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Best Senior Picture Outfits

by admin JMon July 2, 2014 in Awesome Events & Personalities, Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, High School Senior Pictures That Rock!, My Blog, Seattle Area, Senior Pictures Sessions, Tacoma & North, The Eastside

Senior Portrait Photographer | Seattle, Redmond & Bellevue

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Welcome to senior year! It’s exciting to be so close to the end of your high school career! When you’ve gotten this far, you’ve probably carved out your personal style pretty well. This is good, because the first step this year is senior pictures—these personalized portraits will be the lingering impression you leave on people who you fall out of touch with after high school. Be sure to look your best and look like yourself!

Below are three broad categories on the best senior picture outfits you can try, and how to pull them off!

Hipster

Are you a trendsetter who’s goal is to look like today’s music inspirations? Think about this style as a canvas for whatever your artistic self thinks looks good..because almost ANYthing goes here!

The past few years have seen ‘hipsterdom’ turn mainstream, always leaving room for interpretation and loads of room for improvisation. Mix, match, bend, twist (and shout) to create your own style and defy the norm!

Guys are pulling out all the goods! From suspenders, bow ties and thick glasses to jorts, straw trilbies and more crazy combinations of these. Think about this style as your canvas where tighter jeans are cool, tight everything is pretty much cool, and the wilder the hat and accessories the better! If you have tats you’re definitely in the norm as well…parental approved of course!

Girls tend to lean towards more eclectic accessories, preferably made of wood and string in some circles, and all the better if you make them yourself!! Wearing babydoll dresses, anything sporting a high-waist like a hotpant style, and draped denim shirts are leading the way also. And of course, plaid flannels, beanies and scarves are staples for the fellas and the ladies. Feel free to think 80’s with your hairstyle and jewelry. Colorful and artistic leads the way for sure!

Preppy

Clean, fit and sporty!? Prepsters and Ivy Leaguers to-be have an easy time putting together the best senior picture outfits as this style is easy to shop for since the fashion is already established.

Guys: Toss a navy blazer over pretty much anything and a rep tie with school colors or something classic, go for a more clean jeans style and maybe rock your favorite color pants. Polos, button-ups and loafers of any style welcomed!

Ladies: Rock those bright cardigans over your favorite patterned dress, go ultra preppy with a scarf and polo with capris and Vans, or keep it clean in all white and clean lines. See also: polka dots, houndstooth, and nautical stripes. Keep your jewelry simple and clean, maybe think faux pearls, colorful but subtle jewelry and very simple hair.

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Urban

Hip and hop! Streetwear is, and always has been just plain cool. Definitely ‘keep it real’.

Wear your favorite style of high top Jordans with neon laces, big flashy logos, and straight bill hats— all done in a casual and loose fit with room to spare. Bonus points available if you rep your local ‘hood or town (on your T-shirt, hat or jewelry for example). Hoodies and rain jackets can get a lot of play with this style and introduce some pops of color to your wardrobe. Make sure you’ve got the hair to match, unless you really want to try out a faux hawk with a basketball jersey.

Fellas: All about the vibe here! Simple items with a matching color theme will look the best. If you’re a Seahawks fan maybe it’s a jersey with a navy hat, dark denim and bright kicks. In colder weather throw on that hoodie and maybe add a parka of that might be just a little too big.

Ladies: Make baggy and tight work as a team! Be sure to think your colors need to match better than with a more hipster look (where anything goes). If you’re into blue and white, make it all blue and white (or close). Big kicks, hats, beenies, big bracelets and bangals and crazy color jeans and jeggs work well here. Go fun with your hair or pull it back for a hot look!

Summary

Be real with who you are, and remember that your best senior portrait outfit is just the wrapping on the streetwear attitude you need to show off in your photo! Stand out among your peers with your best senior picture outfit—something truly original and memorable.

There are many ways of dressing in our day-to-day lives, but we only get one time to have your senior portraits taken. Choose the look that fits you the best and make it as good as it can possibly be. Once the outfit is chosen, make sure you have a photographer who can really make it pop!

By Julian Michael > Contact him for your senior portraits today!

 

 

Bellevue Events Photographer: 5 Vital Traits for a Winning Experience

by admin JMon May 22, 2014 in Awesome Events & Personalities, My Blog, Seattle Area, Tacoma & North, The Eastside

Bellevue Events Photographer | Serving Seattle, Bellevue & Tacoma areas

5 Winning Traits to a Great Event Photography Company

Great with People

Hi, hello, please and thank you, you’re welcome…words you’ll hear often by a personable and polite events photographer. Your photographer should be these things plus professional, cordial, assertive if needed, and flexible on-site. This is important at business events and especially at personal events in dealing with a variety of other personalities in a fixed amount of time. Your best Bellevue events photographers will be someone your guests feel they could crack open some champagne with (though not on the job or course)…it’s happened on a variety of occasions with Julian and team!

Julian and his team will make your guests feel relaxed and when needed you’re barely notice they’re there.

bellevue, events, photographer, seattle, corporate, nonprofit, photos, photography, tacomaThank you so much for doing a terrific job with our event! Everyone was thrilled with the pictures!  – Jeff, Junior Achievement Annual Fundraiser Event Chair

Sometimes, the photographer must be unobtrusive and capture candid shots of the event’s guests. However, not every picture-worthy moment arrives organically. Some shots are posed shots of couples, groups, teams or important executives or award winners, for example. Having a photographer whom your guests are comfortable with can most accurately direct people (who many times are used to the being the one giving the orders!).

Ability to Improvise

No event is identical. No set of guests are the same. Every event is unique and improvisation is paramount!

Skilled improvisers can think ‘on the fly’, ‘get it done’, and work well under pressure, like Julian and team. This might consist of preparing shade, reflection, props and illumination from available objects, bring different groups of people together for staged shots, and handle changing weather for outdoor events. Always choose a photographer with light feet and a nimble mind!

Excellence in Composition

We want to capture the entire setting from wide to close up! A professional knows how to compose a scene the moment it happens, 10min before, and identify other moments that others may not see. For your corporate fundraiser or annual function your keynote speaker may be on-stage for anywhere from 10 to 30-minutes and we want to capture several angles, expressions and reactions.

During the reception or silent auction we will aim to capture the setting and features of your function, while aiming for excellence in composition and lighting with natural expressions and vibe. The best Bellevue events photographers will quickly observe the surroundings in any scene, seeking out foreground elements available for depth of field and any potential distractions in the background. Aiming for excellence in composition seems like a simple task, but is a detailed planning process that is continuous and produces the high quality imagery you expect to see for your event to look larger than life.

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Timeliness & Planning

Obviously your event photographer should show up on time to make sure they capture every valuable second of material, but equally important is the timely delivery of the raw and edited photos—these days people can’t wait to get pictures of their events on Facebook and other social networks. A timely photographer makes sure your friends and guests can start tagging themselves right away!

Efficiency

Time is of the essence! Once the event begins there’s no time for planning, it’s ‘GO’ time. Thus, your events photographer needs to be quick on their feet with a clear focus of the objectives in mind. Your best Seattle & Bellevue events photographers will have the location already mapped, have a clear idea of what shots need to be captured and when, and they’ll have a great point person to direct them when/if needed. They’ll usually take a variety of angles and provide options to the client.

Making every action count with no downtime is what separates the best Seattle & Bellevue events photographers from the amateurs. This ensures that you get the most out of your photographer, whether at a wedding, birthday, cocktail party, business conference or keynote. I know that’s what I would want!

By Julian Michael > Contact him for your event today!

 

 

Why Hire One of the Best Seattle Headshot Photographers for Your Company?

by admin JMon May 20, 2014 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots, Seattle Area, Tacoma & North, The Eastside, Uncategorized

Best Seattle Headshot Photographers | Serving Bellevue, Seattle & Tacoma

What’s Your Company Headshot Worth to You? A thousand words typically! It’s the way you’ll be perceived by new clients. It’s your initial perception or final pull when connecting with you on LinkedIn. It’ll represent you, whatever you’re using it for, to whomever sees it. Do you want to leave something so crucial up to an untrained amateur with a point-and-shoot camera? I know I wouldn’t. Or would you want your first impression one of the best Seattle headshot photographers with 15 years experience working with a wide variety of people and personalities?!

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Professional Equipment with a Professional Touch

It’s easier than ever to take a picture today—everyone has a camera in their pocket at any time ready to shoot any and everything. But no one would ever claim that a handheld iPhone is going to capture the same quality of a DSLR (digital single lens reflex camera) on a level tripod. The difference in equipment quality and capability is obvious, and it’s exactly the same situation when comparing who is taking your professional portrait.

My knowledge and experience affords me the ability to know just the right angle to accentuate your features while utilizing the best lighting and background that conveys what you want your portrait to communicate to your target audience. In a typical session I’ll take several portraits usually in different angles to ensure you have options prior to image post-production. Working in this capacity is one of the reasons I’ve been ranked among the best Seattle headshot photographers the past few years and clients refer me often.

Knowing Seattle Locations & Local Flavor

How well do you know the area? In my 30+ years in and around the greater Seattle, Tacoma and Bellevue areas I’ve got to know the Emerald City like the back of my hand. For any session I can capture unique team portraits done at Gasworks Park, a corporate headshot on the Two Union Square plaza, and a business headshot during the golden hour of hidden Seattle sun in your home office. It’s all about location, location, location, and from Georgetown to Queen Anne to Northgate, I know them all.

Rain City has been my home for a long time, which has helped me learn how to cater to the unique local audience, as all the best Seattle headshot photographers know. Maybe one week I’m capturing a tech startup CEO headshot in natural lighting outdoors that needs to convey a laid-back, smart style with a little nerd street credibility; the next week I’m working with a top local Bank to capture traditional portraits on-site with a pre-set studio look. I know the local vibes, which helps me give the complimentary pre-session styling and posing advice I offer. I look forward to working with you and your team!

 by Julian Michael > Contact him for a  session today!

 

5 Tips to a Successful Professional Headshot Session

by admin JMon January 23, 2014 in Headshot Sessions | Seattle - Bellevue - Tacoma, My Blog, Professional Business Headshots, Seattle Area, Tacoma & North, The Eastside tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This month: 5 Tips to a Successful Professional Headshot Session

At least every month I’ll be posting a video clip with useful information for your professional business headshot session, corporate photos or commercial photography needs. These will range from tips to best practices to what to look for when shopping the competition (not that I’m recommending this of course, but I understand!).

See the video: https://vimeo.com/83710961

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Tip #1 – Get Your Outfit Ready the Night Before – You know what looks good, but in a rush (i.e. the morning of) sometimes you’ll forget something or not be thinking straight. Get your outfit prepped and good to go for your professional headshot session the next day!

Tip #2 – Enjoy Yourself – Gotta have fun! ‘Nuff said. It’s not pulling teeth but sometimes is approached this way so keep in mind it will go by quickly.

Tip #3 – Trust Your Photographer – Julian has been a trained photographer for over a dozen years and has photographed thousands of people and dozens of businesses. Trust that he can deliver and that working with you will produce the high quality image you’re looking for.

Tip #4 – Keep It Simple – The simpler the better! Keep outfits simple, including prints, accessories, and hair.

Tip #5 – Be At Your Best! – So many of us forget to give ourselves enough rest, to prep the night before, to bring the necessary hair/makeup products with us, etc, that contribute to not looking your very best. I like to make my clients look really good and I hope you are at your Very Best!

Following these tips will lead to a much more successful business headshot session for you and/or your company when updating your portraits. It’s critical to take this seriously since this is your visual identity and brand. Think to yourself…how often do you actually have a new professional headshot session done?

– Julian Michael

Bellevue & Seattle Corporate Headshots