a wrinkled dress shirt, and so will you (and your mom, grandma and significant other) when you get these photos back! 

3. Don't wear Birkenstocks, Crocs or flip-flops. 
I take full-length photos, and yes, your feet will show in some of them. Wear shoes that are comfortable, but don't wear shoes that scream for attention. Let's also talk about socks for a second. Please wear long pants that cover the socks, and keep the color of the sock neutral so it doesn't distract from the picture. Athletic socks, in general, are not my favorite. So if you dress up in dark slacks, avoid bright white athletic socks. 

4. Do something with your hair. 
Make sure your hair is clean and combed. Do not come straight from football practice (yep, that has happened). Also, do not wear a hat before showing up (think flat hair and hat line of forehead). The tiniest bit of effort here goes a long way. 

5. Do something with your facial hair. 
Whether that is shaving it off completely, grooming your beard or trimming it nicely. And while I am at it: five lip hairs do not make a mustache. Just shave it off! You will thank me for this tip later. 

6. Sunblock is your friend.
A bright red face does not look good when posing for your photo. So if you ski, fish or do anything that will give you a raccoon eye sunburn or tan, try and avoid that on the days leading to your photo shoot. 

7. Take your phone, keys, wallet, etc., out of your pockets. 
Leave these valuables with mom, a friend or in the car, just not in your pockets. These items cause weird lumps in your pockets that we want to avoid.

8. Brush your teeth. 
At home before your session, and only eat when the photos are done. It seems simple, and whitening can be done in photoshop after, but only so much can be done about orange cheese and peppercorn encrusted teeth. 

9. Bring props that represent you. 
Play an instrument? Into cars? Skateboard? Sports? Bring your instrument, skateboard, car, uniform, bat, ball, stick, helmet, glove or letterman jacket. The options are endless. If you plan to bring props, notify me ahead of time because some props do better at specific locations. 

10. Bring your pet. 
Just makes sure you let me know what pet you are planning to bring ahead of time so I can be prepared. Some pets may require a location change. 

Keep on hating if you wish, and pretend all you like that you don't care about your senior portraits. But for the sake of every person who has ever and will ever love to look at that handsome mug of yours...please consider following these tips! 😊

CLICK HERE IF YOU MISS PART 1 OF MY SENIOR PHOTOS WITH DIFFICULT TEENS!
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PART 2 OF SENIOR PICTURES WITH DIFFICULT TEENS